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Updated: June 8, 2025
"Now, look a-here, Brummy," said he, shaking his finger severely at the delinquent, "I don't want to pick a row with yer; I'd do as much for yer an' more than any other man, an' well yer knows it; but if yer starts playin' any of yer jumpt-up pranktical jokes on me, and a-scarin' of me after a-humpin' of yer 'ome, by the 'oly frost I'll kick yer to jim-rags, so I will."
Brummy ducked his head again, and muttered something in a husky voice about being 'proud to hey a fr'en'ly go with any gent ez is a gent. 'He's a gentleman amateur like yourself, said the spokesman persuasively 'and a fairer fighter never stripped. 'Oh, make tracks! retorted Burton with some impatience. 'We're tired. Set your man-eater at a red-gum butt or a bull something in his class.
"Under your head, Swampy, old man," said Brummy, cheerfully. Swampy was hurt now. He commented in the language that used to be used by the bullock-punchers of the good days as they pranced up and down by their teams and lammed into the bullocks with saplings and crow-bars, and called on them to lift a heavy load out of a bog in the bed of a muddy creek.
"That's another of them theer dang things!" he exclaimed. "That's two I've seed this mornin'." Presently he remarked: "Yer don't smell none too sweet, Brummy. It must 'a' been jist about the middle of shearin' when yer pegged out. I wonder who got yer last cheque. Shoo! theer's another black goanner theer must be a flock of 'em."
That's all I want to know. Hey? can't yer speak?" "Let's toss up for it," said Swampy, sulkily. "All right," said Brummy, with a big oath, and he felt in his pocket for two old pennies he had.
But Swampy had got a suspicion somehow that one of those pennies had two heads on it, and he wasn't sure that the other hadn't two tails also, he suspected Brummy of some skill in "palming," so he picked up a chip from the wood-heap, spat on it, and spun it into the air. "Sing out!" he cried, "wet or dry?" "Dry," said Brummy, promptly.
It wouldn't hurt them, and then there was the novelty of it. They struck West-o'-Sunday Station, and the boss happened to want a rouseabout to pick up wool and sweep the floor for the shearers. "I can put one of you on," he said. "Fix it up between yourselves and go to work in the morning." Brummy and Swampy went apart to talk it over. "Look here!
'You see, Brummy, my friend hesitates to raise false hopes in your heart, said the Prodigal. 'He might promise to punch the hair and hide off you at some future date, and then disappoint all your tender, joyful anticipations; but he's not a man of that sort: he tells you straight he wouldn't attempt to 'spoil beauty like yours for all the gilt in the Gravel Pits.
"Yes," said Brummy, resentfully, "an' you'll always be thrown' it up to me afterwards that I done you out of a job!" "I'll swear I won't," said Swampy, hurriedly. "But since you're so blasted touchy and suspicious about it, you take this job an' I'll take the next that turns up. How'll that suit you?" Brummy thought resentfully.
Brummy seemed very cheerful and sociable, even considerate, to his mate all day, and Swampy pretended to be happy. They yarned more than they had done for many a day. Brummy was a heavy sleeper, and that night Swampy went over him carefully and felt all his pockets, but without success.
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