" PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING " 279 



Jock. "Be off to bed wid ye. If the sargint gets ye 

 a-talkin' like that, he'll be afther thinkin' ye 're in 

 dhrink." 



"Then, me sowl to glory; he'll jist be thinkin' fwhat 

 I'm wishful for. It's that farefull dhry up there on 

 the Palmer I could dhrain a bucket." 



"Get to bed, yer fool ! Ye're talkin' that wild, ye'll 

 have no care for yerself. It's meself that'll git the 

 good woman beyant there to git ye a cup o' biling hot 

 tay." 



With that Jock got him out, with papers all in 

 order. 



Hu Dra had disappeared from the tableland as sud- 

 denly but not as tracklessly as a phantom. Lonely 

 men in their tents and three or four mothers of families 

 in their slab humpies looked out vainly for him for 

 three days, anticipating necessary vegetables, and, 

 being disappointed, slandered him courageously, while 

 they found consolation in the reflection that if he ever 

 came his round again they would distress and vex him 

 by withholding payments for the vegetables of the past. 

 Not a customer but owed him something. His country- 

 men gave notice of his disappearance to the police, and 

 black-trackers off-hand told a graphic and obvious 

 story. Hu Dra had begun his weekly round when he 

 had been attacked by myalls. They had capsized his 

 baskets and wantonly battered them to pieces. For 

 him had been reserved the customary fate. He had 

 been hustled off to the gorges contiguous to Hell's Gates, 

 to be killed and eaten in peace and comfort. His hut, 

 his cherished garden were forthwith occupied and 

 tended by another of the race-claiming cousinship. 

 The newcomer even demanded payment of debts owing 

 to his unfortunate relation, but the whole population 

 sniffed with such vigour that the claim was not persisted 



