“We’d better clear,” said Steve. “Trooper Dan’ll be round raising Cain, and we don’t want to hurt him.”
“No, he won’t,” said Darby. “I locked ’im in where ’e tried to shove me. ’E ’ad the keys with ’im.”
“You didn’t hurt him much?”
“No,” said Darby. “I just bumped ’is ’ead on the wall once or twice.”
More cheers were called for Darby, more drinks were swallowed, the crowd stormed up the street to the police station, where they stood in the road and passed remarks which they hoped Trooper Dan would hear, and Never-Never serenaded him with “We will meet, but we will miss him,” and a vociferous chorus requested him to “Tap another barrel, for the well’s gone dry.”
“Now, then, all together,” cried Never-Never. “The Long Yell, an’ then we’ll go an’ go a long beer. Take the time from me.... One—two—three—Coolongolong go long long BEER.”
Steve Knight got the keys from Darby and slipped away to the police station and saw the trooper’s wife.
“Ah, Steve,” she said, “let him out, please. I’m afraid he’s hurt, though he says No. But you know the strength of that Darby....”
“He won’t make a fuss?” said Steve.
“I’ll promise you that,” she said. “He’ll keep out of the way—I’ll give you my word for that, and tell him I’ve given it.”