"In the parlour."
Tom broke away, leaving Katie blushing in front of Jack. Jack was thinking how queer and empty the house seemed. And he felt an outsider again. He stayed outside, sat down on the bench.
A boy much bigger than Harry, but with the same blue eyes and curly hair, appeared chewing a haystalk, and squatted on a stone near by. Then Og and Magog, a bit taller, but no thinner, came and edged on to the seat. Then Ellie, a long-legged little girl, came running to his knees. And then what had been Baby, but was now a fat, toddling little girl, came racing out, fearless and inconsequential as the twins had been.
"Where's Len?" said Jack.
"He's in the paddock seein' to th' sheep," said Harry.
There was a queer tense silence. The children seemed to cling round Jack for male protection.
"We're goin' to' live nearer in to th' township now," said Harry, "in a little wee sortta house."
He stared with bold blue eyes, unwinking and yet not easy, straight into Jack's eyes.
"Well Harry," said Jack, "You've grown quite a man."
"I hev so!" said Harry: "Quite the tyke! I ken kill birds for Ma to put in th' pot I ken skin a kangaroo. I ken—"