‘Come along,’ she said, without dismounting. ‘They’re on their tails proper now. Wanter git the corn shelled for Tuberville. No more schoolin’ fer the kids. They’re a-goin’ to put the set on ye to-night, hut an’ all. Pap, and Brombee, an’ the Simmses, an’ Pringles, an’ the whole push is out. They got four teams o’ bullocks an’ all the ropes an’ chains in the country, an’ they’re a-goin’ to hyste school an’ you over the sidin’. It’ll be just one! two! three! an’ wallop ye all goes! Roll up yer swag slippy an’ come along.’
Cruppy, seeing at once that a crisis, not altogether unexpected, had arrived, did as he was told.
‘Now,’ said Mandy, leading the way into a dense clump of peppermint suckers, ‘le’s wait an’ see the fun. They reckoned as how, sleepin’ so sound, you wouldn’t know nothin’ till you struck bottom in the crik. But they’re euchred agin.’
As the night wore on noises broke its stillness, and dark forms moved athwart the little open space, whilst from far below in the gully came the faint clank of chains and the muffled tramp of cattle.
‘Look,’ whispered Mandy admiringly, ‘ain’t they [70] ]cunnin’? There’s Pap, an’ ole Brombee, an’ young Tom, a-sneakin’ the big rope roun’ the hut. You’d niver ha’ woke, sleepin’ sound as ye does.’
Even as she spoke a shrill whistle was heard. Then from below came a tremendous volleying of whips, accompanied by hoarse yells of ‘Gee, Brusher! Darling up! Wah Rowdy! Spanker! Redman!’ As the noose tightened, the school first cracked, then toppled. The din below redoubled, and with a crash the building disappeared bodily over the brow of the hill.
‘That’s domino!’ remarked Mandy calmly. ‘There won’t be no more schoolin’ at Dead Finish. Come along; I’ll set ye on the track. Ye kin leave the horse an’ saddle at Duffy’s when you gits to the township. I shook ’em from ole Brombee. Won’t he bite when he finds it out. But you,’ she went on, ‘needn’t be scared. You seen him to-night doin’ his best to break your neck. Well, so long! Give us a cheeker afore ye goes; an’ don’t forget Mandy Brown o’ Dead Finish.’
[71]
]‘NUMBER ONE NORTH RAINBOW.’
‘Another duffer!’
‘Rank as ever was bottomed!’