Mother used to ask them if they had met Dad? None ever did until an old
grey man came along and said he knew Dad well--he had camped with him one
night and shared a damper. Mother was very pleased and brought him in.
We had a kangaroo-rat (stewed) for dinner that day. The girls did n't
want to lay it on the table at first, but Mother said he would n't know
what it was. The traveller was very hungry and liked it, and when passing
his plate the second time for more, said it was n't often he got
any poultry.
He tramped on again, and the girls were very glad he did n't know it was
a rat. But Dave was n't so sure that he did n't know a rat from a
rooster, and reckoned he had n't met Dad at all.
The seventh week Dad came back. He arrived at night, and the lot of us
had to get up to find the hammer to knock the peg out of the door and let
him in. He brought home three pounds--not enough to get the wire with,
but he also brought a horse and saddle. He did n't say if he bought them.
It was a bay mare, a grand animal for a journey--so Dad said--and only
wanted condition. Emelina, he called her. No mistake, she was a quiet
mare! We put her where there was good feed, but she was n't one that
fattened on grass.
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