Most of the people came before dinner; the Hamiltons arrived just after
breakfast. Talk of drays!--the little paddock could n't hold them.
Jim Mullins was the only one who came in to dinner; the others mostly sat
on their heels in a row and waited in the shade of the wire-fence. The
parson was the last to come, and as he passed in he knocked his head
against the kangaroo-leg hanging under the verandah. Dad saw it swinging,
and said angrily to Joe: "Did n't I tell you to take that down this
morning?"
Joe unhooked it and said: "But if I hang it anywhere else the dog'll
get it."
Dad tried to laugh at Joe, and said, loudly, "And what else is it for?"
Then he bustled Joe off before he could answer him again.
Joe did n't understand.
Then Dad said (putting the leg in a bag): "Do you want everyone to know
we eat it, ---- you?"
Joe understood.
The ceremony commenced. Those who could squeeze inside did so--the others
looked in at the window and through the cracks in the chimney.
Mrs. M'Doolan led Kate out of the back-room; then Sandy rose from the
fire-place and stood beside her. Everyone thought Kate looked very
nice----and orange blossoms! You'd think she was an orange-tree with a new
bed-curtain thrown over it.
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