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Paterson, A. B. (Andrew Barton), 1864-1941

"Outback Marriage, an : a story of Australian life"

I'd like to know what this means?"
"Is thim your sheep?" said the bland Mick, surprised. "I wuz
wondherin' whose sheep they wuz, comin' up the flat. I knew they
wuzn't travellin' sheep, 'cause of gettin' no notice, an me bein'
laid up in the house this two days--"
"Oh, that's all very fine, Mick Donohoe?" said the young man angrily.
"Your own dogs have brought them here."
Red Mick laughed gaily. "Ah, thim dogs is always yardin' up things.
They never see a mob of sheep, but they'll start to dhrive 'em
some place. When I was travellin' down the Darlin', goin' through
Dunloe Station, in one paddock I missed th' old slut, and when
I see her again, she had gethered fifteen thousand sheep, and was
bringin' 'em after me. But, Lord bless your heart, Mr. Hugh,"
he added with a comforting smile, "she wouldn't hurt a hair of a
sheep's head, nor the young dog ayther. Them sheep'll be all right.
Sorra sheep ever she bit in her life. I wonder where they gethered
them?"
"I'll tell you where they gathered them," said Hugh. "The fence of
our paddock was dug up, and the sheep were run out, and then the
fence was put up again. That's how they gathered them."
"The fence wuz dug up! Ah, look at that now. Terrible, ain't it.
An' who done it, do ye think? Some of them carriers, I expect,
puttin' their horses in unbeknownst to you.


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