Page:While the Billy Boils, 1913.djvu/157

 up at the window, and dropped to it. I went down, funky enough, I can tell you, and faced him. He said:

"Look here, mate, why didn't you come straight to me, and tell me how you was fixed, instead of sneaking round the trouble in that fashion? There's no occasion for it."

'I felt mean at once, but I said: 'Well, you see, we didn't know you, boss.'

"So it seems. Well, I didn't think of that. Anyway, call up your mate and come and have a drink; we'll talk over it afterwards." So I called Tom. 'Come on,' I shouted. 'It's all right.'

'And the boss kept us a couple of days, and then gave us as much tucker as we could carry, and a drop of stuff and a few bob to go on the track again with.'

"Well, he was white, any road."

'Yes. I knew him well after that, and only heard one man say a word against him.'

"And did you stoush him?"

'No; I was going to, but Tom wouldn't let me. He said he was frightened I might make a mess of it, and he did it himself.'

"Did what? Make a mess of it?"

'He made a mess of the other man that slandered that publican. I'd be funny if I was you, Where's the matches?'

"And could Tom fight?"

'Yes. Tom could fight.'

"Did you travel long with him after that?"

'Ten years.'

"And where is he now?"

'Dead.―Give us the matches.'