Australian Tales - Setis

“When we found him, he was riding about the bush, looking for an old
man reading his Bible.”
“It's clear case, sir, I'm afraid,” said Sam, with a shrug, and a shake of
his head; then, putting spurs to the mare, he galloped out of sight in a few
minutes.
In the meantime, the entire population of the station, young and old,
had assembled in the wool-shed, to gaze at Micky, who was lying on the
sheep-skins, sometimes whining about the loss of his Bible and Pilgrim's
Progress, — sometimes demanding what for they sarved him in that cruel
cowardly way. Why they tied his legs and arms like a fat pig going to
market; and now and then entering into detached portions of his recent
adventures; commenting upon the same, in his characteristic style. To the
whole of his remarks, inquiries, arguments, or entreaties, his adult
audience merely laughed; while the swarm of juveniles positively
howled with delight, at the comical sayings of the “cranky man.”
“Troth an is it cranky ye think I am?” asked Micky, as the true cause of
his incarceration suddenly dawned upon his mind. “Och blathereens!
What nixt? ho, ho, ho! Be dash'd if I could help larfin at that notion, if a
dray wheel was on my toes. Cranky, eh! — ho, ho, ho! Hear me spake
raysonable, friends. It's a mistake altogether, as thrue as me name's
Micky Mahony. I'm no more cranky nor the masther there, and maybe
not nigh so much. It's this ould coat as spoils the look uv me, and me
ragged hat beside. But me brogans are drownded, and me swag's gone to
sea, an I shall niver see them no more; so I can't wear me best clothes.
Arrah, niver mind, I'm as rich as a king's son, after all, so I am. Jest let
me loose, honies! if yez plaze, an I'll show yez I am as sane as the
'torney-jineral. I'll forgive yez all, for all ye've done to me, if ye'll only let
me loose, an let me go and look afther me property.”
“Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the obdurate assembly, which so aroused poor
Micky's outraged feelings that he poured out a cataract of threats, of legal
penalties, which he would visit upon the heads of them all, when he
regained his liberty, and finally he began to make strenuous efforts to
disengage himself from the fastenings on his hands and legs; but to no
purpose, for the green hide with which he was bound was too strong to
be broken by him.
About midnight Hopping Sam returned on the bay mare, with a
message from Dr. Strapping that he would be over early the next
morning, and in the interim, if the patient got worse, they were to shave
his head, and keep wet cloths upon it, and give him a little sedative
medicine.
Micky was in the midst of a vehement declamation against cowardice
and cold-blooded murther, when Sam returned; so, after a short
consultation, it was agreed to shave his head at once, as he was decidedly
worse. Micky's emphatic. protestations against their proceedings were