Australian Tales - Setis

utterly disregarded, while his resistance was overruled by the main
strength of numbers, and in about half-an-hour his long grizzly beard, his
shaggy locks, and his bushy whiskers, were lying on the dungheap, and
his face and head were as bald as a bladder of putty. A wet cloth was
then wrapped about his head, and a couple of shepherds, armed with
pokers, were left to keep watch over him till morning.
Soon after daylight the doctor arrived at the station. I need not enter
into particulars of what took place then; but merely state that Micky was
speedily released from durance, and was overloaded with apologies from
the gentlemen who had, unwittingly, been the cause of his new mishaps.
Micky listened gravely to all they had to say, but declined their invitation
to stay at the station until his hair grew to a becoming length; and also
declined every other offer they made to him, but the offer of a breakfast;
and not feeling very comfortable in a place where he was conscious that
he was a laughing-stock for the whole community, he as soon as possible
mounted his horse, taking with him the saddle-bags, and then took the
shortest course across the bush to his old station.
The sun was just setting when he came up to Joe Griddle's hut; and, in
order to give his friend a sudden surprise, Micky fastened his horse to a
tree some distance off, then crept stealthily up to the hut and peeped
through a crack in the slabs. There was Joe, presiding over the longhandled
fryingpan, which was full of beefsteaks and onions, the steaming
savour of which was most stimulating to Micky's hungry senses.
“Ha, ha, ha!” chuckled Micky. “How plazed the jolly ould sowl 'll be to
see me, to be shure! An there's poor Nip, too, sittin beside the kettle; may
be he's thinkin about me this very minute. Ha, ha, ha! he'll be fit to
devour me wid delight, so he will. I'll jist creep in an astonish 'em both.”
Micky then stole into the hut, unseen by either Joe or the dog, and seated
himself on his old bedstead in the corner. There he sat for a few minutes,
delightfully anticipating Joe's surprise, and his friendly greeting.
Presently Joe lifted the fryingpan off the fire, and was about to turn its
contents into a tin dish on the table, when he caught sight of Micky
sitting in the corner, with his bald face and head, and his long wizardlooking
grey cloak.
“Hoo! hoo! hoo! Goblins!” roared Joe Griddle, dropping the fryingpan,
and rushing out of the hut in terror, which was increased tenfold by
Micky's rising and holding out his arms in the futile attempt to stop him,
while Nip tucked in his tail and ran away, howling as if he had all the hot
onions on his back.
Micky ran out of the hut, and called as loudly as he could, Joe, Joe
Griddle, me jewel! and Nip, Nip, Nip! but neither of them regarded his
call, nor stopped to look behind them, away they ran into the bush, as
fast as their legs could carry them; Joe Griddle shouting for Sandy
M'Grim, and Nip howling a dismal accompaniment, until the sound of