ds on it, and he wasn't sure that the other
hadn't two tails--also, he suspected Brummy of some skill in "palming,"
so he picked up a chip from the wood-heap, spat on it, and spun it into
the air. "Sing out!" he cried, "wet or dry?"

"Dry," said Brummy, promptly. He had a theory that the wet side of the
chip, being presumably heaviest, was more likely to fall downwards;
but this time it was "wet" up three times in succession. Brummy ignored
Swampy's hand thrown out in hearty congratulation; and next morning
he went to work in the shed. Swampy camped down the river, and Brummy
supplied him with a cheap pair of moleskin trousers, tucker and tobacco.
The shed cut out within three weeks and the two sundowners took the
track again, Brummy with two pounds odd in his pocket--he having
negotiated his cheque at the shed.

But now there was suspicion, envy, and distrust in the hearts of those
two wayfarers. Brummy was now a bloated capitalist, and proud, and
anxious to get rid of Swampy--at least Swampy thought so. He thought
that the least that Brummy might have done was to have shared the
"stuff" with him.

"Look here, Brummy," he said reproachfully, "we've shared and shared
alike, and----"

"We never shared money," said Brummy, decidedly.

"Do you think I want yer blasted money?" retorted Swampy, indignantly.
"When did I ever ask yer for a sprat? Tell me that!"

"You wouldn't have got it if you had asked," said Brummy,
uncompromisingly. "Look here!" with vehemence. "Didn't I keep yer in
tobacco and buy yer gory pants? What are you naggin' about anyway?"

"Well," said Swampy, "all I was goin' to say was that yer might let me
carry one of them quids in case you lost one--yer know you're careless
and lose things; or in case anything happened to you."

"I ain't going to lose it--if that's all that's fretting you," said
Brummy, "and there ain't nothing going to happen to me--and don't you
forget it."

"That's all the thanks I get for givin' yer my gory job," said Swampy,
savagely. "I won't be sick a soft fool agen, I can tell yer."

Brummy was silent, and Swampy dropped behind. He brooded darkly,
and it's a bad thing for a man to brood in the bush. He was reg'lar
disgusted with Brummy. He'd allers acted straight to him, and Brummy
had acted like a "cow." He'd stand it no longer; but he'd have some
satisfaction. He wouldn't be a fool. If Brummy was mean skunk enough to
act to a mate like that, Swampy would be even with h