on
crash of the big trees as they fell, had lost all their poetry.

We toiled and toiled clearing those four acres, where the haystacks are
now standing, till every tree and sapling that had grown there was
down. We thought then the worst was over; but how little we knew of
clearing land! Dad was never tired of calculating and telling us how
much the crop would fetch if the ground could only be got ready in time
to put it in; so we laboured the harder.

With our combined male and female forces and the aid of a sapling lever
we rolled the thundering big logs together in the face of Hell's own
fires; and when there were no logs to roll it was tramp, tramp the day
through, gathering armfuls of sticks, while the clothes clung to our
backs with a muddy perspiration. Sometimes Dan and Dave would sit in
the shade beside the billy of water and gaze at the small patch that
had taken so long to do; then they would turn hopelessly to what was
before them and ask Dad (who would never take a spell) what was the use
of thinking of ever getting such a place cleared? And when Dave wanted
to know why Dad did n't take up a place on the plain, where there were
no trees to grub and plenty of water, Dad would cough as if something
was sticking in his throat, and then curse terribly about the squatters
and political jobbery. He would soon cool down, though, and get hopeful
again.

"Look at the Dwyers," he'd say; "from ten acres of wheat they got
seventy pounds last year, besides feed for the fowls; they've got corn
in now, and there's only the two."

It was n't only burning off! Whenever there came a short drought the
waterhole was sure to run dry; then it was take turns to carry water
from the springs--about two miles. We had no draught horse, and if we
had there was neither water-cask, trolly, nor dray; so we humped
it--and talk about a drag! By the time you returned, if you had n't
drained the bucket, in spite of the big drink you'd take before leaving
the springs, more than half would certainly be spilt through the vessel
bumping against your leg every time you stumbled in the long grass.
Somehow, none of us liked carrying water. We would sooner keep the
fires going all day without dinner than do a trip to the springs.

One hot, thirsty day it was Joe's turn with the bucket, and he managed
to get back without spilling very much. We were all pleased because
there was enough left after the tea had been made to give each a drin