a master who
understood the work to be done was everywhere. The sheep-pens were
full, and there were a number of men moving about. Some were down at
the creek up to their knees in water, busy washing the sheep, which were
driven down to them. A still larger number were near the wool-shed,
with long shears in their hands taking the soft snowy fleeces off the
creatures' backs. One flock was seen coming in from a distant
out-station, following the careful shepherd, who, like those we read of
in the Holy Land, had taught his flock to know his voice. Another
flock, having been shorn, was moving off to its usual run.

Towards evening, a dray laden with stores was seen, its wheels and
bullocks' hoofs as it drew near the station stirring up the dry earth
into clouds of dust. It brought casks of flour, and pork, and hogsheads
of sugar, and boxes of tea, and cheeses, and all sorts of cooking and
mess things, and saddles, and harness, and ropes, and tobacco, and
cattle medicines; indeed, it would be hard to say what it did not bring.
By the side of it, besides the usual driver and his mate, strode a
sturdy, fresh-looking Englishman, whose cheeks had not yet been burnt by
the hot sun of Australia, and two young boys; while on the top of the
dray sat his wife--a comely looking woman--a girl of thirteen, and three
smaller children. Dick Boyce, the bullock driver, pointed out the
master to the new chum he had brought up from the chief port of the
colony. The latter stepped forward at once, with one of his boys, while
the other stayed with his mother, whom Boyce and his mate, Tom Wells,
helped to dismount. The new comer gave a letter to Mr Ramsay, and he
and his sons stood watching his face while the master read it.

"Very good," said Mr Ramsay, as he folded up the letter, "your name I
see is Joseph Rudge, and you have brought your wife and children."

"Yes, sir; that is my good woman out there by the dray, and this is our
eldest boy, Sam," answered Joseph, touching the arm of one of the stout,
fine-looking lads by his side with a look of honest pride.

Mr Ramsay smiled, and asked, "Where do you come from?"

"Wiltshire, sir," answered Joseph.

"You understand sheep?" said Mr Ramsay.

"Been accustomed to them all my life," said Joseph.

"How many do you think you could shear in a day?" asked the master.

"May be three score," answered Rudge, looking with an eye somewhat of
contempt at the small breed of sheep he saw b