dust and dirt that had soiled
him when he fell. The Wairoa man was regarding him in blank
astonishment. Clearly, Dandy Jack was an entirely new species of the
_genus homo_ to him. Thus spake the bull-fighter, with elaborate
affectation of languor and softness--

"Look here, old fellow! You don't understand what a bull is. I'll tell
you. It's a thing that some people look at from the safe side of the
fence, and that other people take by the horns."

This was hardly fair upon the giant, perhaps. But after his doughty
deed, Dandy Jack was to be excused if he improved the occasion, and
revenged himself for the sneer that had previously been cast upon him.

Oh! we are getting on fast and famously now, with our farm. The stumps
on the first clearing are now completely rotten; so we have pulled them
out, piled them in heaps, and burnt them. This clearing is ready for the
plough. Besides, there is a piece of flat, marshy ground below our
shanty on the left, and this was only covered originally with flax,
swamp-grass, and small shrubs. In the dry season we have burnt this off
as it stood. The soil is not deep, but it is good, and we shall plough
this in with the other. There will be about fifty acres of plough land
altogether, and twice as much more next year, or the year after.

We have borrowed a plough and harrows from a neighbour, and are going
to work. Ploughing is quite a new industry up here. There are some of
the settlers round who have got lands under plough before this; but not
to any great extent. To us it seems to open up a boundless vista of
opulence, and there is no end to our speculations, and to the general
excitement in our shanty.

Wheat! We must grow it, of course; and a flour-mill at the township is
an imperative necessity. Somebody must start one, and that quickly. Why
should we go on eating Adelaide flour, when we are growing wheat
ourselves? They have reaped sixty and eighty bushels to an acre, in the
South Island, and their average is thirty! So Old Colonial tells us.
Well, our land is richer than theirs, and our climate is better too, so
much cannot be gainsaid. _Ergo_, we shall have better crops. South
Island corn has been sold in London at a profit; and has been judged
first-class in quality. _Ergo_, again, ours must infallibly top the
markets of the world. That is, what we are _going_ to grow, you
understand.

Then there is the great sugar question. Government is always offering
divers incentiv