We listened in silence until she'd finished.

`That gal's got a nice voice,' said Jimmy Nowlett.

`Nice voice!' snarled Romany, who'd been waiting for a chance to be nasty.
`Why, I've heard a tom-cat sing better.'

I moved, and Jack, he was sitting next me, nudged me to keep quiet.
The chaps didn't like Romany's talk about 'Possum at all.
They were all fond of her: she wasn't a pet or a tomboy,
for she wasn't built that way, but they were fond of her in such a way
that they didn't like to hear anything said about her. They said nothing
for a while, but it meant a lot. Perhaps the single men didn't care to speak
for fear that it would be said that they were gone on Mary.
But presently Jimmy Nowlett gave a big puff at his pipe and spoke --

`I suppose you got bit too in that quarter, Romany?'

`Oh, she tried it on, but it didn't go,' said Romany.
`I've met her sort before. She's setting her cap at that Jackaroo now.
Some girls will run after anything with trousers on,' and he stood up.

Jack Barnes must have felt what was coming, for he grabbed my arm,
and whispered, `Sit still, Joe, damn you! He's too good for you!'
but I was on my feet and facing Romany as if a giant hand had reached down
and wrenched me off the log and set me there.

`You're a damned crawler, Romany!' I said.

Little Jimmy Nowlett was between us and the other fellows round us