of Waddy for mere diversion.

It was not till the tired miners off the night shift had secured all the
goats she pointed out as hers, tied their legs and packed them on her
waggon, that the woman could be induced to leave; and as she drove away
she heaped further insult on the township, and from the distant toll-bar
signalled a final gesture of contempt and loathing.

This woman took back to Cow Flat her own explanation of the mystery of
the lost goats, and in due time deputations from the rival township began
to reach Waddy, so that the Great Goat Riot developed rapidly. It was
long since friendly feeling had existed between Waddy and Cow Flat. There
was a standing quarrel about sludge and the pollution of the waters of
the creek; there were political differences, too, and a fierce sporting
rivalry. By the majority of the people of Cow Flat the purloining of
their goats was accepted as further evidence of the moral depravity and
low origin of the people of Waddy, and the feeling between the townships
was suddenly strained to a dangerous tension.

The first few skirmishing parties from Cow Flat were composed of women
and boys, and an undisciplined and rash pursuit of goats followed each
visit. The nannies and billies, under stress of the new excitement, ran
suddenly wild and developed a fleetness of foot, an expertness in
climbing, and powers of endurance hitherto all unsuspected by their
owners; so very few animals were recovered by the visitors.

The hunt was continued throughout the next day. Goats were rushing wildly
about the place from morning till midnight pursued by their wrathful
owners, to the detriment of the peace of Waddy and the undoing of the
tractable local milkers; and at last a great resentment took possession