Bill, and tumbled through the wire-fence on to the broad of his back.
He roared like a wild beast, clutched at space, spat, and kicked his heels
in the air.

"Let me up!---AH-H-H!--let go me throat!" he hissed.

The dog ran over and barked at him. He found his feet again, and, making
off, ran through the wheat, glancing back over his shoulder as he tore
along. He crossed into the grass paddock, and running to a big tree
dodged round and round it. Then from tree to tree he went, and that
evening at sundown, when Joe was bringing the cows home, Jack was still
flying from "his father".

After supper.

"I wonder now what the old fool saw in that snake to send him off his head
like that?" Dad said, gazing wonderingly into the fire. "He sees plenty
of them, goodness knows."

"That was n't it. It was n't the snake at all," Mother said; "there was
madness in the man's eyes all the while. I saw it the moment he came to
the door." She appealed to Sal.

"Nonsense!" said Dad; "NONSENSE!" and he tried to laugh.

"Oh, of course it's NONSENSE," Mother went on; "everything I say is
nonsense. It won't be nonsense when you come home some day and find us
all on the floor with our throats cut."

"Pshaw!" Dad answered; "what's the use of talking like that?" Then to