Dad nodded assent.

"Got any water?"

There was n't a drop in the cask, so Dad came in and asked Mother if there
was any tea left. She pulled a long, solemn, Sunday-school face, and
looked at Joe, who was holding the teapot upside-down, shaking the
tea-leaves into his cup.

"Tea, Dad?" he chuckled--"by golly!"

Dad did n't think it worth while going out to the bailiff again.
He sent Joe.

"Not any at all?"

"Nothink," said Joe.

"H'm! Nulla bona, eh?" And the Law smiled at its own joke and went off
thirsty.

Thus it was that Dad came to be away one day when his great presence of
mind and ability as a bush doctor was most required at Shingle Hut.

Dave took Dad's place at the plough. One of the horses--a colt that Dad
bought with the money he got for helping with Anderson's crop--had only
just been broken. He was bad at starting. When touched with the rein he
would stand and wait until the old furrow-horse put in a few steps; then
plunge to get ahead of him, and if a chain or a swingle-tree or something
else did n't break, and Dave kept the plough in, he ripped and tore along