"How else? Old Bates and Mickey are in their saddles still. I don't
want to have my fences burned as soon as they're put up. It's a
ticklish thing to think that a spark of fire any where about the
place might ruin me, and to know at the same time that every man
about the run and every swagsman that passes along have matches in
their pocket. There isn't a pipe lighted on Gangoil this time of the
year that mightn't make a beggar of you and me. That's another reason
why I wouldn't have the young un a squatter."

"--I declare I think that squatters have more trouble than any people
in the world," said Kate Daly.

"--Free-selectors have their own troubles too, Kate," said he.

It must be explained as we go on that Heathcote felt that he had
received a great and peculiar grievance from the hands of one
Medlicot, a stranger who had lately settled near him, and that this
last remark referred to a somewhat favorable opinion which had been
expressed about this stranger by the two ladies. It was a little
unfair, as having been addressed specially to Kate, intending as it
did to imply that Kate had better consider the matter well before she
allowed her opinion of the stranger to become dangerously favorable;
for in truth she had said no more than her sister.

"The Medlicots' troubles will never trouble me, Harry," she said.

"I hope not, Kate; nor mine either more than we can help."

"But they do," said Mary. "They trouble me, and her too, very much."