Billabong," said the Giraffe. "He had to knock off the first week,
an' he's been here ever since. They're sendin' him away to the
hospital in Sydney by the speeshall train. They're just goin' to take
him up in the wagonette to the railway station, an' I thought I might
as well go round with the hat an' get him a few bob. He's got a
missus and kids in Sydney."

"Yer always goin' round with yer gory hat!" growled Bogan. "Yer'd
blanky well take it round in hell!"

"That's what he's doing, Bogan," muttered Gentleman Once, on the
shake-down, with his face to the wall.

The hat was a genuine "cabbage-tree," one of the sort that "last a
lifetime." It was well coloured, almost black in fact with weather
and age, and it had a new strap round the base of the crown. I looked
into it and saw a dirty pound note and some silver. I dropped in half
a crown, which was more than I could spare, for I had only been a
green-hand at Big Billabong.

"Thank yer!" he said. "Now then, you fellers!"

"I wish you'd keep your hat on your head, and your money in your
pockets and your sympathy somewhere else," growled Jack Moonlight as
he raised himself painfully on his elbow, and felt under his pillow
for two half-crowns. "Here," he said, "here's two half-casers.
Chuck 'em in and let me sleep for God's sake!"

Gentleman Once, the gambler, rolled round on his shake-down, bringing
his good-looking, dissipated face from the wall. He had turned in in