and sliprails put up again; then they came in.

Wringing wet and apparently knocked up, a tall man with black curly
hair and beard, black eyes and eyebrows that made his face seem the
whiter; dressed in tweed coat, too small for him and short at the
sleeves, strapped riding-pants, leggings, and lace-up boots, all
sodden. The other a mere boy, beardless or clean shaven, figure and
face of a native, but lacking in something; dressed like his
mate--like drovers or stockmen. Arms and legs of riders, both of
them; cabbage-tree hats in left hands--as though the right ones had to
be kept ready for something (and looking like it)--pistol butts
probably. The young man had a racking cough that seemed to wrench and
twist his frame as the settler steered him to a seat on a stool by the
fire. (In the intervals of coughing he glared round like a watched
and hunted sneak-thief--as if the cough was something serious against
the law, and he must try to stop it.)

"Take that wet coat off him at once, Peter," said the settler's
wife, "and let me dry it." Then, on second thoughts: "Take this
candle and take him into the house and get some dry things on him."

The dark man, who was still standing in the doorway, swung aside to
let them pass as the settler steered the young man into the "house;"
then swung back again. He stood, drooping rather, with one hand on
the door-post; his big, wild, dark eyes kept glancing round and round
the room and even at the ceiling, seeming to overlook or be
unconscious of the faces after the first keen glance, but always
coming back to rest on the door in the partition of the boys' room
opposite.