ON THE TRACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3958, 21 January 1930, Page 76

ON THE TRACK.

By

Ted M. Gerrity.

(Copyright. —For the Otago Witness.) The man with the swag trudged doggedly along the straight, glaring road, which seemed to end miles ahead at the foot of the western ranges. He had walked since early morning with only one spell for a midday meal. In the afternoon he had left' the green fields and the blooming hedges well behind him. and , had come into a barren stretch of country where the dry. brown tussock stretched for miles and shimmered in the midsummer heat. Neither the heat nor the illimitable distance that seemed to stretch between him and his destination seemed to bother him much. At times he whistled softly and unmusically, and tried to legulalc his footsteps to' the discord. The mans interest in the monotonous stretch befoie him might have been puzzling to a Seasoned swagger, but Jim Baikei wanew to the track and to the eountii through which he was trarelling. t During the afternoon he had watcheu, with growing interest, a dark figure on the road about a mile behind him. In that time it had neither grown nor diminished in size, so he had decided that it was another swagman. V\ hen the afternoon had become more advanced he sat down upon his swag and wailed foi it to materialise. When the stranger came within speak ing distance of him. Barker saw that he was nearly “ all in.” He walked slow ly, and his weary feet were dragging in the dust, and at times he shifted his swag Tope to an easier position. Throwing a brief nod to the other man, he thing himself down on the tussocky roadside. “This's fair hell!" he said huskily, through dry lips. " Ale feet s like hot bricks, an’ I reckon me shoulder's bleed-

“ Come far?” Barker asked, sympa theticallv.

“ Thirty miles since sun-up!” Paterson grunted, loosening his belt and shirt. “ Too far fer a bloke that s gettin’ on to th’ sixty mark. I oughtn't to be on the track at all.”

The dazzling glare of the road had grown less strong. The sun began to creep down upon the ragged blue tops of the western ranges, and shadowy pools began to grow and lengthen amid the ■wilderness of dry tussock.

Without conversing much, Barker and his mate lay stretched out upon the tussocky roadside, with their hats tipped far forward on their heads. When he had rested himself well. Barker got up and said: “I’ll make some tea. then maybe we can step it out for a while after sundown.”

Ten minutes later he returned with a billy of water from a small creek further up t he road.

“ Ye’ll find a bit o’ tucker in me swag.” Paterson said wearily, “if ye care to fish it out.”

“Doesn't matter; I've got plenty here, and I won't be wanting it after tomorrow.”

When the sun had set the swagmen continued their journey, and when the darkness had settled fully upon the plains they came to another small creek fringed by a spreading willow tree. “ This’ll do me,” Paterson grunted, dropping his swag near the water’s edge. “W e mightn’t strike another spot like this again for hours.” They spread their blankets out carefully beneath the shelter of the tree, then the older man took off his boots and bathed his feet and legs in the cold water. The operation apparently gave him great relief, for when he *had stretched himself out on his blanket he became almost eloquent. “As I said before, th’ track ain't no place for a man that’s gettin’ old, an’ it's a darn sight worse for a bloke that’s got responsibilities. Now, mate, I’ve got a missus an’ two kids, an’ I haven’t had a Tegular job for nearly 12 months.” The man paused to light his pipe. The match glow showed heavy lines upon that part of his face which was not adorned with straggling, grey whiskers. “ I'm tryin’ t’ give me kids somethin’ their olle man never had—ejucation.” His forehead puckered into a heavy frown. “Ye don’t get anythin’ these days without ejucation. There’s too much machinery about, doin’ th’ labourin’ work faster an’ better an’ cheaper than a man can do it. . . .” Barker smoked and listened without comment as the man beside him continued to discuss the imminence and disadvantages of a “mechanical world.” He felt genuinely sorry for the man and his family, although he could not find suitable words to express it. He had been on the list of unemployed himself for a long time, but was heading upcountry now for a rouseabout’s job on one of the big stations. It would mean a few pounds for Christmas, and would give him a chance to pay off a number of

debts he had run up in the past few months.

“ I heard of a job by chance th’ other day.” Paterson was saying. “If I can hold it down it'll give me a chance t help th’ family along a bit."

“ Shearing?” Barker said listlessly, as he watched the stars appear in the darkening sky.

“ Nope! Ale back ain't strong enough for that these days.” The other added, positively: “Rouseabout’s me job an’ I'm headin’ for Morgan’s Station!”

“ Alorgan's Station!” The younger man stiffened, then sat up sharply. He stared incredulously at the man beside him, and his pipe fell from his teeth, unobserved. " God, mate, I'm going there invself!”

A long silence followed this startling statement. 'the night breeze, refreshingly cool now, stirred about them, bringing with it the countless little sounds and sighings of the night—sounds which neither of the men heard. Why ye can't.''’ I’aterson said, break iim

■!- the awkward silence. His voice was low and husky with emotion, and he raised himself up on his elbow.

"It—it's me big chance. Ye see ” He got no further. It seemed as if the futility of protest had just dawned upon him. With a hopeless gesture he sank back again upon his blanket, and lay very still with his grey eyes staring out towards the rolling dark expanse of whispering tussock. Despite their tiredness it was a long time before either men found sleep that night. Darker was up early the following morning. He began leisurely to prepare the breakfast, but did not disturb his sleeping mate until it was ready. During the meal no reference was made to the awkward incident of the night before, and when sunrise came tiny shouldered their swags and started off again—both travelling west.

'lhe sun's rays fell upon their backs as they continued slowly along the dusty road, and even at that early hour they held a grim threat of heat to come. “ How far away is the station from here?” Darker asked, after they had covered several weary miles. It was the first attempt at conversation since they had left their camping place, and to Paterson the man's query was disconcerting. for he had half expected him to turn back.

“ Ten miles, more or less." he answered quietly. “See them low hills yonder?” He indicated a point some distance to the right of the road. “ It's at the foot

o’ them.” Darker nodded and said no more. The rasping of their boots on the dusty road grew to a monotonous rhythm, and a warm nor’-west wind sprang up and swirled the dust about them. It clung to their clothes and faces, already growing moist with sweat, and they could feel it gritting in their teeth. Defore long Paterson began to feel the strain of the new day's journey. He was breathing heavily, and his feet were dragging in the dust, causing a worried frown to pucker the face of his mate.

When they had covered a few chains, the younger man became thoughtful, and presently came to a sudden halt. Lowering his swag, he turned to the man at his side. “Tell you what. Paterson.” he said slowly, as if he were preparing to discuss a complicated scheme. “I'll race you to Morgan’s Station!” A look of reproach came into the other man’s eyes, and Darker hastened to

explain. “ I’ll give you a long start—a mile if you like,” he .said, “ and the first of us to reach the gate goes in.” After they had taken a long rest Paterson started off on the unique race, and when his figure had grown small in the distance Darker followed.

The young man walked with a swing that suggested strength and speed. His face was set and determined, and his eyes never left the figure ahead. Defore long lie noted that he was rapidly* gaining upon the man. He .narrowed" the distance down to a chain, and soon he was level with him. 'I hen he was seized with a pang of pity. Paterson was breathing more rapidly now. His mait was slow and unsteady, and at times he stumbled drunkenly, as if he were goin" to fall in his tracks.

Walk easy for a spell.’ Darker suggested gently. “ It’s too hard for you.” The country through which they* were passing now was fiat and barren, and the quantity of large boulders that were strewn across it suggested that at one time it had been the bed of a river.

Standing back several chains on the right hand side of the road was a house, surrounded by a tall belt of pine freest Darker stopped when he reached the gate.

“Have a spell.” he advised, “and I'll get you a drink.” Taking his billy with him he opened the gate and started tin the long path that led to the house. Ten minutes later he returned with the billy half full of milk, most of which he gave to his mate. The distance that remained to be covered was not great. Thev could see

the homestead and its buildings nestling at the foot of the low tussocky hills. Paterson seemed unusually cheerful when he started off again, and a good deal of his confidence and strength seemed to be returning to him now that the goal was actually in sight. There was. too, a certain jauntiness in his step which might have puzzled the younger man had he noticed it.

Darker was possessed of the same cojifidence, for he gave the man ahead a liberal start. Defore he had travelled far. though, it suddenly occurred to him that he had either over-estimated his own strength or under-estimated that of his mate's, for the dark, bobbing figure on the road seemed to grow smaller everv minute.

The weight of his swag, too. seemed to cause him considerable bother. 'lhe rope was ehaling his shoulder, and he lost no time removing it to the other one. The nor’-west wind, now grown to

gale force, buffeted him unmercifully, ami seemed to be driving all the dust on the road up into his eyes and mouth. Paterson's figure was no longer clearly outlined. It became a dark dot on the sweltering, shimmering road, and then, quite suddenly, it disappeared altogether. With a grunt of disgust Darker let his swag drop to the ground. It landed with a heavy bump, which caused him to frown and bend down to examine it. Loosening the ropes he lifted it up ami held it lengthwise. As he did so a large,, smooth, grey boulder slid fiom among the blankets and fell to the ground with a thud, narrowly missing his toe-!