others, for there were red welds beneath their eyes and the skin on their faces were shiny. When the door to the passage opened the group moved back and some looked up to watch. But Luke and some of the younger ones looked down at the ground and jostled bits of stones with their toes. The men shuffled through the door awkwardly the weight of the coffin upon their shoulders and slowly, with their eyes straining to see the steps they shuffled down onto the gravel path. Aboot was at the back, his head leaning out and his other arm over and steadying the top of the coffin. Someone held the gate open and the men moved past the group of people and under the archway to the outside. Wi's old truck was backed up by the shop verandah and Wi himself was standing at the side brushing away with his hand, some dirt that was on the deck. He was dressed in a blue suit with white stripes flecked throughout it. His face was shaven and his hair parted neatly in the middle. As the children's mother was led through the gate, he went around to the door, and opened it And he and the other two women helped her into the truck. There was a look on his face, a look of understanding and sympathy. It was on everyone's face that morning, when the children were there on Luke, on Aboot, and on their mother. The wreaths were placed on top of the coffin and the children were lifted up beside it. Then the men put the sides of the truck back up. Aboot sat at the end with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands with the fingers closed. He was not crying and his eyes were open, he was staring fixedly at the wood of the coffin. The truck moved slowly down the road with the people all around it. The mist had begun to lift and the sun was already beginning to show through. At the corner some of the people branched off and went up the short-cut through the scrub. When Kurram looked back he saw the yellow light of the sun upon the wall of the shop. Some people were turning to warm their hands and they would rub them together briskly. From everyone clouds of mist were blowing into the air. There were a few cars coming up slowly behind the people, the sun reflected on their roofs. At the mill turning the truck turned off and moved slowly up the rough track to the graveyard. Some people were already waiting at the