Page:The Toll of the Bush.pdf/49

‘How’s that?’ Sandy asked, standing up in his stirrups to get a better view of the ploughing.

Geoffrey laughed uneasily. ‘All my life,’ he said, ‘I have had a tendency to go with the stream.’

‘Well, it runs our way, you know.’ Sandy took another good look at the ploughing and chuckled solemnly.

‘What is it?’ asked Geoffrey, preparing to feel amused.

‘Oh, nothing. There’s plenty of excitement down our way now,’ he said. ‘The new parson’s making things hum all right.’

‘I heard something of it. How are the Major and Miss Milward?’

‘Old man’s tip-top, barring a bad leg. Eve’s pretty well too.’

‘Has she been unwell?’

‘No,’ said Sandy slowly; ‘health’s all right. ’Tisn’t that. Well,’—he broke off, seeing Robert approaching—‘I’ll see you again directly’; and picking up the reins he rode towards the younger brother. Geoffrey watched him pull up and exchange a word or two with Robert, then they both gazed for a moment or two in the direction of the ploughing; finally Robert came on, bringing the birds with him.

The point about the ploughing which had interested Sandy was the difference in time occupied by Pine in turning over the line on the side where, from the slope of the ground, he was out of sight, and the side where he was in full view of the brothers. The discrepancy seemed to need accounting for, and after Pine had got round the bend Robert ascended the hill to investigate. All along the front slope the bullocks had moved slowly, their