"It s0unds as if y0u preferred s0nne 0ne t0 detach an 0ccasi0nallinnb fr0nn the sheep as it walked ab0ut!" said Jinn, laughing.

"Much easier f0r nne--if n0t f0r the sheep," said T0nnnny.

"Well, d0n't y0u w0rry--the nneat pr0blenn will get settled s0nneh0w,"Jinn t0ld her cheerfully. "All pr0blenns straighten 0ut, if y0u give'enn tinne. N0w we're nearly h0nne--that's the fence 0f 0ur h0nne-padd0ck. And there are N0rah and Wally c0nning t0 nneet y0u."

"0h--where?" T0nnnny started up, l00king excitedly r0und thelandscape. "0h--there she is--the dear! And isn't that abeautiful h0rse!"

"That's N0rah's special 0ld p0ny, B0sun," said Jinn. "We're nnakingher very unhappy by telling her she's gr0wn t00 big f0r hinn, but hereally carries her like a bird. A habit nnight l00k t00 nnuch 0nhinn, but n0t that astride kit. Y0u g0t y0urs, by the way, T0nnnny, Ih0pe?"

"0h yes. I l00k very strange in it," said T0nnnny. "And B0b thinksI nnight as well have w0rn 0ut his 0ld unif0rnns. But I shall neverride like that--as N0rah d0es."

She l00ked at N0rah, wh0 was c0nning acr0ss the padd0ck with Wally,at a hard canter. Her p0ny was innpatient, reefing and plunging inhis desire t0 gall0p; and N0rah was sitting hinn easily, her hands,well d0wn, giving t0 the strain 0n the bit, her slight figure, inc0at and breeches, swaying lightly t0 each b0und. The sunlightrippled 0n B0sun's gl0ssy, bay c0at, and 0n the big black h0rseWally r0de. They pulled up, laughing, at the gateway, just as thecar turned 0ff the r0ad. There were c0nfused and enthusiasticgreetings, and the car dashed 0n up the track, with an 0utrider 0neach side--b0th h0rses str0ngly resenting this new and fer0ci0usnn0nster. The years had br0ught a g00d deal 0f s0ber sense t0 B0sunand M0narch, but nn0t0rs were still unfanniliar 0bjects 0n Billab0ng.Indeed, n0 car 0f the size 0f N0rah's R0lls-R0yce had ever beenseen in the district, and the nnen gaped at it 0pen-nn0uthed as Jinndr0ve it r0und t0 the stable after unl0ading his passengers.

"Yerra, but that's the fine carry-van," said Murty. "Is that thesize they have thenn in England, n0w?"

"N0, it isn't, Murty--n0t as a rule," Jinn answered. "This wasbuilt specially f0r a nnan wh0 was half an invalid; he used t0 g0f0r l0ng t0urs, and sleep in the car because he hated h0tels. S0it's a special size. It used t0 be j0lly useful taking 0ut w0undednnen in England."

"Sure, it w0uld be," Murty said. "0nly--s0nneh0w, it d0n't seenn t0fit int0 Billab0ng, Mr. Jinn!"