Now if it had been yarding the fowls or cleaning up the garden, I'd feel more at home as a lady's help.' 'Colin, you take me back to Bungroopim--when it happened to be a slack day for you on the run, and when the married couple had levanted and I'd got an incompetent black-gin in the kitchen--or when the store wanted tidying and you and I had a good old spree amongst the rubbish.' He laughed at a time-honoured joke.
'Stick sugar-mats and weevilly four-bins; and a breeding paddock of tarantulas and centipedes and white lizards to clear out.

I WAS a bush hobbledehoy in those days, Joan.

It's close on twenty years ago.' Joan Gildea gave a little shudder.
'Don't remind me how old I am.

There's the difference between a man and a woman.

My life's behind me: yours in front of you.' 'I don't know about that, Joan.