In four and a half days he appeared, carrying a five-pound tea-tin on his
head, and was hailed with a yell of delight. We were all in the
stockyard, and Billy, in answer to the hail, came there.
Dan wanted a "sniff of it right off," so it was then and there opened;
but as the lid flew back the yell of delight changed to a howl of
disappointment. By some hideous mistake, Billy had brought RAISINS.
Like many philosophers, Dan could not apply his philosophy to himself.
"It's the dead finish," he said dejectedly; "never struck anything like
it before. Twice over too," he added. "First tinware and now this foolery
"; and he kicked savagely at the offending tin, sending a shower of
raisins dancing out into the dust.
Every one but Dan was speechless, while Billy, not being a slave to
tea-drinking, gathered the raisins up, failing to see any cause for
disappointment, particularly as most of the raisins fell to his share
for his prompt return.
He also failed to see any advantage in setting out again for the
Katherine. "Might it catch raisins nuzzer time," he said, logically
enough.
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