Long before our midnight had come, the camp was sleeping a deep, sound
sleep--those who were not on watch--a dreamless sleep, for the bullocks
were peaceful and ruminating, the Chinese drovers having been "excused"
from duty lest other beasts should stray during "some one's" watch.
Soon after sun-up the head drover formally accepted the mob, and, still
inwardly marvelling at the Maluka's trust, filled in his cheque, and,
blandly smiling, watched while the Maluka made out receipts and cancelled
the agreement. Then, to show that he dealt little in simple trust, he
carried the receipts and agreement in private and in turn, to Dan, and
Jack, and the Dandy, asking each if all were honestly made out.
Dan looked at the papers critically ("might have been holding them upside
down for all I knew," he said later), and assured the drover that all was
right. "Which was true" he added also later, "seeing the boss made 'em
out." Dan dealt largely in simple trust where the boss was concerned.
Jack, having heard Dan's report, took his cue from it and passed the
papers as "just the thing "; but the Dandy read out every word in them in
a loud, clear voice, to his own amusement and the drovers' discomfiture.
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