Dan being just Dan rarely had need to saunter on; and as he sewed down on
the grass in acceptance of this usual form of invitation, he wagged his
head wisely, declaring "she had got on so well with her education that it
'ud be a pity not to finish her off properly." Then dropping his
bantering tone, he reported a scatter-on among the river cattle.
"I wasn't going to say anything about it before the "boys," he said, "but
it's time some one gave a surprise party down the river;" and a
"scatter-on" meaning "niggers in," Maluka readily agreed to a surprise
patrol of the river country, that being forbidden ground for blacks'
camps.
"It's no good going unless it's going to be a surprise party," Dan
reiterated; and when the Quiet Stockman was called across from the
Quarters, he was told that "there wasn't going to be no talking before
the boys."
Further consultations being necessary, Dan feared arousing suspicion, and
to ensure his surprise party, and to guard against any word of the coming
patrol being sent out-bush by the station "boys," he indulged in a little
dust-throwing, and there was much talking in public about going "out to
the north-west for the boss to have another look round there," and much
laying of deep plans in private.
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