The House and the Quarters should join forces that day, Cheon suggested,
and dine under the eastern verandah "No good two-fellow dinner longa
Clisymus," he said. And the blacks, too, must be regaled in their humpy.
"Must have Vealer longa black fellow Clisymus," Cheon ordered, and Jack's
services being bespoken for Christmas Eve, to "round up a Vealer," it was
decided to add a haunch of "Vealer" to our menu as a trump card--Vealers
being rarities at Pine Creek. Our only regret was that we lived too far
from civilisation to secure a ham. Pine Creek would certainly have a
ham; but we had a Vealer and faith in Cheon, and waited expectantly for
the Dandy, sure the Elsey would "come out top-fellow."
And as we waited for the Dandy, the Line Party moved on to our northern
boundary, taking with it possible Christmas guests; the Fizzer came in
and went on, to face a "merry Christmas with damper and beef served in
style on a pack-bag," also regretting empty mail-bags--the Southern mail
having been delayed en route. Tam and the Sanguine Scot accepted
invitations to the Christmas dinner; and the Wet broke in one terrific
thunderclap, as the heavens, opening, emptied a deluge over us.
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