power of his fore-bent knees. Above the noise and hurry of the draughting yards, and above the yap-yap of Danny's blue Smithfield by his foot, he heard and gave answer.
"Cut along into the shed, Joe, and ask for Mogger. You'll find him on the presses. He's always got things to spare."
"Joe — don't yer go ter do———” But a ram
slewed the gate over with his horn, and Danny plunged into the tideway, vivid-speeched and alert, to turn the river that set awry to the yards.
All the glory of summer was over Mains, on the hills and the bush-dark gullies. All the savage glare and heat of it was over the yards where sheep cried and coughed, and shook the rails with the soft weight of their bodies; and where dogs were thick underfoot, noisy, clever and keen; obedient ever to the quick whistle, to the shout through the dust, and to the swerve of an up-flung hand. The races roared with choked life; the three draughting gates throbbed back and forth under power of quick eye and quick brain and quick hand. The dust was dry in each man's throat, and the grit of it between his teeth. And all the welter of sound and ruled haste and heat did not shake the compass point that he steered by. For a Colonial learns by doing, and by doing again; and this is the only true way to get teclmical skill.
