They were both
tall and strong, intelligent and alert, good stockmen, and quite able
to earn an honest living in the bush. They had been taught their
duty well by Philip, but bad example and bad company out of school
had led them astray. The owner of the bullocks, an honest young boor
named Cowderoy, was sworn and gave his evidence clearly. Hugh and
James knew him well. They had no lawyer to defend them, and when the
Crown Prosecutor sat down, there seemed no loophole left for the
escape of the accused, and I mentally sentenced them to seven years
on the roads, the invariable penalty for their offence.
But now the advantages of a good moral education were brilliantly
exemplified.
"Have you any questions to put to this witness?" asked the Judge of
the prisoners.
"Yes, your Honour," said Hugh. Then turning to Cowderoy, he said:
"Do you know the nature of an oath?"
The witness looked helplessly at Hugh, then at the Judge and Crown
Prosecutor; stood first on one leg, then on the other; leaned down
with his elbows on the edge of the witness-box apparently staggering
under the weight of his own ignorance.
"Why don't you answer the question?" asked the Judge sharply. "Do
you know the nature of an oath?"
Silence.
Mr. Armstrong saw his case was in danger of collapse, so he said: "I
beg to submit, your Honour, that this question comes too late and
should have been put to the witness before he was sworn.
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