But they soon made a long straggling line of march; the strongest in
the front, the weakest in the rear.
The smoke issued from the chimney of the hut occupied by Big Mat. He
was away looking after his cattle, but his wife Norah was inside,
busy with her household duties, while the baby was asleep in the
corner. There was a small garden planted with vegetables in front of
the hut, and Norah, happening to look out of the window during the
afternoon, saw a strange man pulling off the pea pods and devouring
them. The strange man was Mr. Tyers. Some other men were also
coming near.
"They are bushrangers," she said running to the door and bolting it,
"and they'll rob the hut and maybe they'll murder me and the baby."
That last thought made her fierce. She seized an old Tower musket,
which was always kept loaded ready for use, and watched the men
through the window. They came into the garden one after another, and
at once began snatching the peas and eating them. There was
something fearfully wild and strange in the demeanour of the men, but
Norah observed that they appeared to have no firearms and very little
clothing. They never spoke, and seemed to take no notice of anything
but the peas.
"The Lord preserve us," said Norah, "I wish Mat would come."
Her prayer was heard, for Mat came riding up to the garden fence with
two cattle dogs, which began barking at the strangers.
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