Somefiftyyardsaway，intheextremeangleofthegrass，apartyofthechronicallyunemployedhadgotholdofadog，whomtheyweretorturinginamannernottobedescribed。TheheartofNorris，whichhadgrownindifferenttothecriesofhumanangerordistress，wokeattheappealofthedumbcreature。HeranamongsttheLarrikins，scatteredthem，rescuedthedog，andstoodatbay。Theyweresixinnumber，shamblinggallowsbirds；butforoncetheproverbwasright，crueltywascoupledwithcowardice，andthewretchescursedhimandmadeoff。Itchancedthatthisactofprowesshadnotpassedunwitnessed。Onabenchnearbytherewasseatedashopkeeper’sassistantoutofemploy，adiminutive，cheerful，red-headedcreaturebythenameofHemstead。Hewasthelastmantohaveinterferedhimself，forhisdiscretionmorethanequalledhisvalour；buthemadehastetocongratulateCarthew，andtowarnhimhemightnotalwaysbesofortunate。
“They’readyngerouslotofpeopleaboutthispark。Myword！itdoesn’tdotoplywiththem！”heobserved，inthatRYCY
AUSTRYLIANEnglish，which(asithasreceivedtheimprimaturofMr。Froude)weshouldallmakehastetoimitate。
“Why，I’moneofthatlotmyself。”returnedCarthew。
Hemsteadlaughedandremarkedthatheknewagentlemanwhenhesawone。
“Forallthat，Iamsimplyoneoftheunemployed。”saidCarthew，seatinghimselfbesidehisnewacquaintance，ashehadsat(sincethisexperiencebegan)besidesomanydozenothers。
“I’moutofaplycemyself。”saidHemstead。
“Youbeatmeallthewayandback。”saysCarthew。“MytroubleisthatIhaveneverbeeninone。”
“Isupposeyou’venotryde？”askedHemstead。
“Iknowhowtospendmoney。”repliedCarthew，“andIreallydoknowsomethingofhorsesandsomethingofthesea。Buttheunionsheadmeoff；ifitweren’tforthem，Imighthavehadadozenberths。”
“Myword！”criedthesympatheticlistener。“Evertrythemountedpolice？”heinquired。
“Idid，andwasbowledout。”wasthereply；“couldn’tpassthedoctors。”
“Well，whatdoyouthinkoftheryleways，then？”askedHemstead。
“WhatdoYOUthinkofthem，ifyoucometothat？”askedCarthew。
“O，_I_don’tthinkofthem；Idon’tgoinformanuallabour。”
saidthelittlemanproudly。“Butifamandon’tmindthat，he’sprettysureofajobthere。”
“ByGeorge，youtellmewheretogo！”criedCarthew，rising。
Theheavyrainscontinued，thecountrywasalreadyoverrunwithfloods；therailwaysystemdailyrequiredmorehands，dailythesuperintendentadvertised；but“theunemployed“
preferredtheresourcesofcharityandrapine，andanavvy，evenanamateurnavvy，commandedmoneyinthemarket。Thesamenight，afteratediousjourney，andachangeoftrainstopassalandslip，NorrisfoundhimselfinamuddycuttingbehindSouthClifton，attackinghisfirstshiftofmanuallabour。
Forweekstherainscarcerelented。Thewholefrontofthemountainslippedseawardfromabove，avalanchesofclay，rock，anduprootedforestspewedoverthecliffsandfelluponthebeachorinthebreakers。Houseswerecarriedbodilyawayandsmashedlikenuts；othersweremenacedanddeserted，thedoorlocked，thechimneycold，thedwellersfledelsewhereforsafety。Nightanddaythefireblazedintheencampment；nightanddayhotcoffeewasservedtotheoverdriventoilersintheshift；nightanddaytheengineerofthesectionmadehisroundswithwordsofencouragement，heartyandroughandwellsuitedtohismen。Nightandday，too，thetelegraphclickedwithdisastrousnewsandanxiousinquiry。Alongtheterracedlineofrail，raretrainscamecreepingandsignalling；andpausedatthethreatenedcorner，likelivingthingsconsciousofperil。Thecommandantofthepostwouldhastilyreviewhislabours，make(withadrythroat)thesignaltoadvance；andthewholesquadlinethewayandlookoninachokingsilence，orburstintoabriefcheerasthetrainclearedthepointofdangerandshoton，perhapsthroughthethinsunshinebetweensqualls，perhapswithblinkinglampsintothegathering，rainytwilight。
OnesuchsceneCarthewwillremembertillhedies。Itblewgreatgunsfromtheseaward；ahugesurfbombarded，fivehundredfeetbelowhim，thesteepmountain’sfoot；closeinwasavesselindistress，firingshotsfromafowling-piece，ifanyhelpmightcome。Sohesawandheardherthemomentbeforethetrainappearedandpaused，throwingupaBabyloniantowerofsmokeintotherain，andoppressingmen’sheartswiththescreamofherwhistle。Theengineerwastherehimself；hepaledashemadethesignal：theenginecameatafoot’space；
butthewholebulkofmountainshookandseemedtonodseaward，andthewatchingnavviesinstinctivelyclutchedatshrubsandtrees：vainprecautions，vainastheshotsfromthepoorsailors。Onceagainfearwasdisappointed；thetrainpassedunscathed；andNorris，drawingalongbreath，rememberedthelabouringshipandglancedbelow。Shewasgone。
Sothedaysandthenightspassed：HomericlabourinHomericcircumstance。Carthewwassickwithsleeplessnessandcoffee；
hishands，softenedbythewet，werecuttoribbons；yetheenjoyedapeaceofmindandhealthofbodyhithertounknown。
Plentyofopenair，plentyofphysicalexertion，acontinualinstancyoftoil；herewaswhathadbeenhithertolackinginthatmisdirectedlife，andthetruecureofvitalscepticism。Togetthetrainthrough：therewastherecurrentproblem；notimeremainedtoaskifitwerenecessary。Carthew，theidler，thespendthrift，thedriftingdilettant，wassoonremarked，praised，andadvanced。Theengineersworebyhimandpointedhimoutforanexample。“I’veanewchum，uphere。”Norrisoverheardhimsaying，“ayoungswell。He’sworthanytwointhesquad。”
Thewordsfellontheearsofthediscardedsonlikemusic；andfromthatmoment，henotonlyfoundaninterest，hetookapride，inhisplebeiantasks。
Thepressofworkwasstillatitshighestwhenquarter-dayapproached。Norriswasnowraisedtoapositionofsometrust；
athisdiscretion，trainswerestoppedorforwardedatthedangerouscornicenearNorthClifton；andhefoundinthisresponsibilitybothterroranddelight。Thethoughtoftheseventy-fivepoundsthatwouldsoonawaithimatthelawyer’s，andofhisownobligationtobepresenteveryquarter-dayinSydney，filledhimforalittlewithdividedcouncils。Thenhemadeuphismind，walkedinaslackmomenttotheinnatClifton，orderedasheetofpaperandabottleofbeer，andwrote，explainingthatheheldagoodappointmentwhichhewouldloseifhecametoSydney，andaskingthelawyertoacceptthisletterasanevidenceofhispresenceinthecolony，andretainthemoneytillnextquarter-day。Theanswercameincourseofpost，andwasnotmerelyfavourablebutcordial。“Althoughwhatyouproposeiscontrarytothetermsofmyinstructions。”itran，“Iwillinglyaccepttheresponsibilityofgrantingyourrequest。IshouldsayIamagreeablydisappointedinyourbehaviour。Myexperiencehasnotledmetofoundmuchexpectationsongentlemeninyourposition。”
Therainsabated，andthetemporarylabourwasdischarged；notNorris，towhomtheengineerclungastofoundmoney；notNorris，whofoundhimselfagangeronthelineintheregularstaffofnavvies。Hiscampwaspitchedinagreywildernessofrockandforest，farfromanyhouse；ashesatwithhismatesabouttheeveningfire，thetrainspassingonthetrackweretheirnextandindeedtheironlyneighbours，exceptthewildthingsofthewood。Lovelyweather，lightandmonotonousemployment，longhoursofsomnolentcamp-firetalk，longsleeplessnights，whenhereviewedhisfoolishandfruitlesscareerasheroseandwalkedinthemoonlitforest，anoccasionalpaperofwhichhewouldreadall，theadvertisementswithasmuchrelishasthetext：suchwasthetenorofanexistencewhichsoonbegantowearyandharasshim。Helackedandregrettedthefatigue，thefurioushurry，thesuspense，thefires，themidnightcoffee，therudeandmud-bespatteredpoetryofthefirsttoilfulweeks。Inthequietnessofhisnewsurroundings，avoicesummonedhimfromthisexorbitalpartoflife，andaboutthemiddleofOctoberhethrewuphissituationandbadefarewelltothecampoftentsandtheshoulderofBaldMountain。
Cladinhisroughclothes，withabundleonhisshoulderandhisaccumulatedwagesinhispocket，heenteredSydneyforthesecondtime，andwalkedwithpleasureandsomebewildermentinthecheerfulstreets，likeamanlandedfromavoyage。Thesightofthepeopleledhimon。Heforgothisnecessaryerrands，heforgottoeat。Hewanderedinmovingmultitudeslikeastickuponariver。LasthecametotheDomainandstrolledthere，andrememberedhisshameandsufferings，andlookedwithpoignantcuriosityathissuccessors。Hemstead，notmuchshabbierandnolesscheerfulthanbefore，herecognisedandaddressedlikeanoldfamilyfriend。
“Thatwasagoodturnyoudidme。”saidhe。“Thatrailwaywasthemakingofme。Ihopeyou’vehadluckyourself。”
“Myword，no！”repliedthelittleman。“Ijustsithereandreadthe_DeadBird_。It’sthedepressionintryde，yousee。There’snopositionsgoin’thatamanlikemewouldcaretolookat。”
AndheshowedNorrishiscertificatesandwrittencharacters，onefromagrocerinWooloomooloo，onefromanironmonger，andathirdfromabilliardsaloon。“Yes。”hesaid，“Itriedbein’
abilliardmarker。It’snoaccount；theselytehoursarenouseforaman’shealth。Iwon’tbenoman’sslyve。”headdedfirmly。
Ontheprinciplethathewhoistooproudtobeaslaveisusuallynottoomodesttobecomeapensioner，Carthewgavehimhalfasovereign，anddeparted，beingsuddenlystruckwithhunger，inthedirectionoftheParisHouse。Whenhecametothatquarterofthecity，thebarristersweretrottinginthestreetsinwigandgown，andhestoodtoobservethemwithhisbundleonhisshoulder，andhismindfullofcuriousrecollectionsofthepast。
“ByGeorge！”criedavoice，“it’sMr。Carthew！”
Andturningabouthefoundhimselffacetofacewithahandsomesunburntyouth，somewhatfatted，arrayedinthefinestoffineraiment，andsportingaboutasovereign’sworthofflowersinhisbuttonhole。NorrishadmethimduringhisfirstdaysinSydneyatafarewellsupper；hadevenescortedhimonboardaschoonerfullofcockroachesandblack-boysailors，inwhichhewasboundforsixmonthsamongtheislands；andhadkepthimeversinceinentertainedremembrance。TomHadden(knowntothebulkofSydneyfolkasTommy)washeirtoaconsiderableproperty，whichapropheticfatherhadplacedinthehandsofrigoroustrustees。TheincomesupportedMr。
Haddeninsplendourforaboutthreemonthsoutoftwelve；therestoftheyearhepassedinretreatamongtheislands。Hewasnowaboutaweekreturnedfromhiseclipse，pervadingSydneyinhansomcabsandairingthefirstbloomofsixnewsuitsofclothes；andyettheunaffectedcreaturehailedCarthewinhisworkingjeansandwiththedamningbundleonhisshoulder，ashemighthaveclaimedacquaintancewithaduke。
“Comeandhaveadrink！”washischeerfulcry。
“I’mjustgoingtohavelunchattheParisHouse。”returnedCarthew。“It’salongtimesinceIhavehadadecentmeal。”
“Splendidscheme！”saidHadden。“I’veonlyhadbreakfasthalfanhourago；butwe’llhaveaprivateroom，andI’llmanagetopicksomething。It’llbracemeup。Iwasonanawfultearlastnight，andI’vemetnoendoffellowsthismorning。”Tomeetafellow，andtostandandshareadrink，werewithTomsynonymousterms。
Theyweresoonattableinthecornerroomup-stairs，andpayingdueattentiontothebestfareinSydney。Theoddsimilarityoftheirpositionsdrewthemtogether，andtheybegansoontoexchangeconfidences。CarthewrelatedhisprivationsintheDomainandhistoilsasanavvy；HaddengavehisexperienceasanamateurcopramerchantintheSouthSeas，anddrewahumorouspictureoflifeinacoralisland。Ofthetwoplansofretirement，Carthewgatheredthathisownhadbeenvastlythemorelucrative；butHadden’stradingoutfithadconsistedlargelyofbottledstoutandbrownsherryforhisownconsumption。
“Ihadchampagnetoo。”saidHadden，“butIkeptthatincaseofsickness，untilIdidn’tseemtobegoingtobesick，andthenI
openedapinteverySunday。Usedtosleepallmorning，thenbreakfastwithmypintoffizz，andlieinahammockandreadHallam’s_MiddleAges_。Haveyoureadthat？Ialwaystakesomethingsolidtotheislands。There’snodoubtIdidthethinginratherafinestyle；butifitwasgoneaboutalittlecheaper，orthereweretwoofustobeartheexpense，itoughttopayhandoverfist。I’vegottheinfluence，yousee。I’machiefnow，andsitinthespeak-houseundermyownstripofroof。I’dliketoseethemtabooME！Theydaren’ttryit；I’veastrongparty，I
