Presently they saw him coming back grinning.
"That pfeller sayin' I plenty too much pounds," he said in an unusual
burst of eloquence.
"Ah, don't be rubbin' it in--don't I know it?" quoth Murty, taking the
saddle and slipping it deftly on Shannon's back. "I dunno, did he think
he was givin' me a pleasant surprise with the information by way of a
New Year's gift. Does he think we've never a scales on Billabong, did
ye ask him? There now, he's ready. Get on him, Billy, an' shove out into
the track for a canter. I'll get nothing but chat from every one as
long as you're here. Take him for a look at some of the hurdles, the way
he'll know all about them when he comes to jump." He stood with a frown
on his good-humoured face as Shannon and his rider made off.
Norah laid a hand on his arm.
"There's not a horse on the course better turned out, Murty," she said.
"No one can say the Billabong representative doesn't look fit."
Murty turned on her, beaming again.
"Well, indeed, he'll not be doin' the station any discredit, Miss
Norah," he said happily, "an' if he don't win, well, we can't all be
winnin', can we? Only we did win a race last year, whin none of ye
were here to be watchin' us an' make it worth while. I'd like to score
to-day, now that ye're all here to see--an' Miss Tommy too, that's never
seen racin'." He smiled down at the English girl's pink face.
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