CHAPTER I.
Starting the Selection.
It's twenty years ago now since we settled on the Creek.

Twenty years! I remember well the day we came from Stanthorpe, on Jerome's dray--eight of us, and all the things--beds, tubs, a bucket, the two cedar chairs with the pine bottoms and backs that Dad put in them, some pint-pots and old Crib.

It was a scorching hot day, too--talk about thirst! At every creek we came to we drank till it stopped running.
Dad did n't travel up with us: he had gone some months before, to put up the house and dig the waterhole.

It was a slabbed house, with shingled roof, and space enough for two rooms; but the partition was n't up.

The floor was earth; but Dad had a mixture of sand and fresh cow-dung with which he used to keep it level.