"First time those laddies have been in for three months," said the storekeeper, after greeting the new-comers. "They canna get whisky, and they must knock down their cheque somehow. 'Tis a harrmless enough dissipation--bullseyes and hair-oil! But these mouth-organs were their greatest finds. There'll be great serenading of the dingoes and 'possums wi' those!"
"There'll be a split in the camp, I should think," said Mr. Warner, laughing. "One will want to play 'Swanee River,' and the other 'Camptown Races,' and it will end in a fight!"
"Aweel, there's country enough where they are for them to get out o' hearin' of each ither," Macleay said. "Happen they'll agree to play duets. What do you think of our store, Maister Lester?"
"I think it's ripping," said Dick, with enthusiasm.
"I had no idea you had such a stock as this," Mr. Lester remarked, looking round the big building.
"Oh, it's necessary," Mr. Warner said. "We're a kind of outpost of civilisation--even for the station wants, and for the blacks we need to stock a lot of goods, and the men are far more contented if they can get the oddments they need--and some that they don't need! There are lots of things here that ordinarily we wouldn't dream of keeping, but that some of the men ask for them--mouth organs, for example. They get the things almost at cost price, and they can pick up some dainties that aren't included in the station rations."
"Why, you've a regular chemist's shop in this corner," said Mr. Lester.
"That's the maist popular corner of the store," said Macleay. "Pills--ye've no idea how the bushman loves pills; any new brand tempts them. I think they eat them for dessert! Patent medicines of every kind--hair oil--soap; 'tis as much as my life is worth not to have everything on hand. There's a few likes books--I keep a lot of cheap novels; and they're fair terrors for a Bulletin, or any ither weekly paper. Sweets are low at the moment, but the stores wagons will be up soon and then there'll be a rush in from the out stations! If you're here then, Maister Lester, I'll tak' ye on as junior clerk and salesman!"
"If it's sweets, I'd like that!" grinned Dick.
"Do you let the blacks in here?" asked Mr. Lester.
"No; they have their own store for baccy, cheap cloth and a few other things. You see, they don't deal in money at all; they get goods as wages. And it's no good dangling temptation before their thieving eyes. Also, even with an honest and quiet tribe like this, there's risk of information leaking to tribes that are not so quiet."