



Produced by Richard Tonsing, MWS and the Online Distributed
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                             IN BAD COMPANY

                           AND OTHER STORIES


                              THE WORKS OF

                            ROLF BOLDREWOOD

                            UNIFORM EDITION

                       _Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. each._

  ROBBERY UNDER ARMS.
  A COLONIAL REFORMER.
  THE MINER'S RIGHT.
  A MODERN BUCCANEER.
  NEVERMORE.
  THE SQUATTER'S DREAM.
  A SYDNEY-SIDE SAXON.
  OLD MELBOURNE MEMORIES.
  MY RUN HOME.
  THE SEALSKIN CLOAK.
  THE CROOKED STICK; OR, POLLIE'S PROBATION.
  PLAIN LIVING.
  A ROMANCE OF CANVAS TOWN.
  WAR TO THE KNIFE.
  BABES IN THE BUSH.
  IN BAD COMPANY, AND OTHER STORIES.
                  *       *       *       *       *
  THE SPHINX OF EAGLEHAWK: A TALE OF OLD BENDIGO. Fcap. 8vo. 2s.
  THE GHOST CAMP; OR, THE AVENGERS. Cr. 8vo. 6s.

                    MACMILLAN AND CO., LTD., LONDON.




                             IN BAD COMPANY

                           AND OTHER STORIES


                                   BY

                            ROLF BOLDREWOOD

                               AUTHOR OF

   'ROBBERY UNDER ARMS,' 'THE MINER'S RIGHT,' 'THE SQUATTER'S DREAM,'
                      'A COLONIAL REFORMER,' ETC.




                                 London

                       MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED

                    NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

                                  1903


                         _All rights reserved_




                          _First Edition 1901_

                            _Re-issue 1903_




                                CONTENTS


                                                     PAGE

               IN BAD COMPANY                           1

               MORGAN THE BUSHRANGER                  135

               HOW I BECAME A BUTCHER                 146

               MOONLIGHTING ON THE MACQUARIE          165

               AN AUSTRALIAN ROUGHRIDING CONTEST      174

               THE MAILMAN'S YARN                     182

               DEAR DERMOT                            190

               THE STORY OF AN OLD LOG-BOOK           199

               A KANGAROO SHOOT                       208

               FIVE MEN'S LIVES FOR ONE HORSE         214

               REEDY LAKE STATION                     220

               A FORGOTTEN TRAGEDY                    234

               THE HORSE YOU DON'T SEE NOW            241

               HOW I BEGAN TO WRITE                   249

               A MOUNTAIN FOREST                      255

               THE FREE SELECTOR—A COMEDIETTA         261

               BUSH HOSPITALITY                       282

               LAPSED GENTLEFOLK                      288

               SHEARING IN RIVERINA, NEW SOUTH WALES  296

               ANCIENT SYDNEY                         321

               AFTER LONG YEARS                       335

               IN THE DROVING DAYS                    341

               THE AUSTRALIAN NATIVE-BORN TYPE        351

               MY SCHOOL DAYS                         360

               SYDNEY FIFTY YEARS AGO                 369

               OLD TIME THOROUGHBREDS                 377

               THE FIRST PORT FAIRY HUNT              387

               BENDEMEER                              398

               SPORT IN AUSTRALIA                     407

               OLD STOCK-RIDERS                       415

               MOUNT MACEDON                          422

               WALKS ABROAD                           430

                 FROM TUMUT TO TUMBERUMBA             437

                 IN THE THROES OF A DROUGHT           444

                 A SPRING SKETCH                      449

                 NEW YEAR'S DAY 1886                  455

               A DRY TIME                             461

               AUSTRALIAN COLLIES                     466

               IN THE BLOOM OF THE YEAR               474

               FALLEN AMONG THIEVES                   481

               A TRANSFORMATION SCENE                 491

               IN BUSHRANGING DAYS                    501




                             IN BAD COMPANY


                               CHAPTER I

Bill Hardwick was as fine a specimen of an Australian as you could find
in a day's march. Active as a cat and strong withal, he was mostly
described as 'a real good all-round chap, that you couldn't put wrong at
any kind of work that a man could be asked to do.'

He could plough and reap, dig and mow, put up fences and huts, break