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‘I’ll go with you – you mad bastard.’ Les told Harry, ‘you can depend on both Greg and I to help you get the mob over the range. It’s a bloody stupid idea – I only hope you know what you’re doing.’
‘What about it you kids, you want to help instead of doing school work.’ Harry asked the children. Claire was now nine years old; the elder by a month; the other three were only a year apart. Hector was a true horseman although he was only seven years old. He never learned to ride a pony only big horses which he rode bareback until his father bought him his own saddle.
In unison the children screamed they wanted to go. Claire moved close to her father, ‘I’ll be with you all of the way Dad.’ She placed her arms around his neck and lightly kissed him on the cheek. She loved every bone in her father’s body.
‘I hope you know what you’re doing?’ Rose quietly told Harry later that night after they retired to bed.
‘I do Love – I wouldn’t put the kids in danger and it’ll get Claire off my back about working with me. After they take these cattle across the range they’ll be pleased to get into their school work. I can guarantee.’ He fell off to sleep. Tomorrow would be a turning point in the trip.
Before daybreak the following morning Harry took Greg aside and said, ‘Greg, I need you to do more than being the horse tailer. Young Hector will need to be kept an eye on. I know he’ll be okay if we keep him at the tail of the mob.’
‘It’s okay uncle – I don’t mind doing extra work. I’m used to it.’ Greg admonished.
‘Would you saddle one of the horses with a packsaddle? We’ll need to take extra food and water. I want to get the cattle up on the top plateau tonight and tomorrow we should reach the Wilson River.’ Harry shared with Greg.
‘I’ll do it right away – I’ll stay at the rear of the mob with the packhorse and young Hector, if you like. I can keep an eye on him.’ Greg told his uncle.

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‘I appreciate that. It’s not going to be easy with your father up front and the rest of us to keep the mob moving.’
‘We’ll make it uncle.’ Greg’s smile told the story how he had the utmost confidence in the man he held in such high esteem and would do anything for him.
It was time to speak with Les who’d returned from the night watch to have breakfast. Sitting on a log near the fire Les munched on his breakfast of corn meat fritters prepared by Rose. In his right hand held a hot mug of black tea with three lumps of sugar stirred enough to dissolve the sugar.
‘You still think I’m mad, Les?’ Harry asked sitting down beside his brother-in-law.
‘Na – I understand. I probably would’ve done the same if I was Boss Drover. You’ve got to make these decisions and stick with them otherwise we’d never get to the end of the trip.’ Les admonished in his deep country drawl.
‘You know you’re my right hand man, don’t you? I rely on you more than anyone else in camp.’ Harry expressed sincerely.
‘Yeah, I know. I’ll do whatever you want Harry. I know you wouldn’t risk too much or want to injure the animals or our family.’ Les commented.
‘I’m a little worried about Hector. Do you think he’s too young for this?’
‘Na. He’s seven years old. You were droving with your old man when you were his age. You can depend on him to do his best.’
‘I’ve spoken to Greg; he’s saddling a packhorse to carry food and water for tonight. I thought he could stay at the rear of the mob with Hector and keep an eye on him.’
‘Yeah – that’ll be okay. It’s a great idea.’
‘I’ve been over the range and tonight I want to reach the top of the plateau and rest the cattle. There’s no water up there so they’ll be without water for a couple of days. Down the other side is steep going. I went along the edge yesterday and if we go slow; we’ll make it fine.’

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‘What do you want me to do?’
‘If you can hold the front and lead the bullocks up the range and onto the plateau would be great. I’ll keep the mob going from behind with the help of the others. It’s not going to be easy with the kids but they’ve been around enough to know what to do.’
‘Well, let’s get this mob on the road then. I’ll see you at the top tonight.’
‘Good on ya mate. I knew I could depend on you.’

Chapter 13

Harry ate his breakfast quicker than he’d done before. He was anxious to get the drove started and said to Rose, ‘I’ll leave you with the dogs. If I take them they’ll only bark at the wrong time and all hell could break lose. I’ll see you on the other side late tomorrow evening.’ He leaned across and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Because of Rose he felt he was the richest man in the world, not the wealthiest, only the richest.
‘Be careful Harry – I don’t want anything to happen to you’.
‘It won’t.’ He said, mounted his horse and rode away.
Rose broke camp and the last Harry saw of Rose was dust bellowing from the rear truck tyres.
‘Alright let’s move em off camp’, Harry bellowed.
Claire was in her element riding her horse Dusty. She summed up the situation and rode on the wing to steer the cattle toward her uncle Les who rode in front for the cattle to follow.
In front of them was a huge range. It must be almost half a mile at the peak to the plateau where they would camp for the night. The going was easy at first because Harry knew the trail after riding it the previous day. His only concern being the drop down the other side. That would be

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tomorrow’s problem, first to get the cattle up the steep range and settled them for the night on the plateau.
Greg and Hector bought up the rear, Hector filled his saddle with his small size and looked as if he’d ridden his horse most of his life. He was born to be a drover with the blood-line he contained. His huge akubra hat covered most of his head flattening both ears with only the rim pushed high enough for him see where he was going.
Everything was going to plan. Harry kept to the centre of the mob to see far enough ahead to follow Les up the steep incline.
After a time the sun was moving to its zenith which indicated it was time to stop for a break.
With Les in sight, Harry galloped around the mob and soon came abreast, ‘we’ll give them a rest for awhile and have a bite to eat, what’d you reckon?’
‘Okay, there’s a small valley up ahead, I’ll stop them there.’ Les replied and headed the herd toward the valley. With the pull of a rein on his horse he rang the cattle to settle them down on camp for lunch.
Whilst Greg unsaddled the packhorse, Hector unsaddled his horse and Greg’s and placed dinner-camp hobbles on them to graze.
In the small valley was grass but sparse.
Greg had the billy boiling by the time Harry and Les rode into camp. Rose provided Greg with corned beef sandwiches enough for everyone for lunch.
‘Claire and the others are holding the cattle while we have lunch and a rest,’ he told the others, ‘we’ll move them on in a couple of hours. By the time we reach the plateau – I want to be there by late afternoon. They won’t be able to have a drink until tomorrow so the sooner we camp them down for the night the easier it will be.’
Droving is lonely at times and without Rose, Harry felt he wanted to speak to his best mate to be reassured he was doing the right thing. So far everything had gone to plan but

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tomorrow would be the jewel in the crown of success and hopefully everything would work.
After an hour’s break Les saddled his horse and rode out to relieve Claire and the others so they could return to the camp for lunch.
‘How’s everything going?’ Harry asked his daughter when she rode into camp.
‘It’s better than doing school work Dad – I love riding Dusty and droving,’ she informed her father, ‘it’s the best job in the whole wide world.’ Claire’s face flashed with pride.
Harry was proud of his daughter and the other children who helped. They didn’t worry about aboriginal ancestors in the range. It could have been an old wives tale as far as they were concerned, but one thing was for certain, he could depend on his daughter and the others.
By late afternoon Les reached the plateau on top of the range. One by one the cattle followed and settled on the sweet grasses spread across the top. When the last of the cattle settled, Greg set up camp and boiled the billy.
From the top of the plateau Harry and Les stood looking west. In the distance flowed the Wilson River winding its way down from the north.
‘Tomorrow we’ll be down there Les.’ Harry pointed in the direction of the river. He saw a reflection of glass flicking from the bank of the river and looked closer to see it was Rose with the truck. He felt relaxed knowing she’d arrived.
‘The track down is a little dangerous. When I rode the trail yesterday - the edge is safe, but if the cattle don’t keep moving, the fall is straight over the edge. How do you want to do it?’ Harry asked Les.
‘Same as today – I’ll take the lead. I’ll take it slow and easy. Hopefully they don’t rush because that’s when we can have trouble. I’m sure after today – we’ll make it.’ Les admitted to Harry.

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Each took turns with the Nighthorse – soothing the resting cattle with their low country style singing.
Before the sun had time to rise above the broken sky all hands were on deck. Each had had their breakfast of a mug of tea and Johnny cakes.
Les took the lead and started the steep decent down the range.
It was dangerous at first because Les needed to be certain the cattle walked slow – one behind the other – and important not rush. If anything disturbed them there would be a catastrophe and there is nothing worse for a drover when cattle rush and in this case force one another over the edge to their death.
‘Easy does it,’ Les muttered when he let his horse guide himself down the side of the mountain. The ledge was wide enough for six cattle to walk along. A distance of about a quarter of a mile and they would be home and hose.
Whilst Les walked his horse at a steady pace the cattle followed in single file; the others kept a distance in the rear. Cattle are like sheep, if you have a leader than the others follow.
Harry and the others were at the rear end of the mob, he saw Les walking his horse making his way down the steep incline; a lump formed in his throat, if I didn’t have Les, I wouldn’t have taken the chance with going this way, the thought past through his mind.
With steady going Les finally reached the base of the range. It was open plain and he let the cattle walk at their own leisure waiting for the remainder to follow. Les felt a smile spring across his face, took a deep breath, he said to himself, ‘we made it – Harry was right - we did it.’ He felt like punching the air he felt great about the achievement.
By the time the remainder of the cattle stretched out across the plain, Harry galloped around to Les and said, ‘good on ya mate – I knew you could do it.’

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‘We were lucky. You haven’t got any other bright ideas like this one, have you?’ He replied to Harry.
‘Not at this time. This was the toughest part and thank goodness you were with me. I couldn’t have done it without you.’
It was time for a rest to allow the cattle to graze and eat. They had another five miles to go before they reached the Wilson River.
‘Greg, could you ride onto the river; take five horses. Tell those other fellows everything is okay to help us take the mob to the river and tell them to bring back the dogs.’ Harry said.
Greg acknowledged the message from his uncle. He cut out five horses from the mob and with the packhorse drove them the five miles to the river where his aunt Rose had made camp. She was delighted to see him to know all the children was safe.
After the ringers saddled their horses they returned to where the cattle rested.
‘I want you lot to take fifty at a time to water’, Harry instructed his ringers, ‘cut out fifty and drove them to the water steady. After they’ve drank enough water let them graze on the plain and come back for another fifty. We’ll take the final fifty when we return to the camp.’
‘Okay Boss’, the spokesman replied and galloped off to fulfil his task.
Late that afternoon Harry and the others drove the final fifty head to the water. After the cattle drank sufficient water they joined their mates to camp down for the night.
Rose was pleased to see Harry but more pleased to see Claire and the other children, ‘how did you go with your Dad?’ She asked Claire when she rode into the camp.
‘It was wonderful – this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’ Claire shouted with joy in her voice.