“You’re drinking too much,” remarked Ned.

The man did not reply, but, with a groan, pushed the lad aside, sprang from the bed, and began to retch prodigiously into the wash basin, after which he announced himself better, lay down and took another drink.  Meanwhile the man in the far corner tossed and groaned as if he were dying.

“You’re friend’s still worse,” said the lad.

“He’s just out of the hospital.  I told him he shouldn’t mix his drinks so soon but he would have his own way.  He’ll be all right when he’s slept it off.  A man’s a fool who gets drunk.  You understand me?”

“I understand you,” said the lad.  “I never want to get drunk.  All I want is work.”

“Why don’t you go up to Queensland?” asked the man, to Ned’s hardly suppressed indignation.  “The pastoralists would be glad to get a smart-looking lad like you.  Good pay, all expenses paid, and a six months’ agreement!  I believe that’s the terms.  You understand me?”

“I understand you,” said the English lad.  “I understand you perfectly.  But that’s blacklegging and I’d sooner starve than blackleg.  I ain’t so hard up yet that I’ll do either.”

“Put it there, mate,” cried Ned, stretching his hand out.  “You’re a square little chap.”  His heart rose again at this proof that the union spirit was spreading.

“You’re a good boy,” said the drunkard, slapping his shoulder.  “I’m not a unionist and I’m against the unions.  You understand me?  I am a gentleman —­poor drunken broken-down swell-and a gentleman must stick to his own Order just as you stick to your Order.  I’d like to see the working classes kept in their places, but I despise a traitor, my boy.  You understand me?”

“I understand you perfectly,” said the lad.

“Yet you’d work for your board?” said Ned, enquiringly.

“I suppose I shouldn’t,” said the lad.  “But one must live.  I wouldn’t cut a man out of a job by going under him when he was sticking up for what’s right but where nobody’s sticking up what’s the use of one kicking.  That’s how I look at it.  Of course, a lot don’t.”

“They’ll get a lot to go then?”

“I think they’ll get a lot.  Some fellows are so low down they’ll do anything and a lot more don’t understand.  I didn’t use to understand.”

“Would you go up with them for the union?” asked Ned, after a pause.

“You mean to come out again?”

“Yes, and to get as many to come out as you can by explaining things.  It may mean three months’ gaol so you want to make up your mind well.”

“I wouldn’t mind going to gaol for a thing like that.  It’s not being in gaol but what you’re in for that counts, isn’t it?”

So they talked while the two drunkards groaned and tossed, the stench of this travellers’ bedroom growing every moment more unbearable.  Finally the waiter returned.

“Not gone to bed yet,” he exclaimed.  “Phew!  This is a beauty to-night, a pair of beauties.  Ain’t it a wonder their insides don’t poison ’em?”