Chapter 5 Summary

After the sheep were sheared the annual winter Gillanbone Show and Picnic Races, the district's most important social event arrived. Fiona was not well enough to attend. Paddy drives Mary Carson in her Rolls Royce, while the boys follow in a wagon. driven by one of the stockmen. Meggie and Stuart stay overnight at the presbytery with Father Ralph. Meggie has become a favorite of Father Ralph's Scottish housekeeper.

The boys go their separate ways, while Meggie tours the midway with Father Ralph and Frank. At a large tent, Jimmy Sharman's troupe, a group of professional boxers, offers a purse to anyone who can best one of the prizefighters. Frank leaps to be the first to volunteer. Father Ralph tries to take Meggie out of sight, but she screams not to be taken from Frank. Although he is short, Frank's torso, arms and...