noon
He spoke as though well educated , and a gentleman -- as drovers often are . Why , then , was he on the road ? I put him down as a scapegrace , for he had all the winning pleasant manner of a ne'er - do-well . At noon -- a nice , blazing , dusty noon -- we halted within a mile of Caddagat for lunch . I could have easily ridden home for mine , but preferred to have it with the drovers for fun . The men boiled the billy and made the tea , which we drank out of tin pots , with tinned fish and damper off tin plates as the completion of the menu , Mr Ledwood and I at a little distance from the men . Tea boiled in a billy at a bush fire has a deliciously aromatic flavour , and I enjoyed my birthday lunch immensely .