AustLit

Having learnt that he has inherited his uncle's estate in England, Ben Parkfield throws a lavish farewell party. As guests imbibe, tongues begin to loosen.

Displaying the effects of too much liquor, Watty is evicted by the publican. However, Watty returns with a cunning means to both exact his revenge, and continue enjoying his drinking.

An old drunkard becomes the the means of some folk offloading worthless gold mining shares. However, when the mine again strikes gold, the old man is feted by those wishing to relieve him of the shares. Greed and manipulation do not always lead to success though.

Donovan the publican went to his grave, perhaps helped by the ministrations of his wife, and without those of a Christian minister. He loiters about his old, and subsequently razed, pub where he eventually strikes up a friendship with Dinny, who has correctly dreamed of the location of Donovan's fortune. Long years later, when Dinny also passes from the mortal world, their friendship continues.

Mrs. Mullally, tall, muscular and with a beard and moustache, owned the local 'shanty-house' and kept it in order with her poweful arms and sharp tongue. However, when typhoid surfaces in the town, the locals see a side of her that only a few down-on their-luck people had ever known.

Old Crab, the Growler, had lived a rough life and did nothing to endear himself to people. However, the humanity and friendship young Fred extended to Old Crab was to be rewarded to an extreme.

A group of gold miners learn that it does not pay to offend the landlady of the local pub, as she fails to invite them to her lavish Christmas lunch. However, they devise a way to exact revenge, and a plum pudding.

Little Nellie is a child by whom everybody is charmed, so when she disappears on Christmas morning, having followed her pet baby wallaby into the bush, the whole community rallies to find her.

When Double Bower Dick's young son, Bantam, goes missing, the locals cast suspicion upon the vegetable gardener, Ah Chung, with whom the boy had developed a friendship. Persuaded by level-headed Sydney Chester to search for the boy before acting on their decision to lynch the gardener, the locals uncover many hidden secrets as well as finding Bantam.