Europe, but in order to do so, he sells the house for some inexplicable reason. He can afford to live off a great investment and eventually return, having disliked England so much on his previous visit, but his new broker, Wilding, absconds with the funds, and the Mahonys must immediately make their way back to Australia. Ultima Thule Ultima Thule was a medieval geographic term to denote a distant place located beyond the "borders of the known world". Mahony named his house in Melbourne Ultima Thule, but the house was sold in The Way Home and was not returned to in this book, emphasizing how prematurely he had named it. Part One Ten chapters. Now forty-nine years old, Richard Mahony is broke and has to start his life over again. He salvages 3,000 pounds, but gets into debt unbeknownst to Mary still in Europe, by building a too large new house for the family to return to. His practice in Melbourne doesn't work out and he hears of a good practice at Barambogie. Chapter Five consists of letters to Mary by Richard, staying in Barambogie. He goes to the neighboring towns and eventually establishes that he wants to lease a house near a lagoon there. The house has a hall full of doors that Cuffy particularly likes, though it is near a mill where many foreigners work, and there are some concerns about security, plus the mill whistle screeches every morning at 6am. The town is largely made up of these foreigners, who consider Richard snooty for not socializing with them in taverns. Emmy stays with the Mahonys and Cuffy and the Dumplings insist on having her go over the story of the death of her stepbrother Jacky, who died in infancy, as Cuffy was denied much information when it occurred despite his care and concern. Emmy becomes interested in Reverend Mr. Angus, who shows her a dead donkey in a pit near the lagoon that Cuffy can't wait to see, even though he is not allowed. In this, he loses an expensive new hat, so Mary sends Emmy back to Lizzie, and a governess must be hired. A Baron visits, playing works by Schumann, and offers to be Cuffy's mentor and music teacher, but Mary refuses, despite Richard's insistence that Cuffy has a great ear that she cannot help any longer. Cuffy's memory fades, leaving only his play cry