A Gentleman’s Agreement” by Steele Rudd – Summary

“A Gentleman’s Agreement” by Steele Rudd – Summary

Steele Rudd’s “A Gentleman’s Agreement” is a humorous Australian short story that highlights rural life, honesty, and the simple yet sometimes tricky dealings among country people.

The story revolves around two bushmen, Joe and Dave, who make a verbal agreement—a “gentleman’s agreement”—regarding a horse trade. They trust each other’s word without any written contract, which was common practice among bushmen who valued reputation and honor over formalities.

At first, both men appear honest and fair-minded, but as the story progresses, their self-interest and cunning begin to show. Each tries to interpret the agreement in a way that benefits himself. Small misunderstandings and loopholes in the verbal deal lead to confusion, suspicion, and comic exchanges between them.

Through clever dialogue and dry humor, Rudd exposes how “gentleman’s agreements”—though based on trust—can easily become sources of conflict when personal gain is involved.

In the end, both men learn a subtle lesson about human nature and honesty: even well-intentioned people can twist words to suit themselves, and trust alone isn’t always enough in business.