They Found a Cave (17 page)

The two policemen exchanged a glance and laughed aloud. ‘Now then, son! What's up, Tas? Here, don't run away. We've nothing against any of
you
.'

The group before them had wheeled slightly; now they remained poised, backing slightly every time the policemen tried to reduce the space between them by a step or two.

‘Look here!' Trooper Bentley burst out in irritation, and then asked audibly of his companion, ‘What's the matter? What's got them? They're like a lot of wild goats. You talk to them.'

The second policeman mopped his brow and moved a pace. Immediately, like wind through a wheat field, the group before him took one corresponding step backward.

‘See here,' he called rather loudly, being careful to remain stock still as he spoke, ‘see here, nobody's going to do you any harm. We've come all friendly-like with a message for you.'

‘What is it?' Nigel rapped out the words, and the second policeman shook his head and again mopped his perplexed brow. ‘You try. You tell 'em,' he muttered.

Mr. Bentley cleared his throat and tried again. He smiled in what he thought was a reassuring way, and came a little closer.

‘Don't move!' Nigel cried. ‘If you come a step nearer we shall go,
and we shall not return.
Give us your message, please.'

‘Well, I dunno,' grunted the Officer of the Law, thoroughly displeased, and remained where he stood in silence for a time, as he thoughtfully scratched his head. ‘It's from your aunt,' he said at last in rather a sulky tone.

‘From—from
Aunt Jandie
?'

‘Yeah, that's right.'

‘Then she's all right! Where is she? What did she say?'

They fairly pelted him with questions, and even moved nearer in their excitement.

‘She's down there,' he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. ‘Down at the Homestead. Yes, she's bin a very sick woman—they didn't reckon she'd pull through in hospital—but she's all right now. Got someone to bring her home. Worried herself nearly sick again about you, she has. Asked us to come up with a message since she can't manage the climb yet herself. I said we'd let you know to return at once.'

‘That's different.' Nigel came forward with his nicest smile, the rest following closely. ‘Thanks very much, Mr. Bentley. Sorry I seemed suspicious, but although you did give me a very fine tea in your house you also tried to keep me there, didn't you?'

‘Ah! So that's what stung you, is it? No, no, son. That was for your own good. Wait on and I'll explain. It was like this. Enquiries were coming in hot and we wanted to get a line on the Pinners. There were things going on we didn't understand. I thought I'd find out something from you, but you never said you'd run away. While you were at my place we put through a long-distance 'phone call to Melbourne and got your aunt before she left. If you hadn't cleared out like you did you'd have heard all about it, but—'

‘I see. So then…?'

‘Then we followed you next morning meaning to overtake you in the car. Instead of which, we ran slap into the Pinners clearing out with a lorry load of sheep and some other things not belonging to them. They're down in Hobart now, under arrest. That's why I want to ask you a few questions, Tas.'

‘Me?'

‘Oh, don't worry now,' added Mr. Bentley hastily, as by a single movement the party seemed to contract in defence of Tas. ‘There's nothing at all we have against you, son.'

‘I can't tell you anything. I know nothing. Bin up here for months—not with them,' said Tas.

‘Will you tell us how you knew where to look for us?' asked Brick, who had been pondering the matter. ‘Did the Pinners tell you?'

‘No, they never let on you'd gone. It was your Aunt Jandie. She reckoned you'd be here living in a place Tas knew called Cappy Cave or some such. By the way, where
is
this wonderful cave? Blessed if we could find the way in.'

There was a sudden happy laugh from many throats.

‘Did you try over there?' Tas jerked his head towards the honeycomb of caves beyond.

‘Yes, of course. We know it's one of them, but which? As a matter o' fact we had a poke around before you came. We even got a clue, but…' The two men looked at each other and laughed.

‘Tell us your clue,' called Nippy.

‘All right, if you'll show us where the cave is, after.'

‘Sorry,' said Tas firmly, ‘can't do that. It's a secret. We're not telling anyone. Isn't that right, Nig?'

‘Yes, Tas. Sorry Mr. Bentley and Mr. er…we'd like to offer you a meal, as you gave me such a good one down there, but…if you don't mind…'

‘That's all right, son. Keep your secret.' The big policeman laughed good-naturedly. ‘And what's more we'll tell you our clue. It was a cat.'

‘A cat?' echoed Nippy.

‘Yes, drinking from a bucket of milk it had tipped over. It was in the big cave over yonder, but when it saw us, blessed if it didn't vanish somehow or other.'

‘Good old Fluffles! He wouldn't give us away,' shouted Nippy, capering for joy.

‘Well, it's getting late. We'll go down now and report to your aunt. But first, Tas, do you think you could help us?'

‘Look, Mr. Bentley,' Tas interrupted, ‘I'm not giving evidence against Ma. Better leave me out of this.'

The policeman hesitated a second, then he nodded.

‘All right. We'll go now, then. Shall I tell your aunt you'll be down in an hour?'

‘Yes, we'll bring our blankets and what stuff we can carry.'

‘And the goats,' added Cherry quietly, as her eye caught the herd watching from a rocky shelf for the strangers to go.

‘Right-oh, then. We'll say you'll be down as quick as you can. So long.'

Nigel and the rest politely escorted the visitors to the top of Giant Steps, and watched them safely down before they ran, with loud whoops, to the cave.

‘
Well
,' Nigel sighed, as he perched for an instant on his wall and looked round, ‘lots has happened. Seems a lifetime since we all had a meal together here, doesn't it?'

‘Yes, and we'll never sleep here again.'

‘But—
Jandie
'
s home.
'

‘Yes,
Jandie
'
s home.
'

They stared incredulously at the familiar walls and the dead ashes in the hearth. Then Nigel sprang up. ‘Hurry!' he ordered. ‘Get the goats together, Cherry. We must go.'

By the time Cherry had her flock started for the valley the cave was clear. All the old crumbs were spread along the wall as a parting gift to Joe Whitty. With a bundle on each back, and a utensil of some kind clanking by each side, the party prepared to leave Capra Cave for ever.

Once only, Cherry looked back at the friendly crags towering into the sky behind her. It seemed unbelievable that it was all over; never again to smell each day the aromatic scents of the wild flowers of the rocks, nor hear again the scream of the mating hawks high in the air; never again the sensation of living on top of the world. She knew she would miss the little unregarded things: the merry deep-throated calls of Joe Whitty, the blundering of moths that made for the firelight in the evenings, even the frogs' clamour from the tarn, and the frightening cries of owls in the night, as well as the cooking and the fun.

The leading goat, Lily, also turned for a backward look, her expression plainly saying, ‘Are you mad, Cherry? By my beard you should know better than to drive us down
there.
'

‘Go on with you,' shouted Cherry, turning her face again towards the Homestead.

‘That's right, Cherry. Whack 'em along,' shouted Brick, coming up behind. ‘Lazy brutes, they've only themselves to carry; and look at me, loaded like a camel.'

‘Or a donkey,' she grinned, taking in this Brick who was so very different from the boy of a few months past; watching him as he shot past on strong brown legs, lithe and taut with no spare ounce of flesh upon him, but healthy as a wild goat.

Slowly, slowly—much too slowly for Cherry—the goats moved, their bells jangling through the fading light of evening. Slowly and reluctantly they followed their leader, pausing to snatch a nibble here and there in spite of Cherry dancing at their heels and flourishing her stick. At last they reached Hollow Tree, where Nigel and the rest were sitting waiting.

‘The goats are on their old tracks. Let Lily take them down alone from here,' he said. ‘Come on, Cherry. We want to march in with banners flying. Line up everybody. What shall we sing Jandie to tell her we're coming?'

‘Better make it the Raiding Song—in case she's counted her chooks!' grinned Tas.

‘Right! Ready everybody? Let fly, then!'

Never had such a noise shocked the old mountains before as when the party drew near the Homestead. Even Tas was bellowing like a calf in pain. And there was Jandie herself, leaning on a stick and watching from below, her twinkling eyes taking in everything, until the last mad rush when they lifted her off her feet and carried her in triumph to the house. Never was there such a glorious home-coming.

 

For the Great Celebration Feast dinner-time on Christmas Day was, of course, chosen. By then the first flood of talk had subsided and Jandie knew all about why they had left the Homestead, and how they lived in Capra Cave. She had also talked over the future with them, explaining that she could only run the place with their help, and to keep such a place going by their own labour was as good a bit of war work as any.

‘We'll help, Jandie. Between us we surely amount to a couple of Pinners,' said Cherry, and she added slyly, ‘I thought you didn't want us to grow up unlettered savages?'

‘Nor I do, Miss! You will all, including Tas, do lessons through the excellent Correspondence School the State provides for out-backs like you. I will supervise,' said Jandie. ‘And Tas, we will each have one special responsibility and I thought of giving you the sheep.'

Tas answered with a kind of stifled grunt, but he went pink to the ears with pride and joy. ‘Nig and Brick can help me,' he said graciously. ‘I'll learn 'em a thing or two.'

Other jobs were quickly apportioned. It went without saying that Cherry had the goats.

‘I'll keep the wood box filled, and bring in bark to light the morning fires,' Nippy offered.

There was a roar of laughter.

‘Ha! ha! That's what Ma Pinner tried to get him to do, and he wouldn't,' the big boys teased. ‘Remember, Nippy?' And they rubbed significant hands on the seats of their pants.

Everyone had one special responsibility, and Jandie promised to divide all profits with them at the end of the year, according to their work. Cherry had applied for the position of cook, so that it fell to her to roast the huge turkey and prepare the Christmas dinner.

‘Why can't we eat it cold?' moaned Nippy, wiping his brow as he peeled endless potatoes. ‘This isn't the weather for hot meals.'

‘No, but there's been no time to cook it, and we can't eat it raw.'

‘I could easily have eaten him raw last week, or just grilled a bit on the ashes,' said Nippy thoughtfully. ‘That's true, Cherry.'

‘I know it is. Here, that's enough spuds. You can open the tins of peaches if you like.'

‘Of course I like,' yelled Nippy. ‘Besides no one will eat spuds if they know fruit salad's coming.'

 

The table looked so fine they felt quite subdued when at last the great moment came to sit down to dinner.

‘Ooh! Look!' whispered Nippy, his eyes on the starched damask, the best service, the silver, and the hand-cut wine glasses, ‘'member my birthday?'

They told Jandie of the stone table and the stolen joint, and how Nippy had begged for no conversation until hunger was satisfied; and they teased him about the beautiful manners he now displayed.

‘And don't we
look
different,' giggled Cherry, conscious of the ribbon in her hair, and the tidy clothes and well-scrubbed faces round. Then she mimicked Nippy as she passed her plate, ‘Please may I have a little more, please, Jandie?'

‘Anyway, Cherry can't make a speech—and who stuck his teeth together with my birthday toffee?' he countered.

Dinner progressed merrily till even Nippy admitted he could hardly stuff in another chocolate. Then Jandie exchanged a look with Nigel, who moved the empty jug of fruit drink and poured a little wine in each glass.

Jandie looked round. ‘Now we're all partners,' she said, ‘I think we'd like to drink some healths. Cherry, you seem to be the one for speeches. Would you like to propose the first?'

‘Don't ask
her
,' shouted Nippy. ‘I told you, Jandie, she can't. She'll only bring Pa Pinner in on us.'

At the very moment Nippy spoke they heard the garden gate give a ‘click' and footsteps sounded up the path.

‘What did I tell you?' whispered Nippy.

Cherry shot one wild startled glance through the open french window, and looked ready to bolt. The footsteps went round to the front and there came the sound of a double knock on the front door.

‘Go and see who it is, will you?' said Jandie calmly.

There were voices, and in a minute Brick returned, followed by a policeman.

‘Come in, Mr. Bentley,' cried Aunt Jandie. ‘Happy Christmas!'

‘Happy Christmas to all,' he returned their greetings. ‘Sorry if I'm disturbing the party.'

‘Not at all. Sit down and have some dinner with us,' they invited, but he would not.

He said he must be getting home as his own celebrations were to be that evening. ‘I had to be in this direction,' he explained, ‘and they told me down at the Post Office there was a cable for you…' he paused tactfully, ‘er…just Christmas greetings from the Old Country, you know.'