The Publicity Push

by Christopher Cummings

  “Can we go tomorrow?” Kylie asked.

  “Fair go!” Mrs Kirk cried. “We have been driving almost every day.”

  “But Mrs Kirk we need to buy the Christmas decorations, and I need some more presents,” Margaret said.

  “Oh alright,” Mrs Kirk relented, only to laugh when Gran added that they would all have to drive to Malanda on Sunday to go to church anyway.

  It was only as Kylie was lying down to sleep that another thought came to her. She sat up and said to Allison and Margaret: “Grandad Hector wrote that he hid some gold near the claim. Even if we can’t do any mining we might be able to find that. It should be worth something.”

  At breakfast next morning Uncle Bill confirmed that it would be. “Gold is worth about $1,000 US dollars an ounce at the moment, so a dozen jam jars full of it would be worth a lot.”

  “How much is an ounce?” Margaret asked.

  “About a twenty cent piece,” Uncle Bill replied.

  That was music to Kylie’s ears. She went into an excited daydream about finding the glass jars full of gold. She re-read the letter and the diary and pored over the map. She even went and found an old glass jar and filled it with sand, then weighed it, doing the conversion from grams to ounces. The total amazed her.

  “That would be about $15,000 in one glass jar!” she said. She whistled in amazement.

  “And that is Yankee dollars,” Uncle Bill reminded.

  “What’s the difference?” Kylie asked.

  “Look in the newspaper under exchange rates,” Uncle Bill explained.

  ‘Life certainly is complicated!’ Kylie thought. She had to have Exchange Rates explained to her and found it hard to accept that people actually bought money, and that it could be sold for more than it was purchased for; or vice-versa; or that the value could change from day to day.

  “It’s not fair!” she cried.

  “Maybe not, but that is how the real world works,” Uncle Bill said.

  Kylie found the section in the newspaper and did the calculation. “Australian Dollars are worth eighty three cents US today,” she said. Her calculator came into use. “That is fifteen thousand divide eighty three. Is that right?”

  Uncle Bill nodded. Kylie pushed the buttons and gasped. “That would be... Oh no. They are cents. Hang on. That would be eighteen thousand and seventy two dollars. Would that be any help Uncle Bill?”

  “It certainly would,” Uncle Bill replied.

  “That is only one jar,” Margaret reminded Kylie. “The diary mentions a dozen.”

  Kylie multiplied the sum by 12 and gasped. “That is two hundred and sixteen thousand, eight hundred and sixty four dollars! That couldn’t be right!”

  “Yes it could,” Uncle Bill agreed. “That is why people go looking for gold.”

  “Would that save the farm?” Kylie asked.

  “Yes, easily,” Uncle Bill replied.

  “After we have given half to the Reids,” Kylie added.

  “Still be enough,” Uncle Bill replied. “But I don’t like your chances. Others have looked before, you know, and they were experienced jungle prospectors.”

  “We will find it,” Kylie insisted stubbornly. She wasn’t sure how, but she was determined. She took herself off to the back veranda to re-read the diary and to plan the search.

  CHAPTER 9

  ON THE FARM

  Kylie and her mother were carefully pruning the rose bush in the garden at the side of the house when Margaret’s scream sounded. The scream was one of pure terror, followed by shrieks and sobs. It came from inside the house.

  Kylie sprang to her feet, heart pounding. ‘The men!’ she thought. ‘And Uncle Bill and the dogs are off down the creek somewhere!’ Before she had thought what she was doing she had picked up the pinking shears and started running. Mrs Kirk scrambled to her feet and followed.

  “Kylie, be careful!” Mrs Kirk cried.

  By the time Kylie had reached the side door the screams had stopped and been replaced by cries and then even by laughter. Kylie raced in through the door confused but ready to fight. She skidded to a halt in the hallway when she saw Margaret lying on the floor of the passageway, struggling to pull up her shorts and knickers, which were around her knees. Allison and Gran were standing in the passageway and were both convulsed with laughter.

  “What? What happened?” Kylie cried, still holding the shears in front of her as a weapon.

  Margaret was red in the face with a mixture of embarrassment and anger. She had obviously received a bad fright but her face now registered both annoyance and the beginnings of a grin.

  “Frog,” Allison explained. “A big green frog in the dunny. It jumped on Marg’s bum and gave her a fright.”

  Margaret hauled her pants up and rolled over to stand up. “It was awful!” she said. “I got such a fright. I had just sat down and relaxed and this huge, cold, slimy thing sprang out and clamped onto my bottom. I...” She suddenly burst into tears.

  Allison continued to laugh but both Gran and Kylie moved to comfort Margaret. “There, there dearie,” Gran said. “You’ll get worse frights than that in life.”

  Margaret sobbed uncontrollably for a minute, then said between sniffles: “I hope not. I nearly had a heart attack!”

  Kylie hugged her and patted her back. She was sorry for Margaret but also inclined to laugh with relief as her own fright subsided. They all moved to peer into the toilet. The frog was now crouched in the corner and he was huge.

  Allison looked down and chuckled. “Looks like the frog got a fright too,” she said. Then she laughed again.

  Kylie shook her head while suppressing a grin. “Wouldn’t you if you saw an enormous bum suddenly point at you?” she said.

  Margaret wailed and said: “I haven’t got an enormous bum!” She began to cry again.

  Kylie felt awful. “I didn’t mean that Marg. I meant it would look big to a small thing like a frog.”

  “It’s not a small thing! Look at the size of it!” Margaret wailed.

  “He is big,” Mrs Kirk said. “Now, who’s going to pick him up and put him outside?”

  There were no volunteers for that. Luckily the barking of dogs and the pounding of running boots announced the arrival of a very worried Uncle Bill. “What’s happened? I heard one of the girls scream from right down at the bottom paddock.”

  When Mrs Kirk explained and indicated the frog Uncle Bill put his head back and bellowed with laughter, which put Margaret into tears again. Uncle Bill then shooed the dogs back out and went into the toilet. After several attempts he at last grabbed the frog. The girls all backed out into the lounge room. Uncle Bill walked out, holding the frog. As he passed Kylie he suddenly thrust it at her.

  Kylie sprang back and shrieked. Uncle Bill laughed and Gran snorted: “Silly boy! Take it outside!”

  Uncle Bill chuckled. “Yes Mum. Could have been worse, it might have been a red back spider.”

  As Uncle Bill went out the door Mrs Kirk said: “And you girls take note; a girl has to kiss a lot of toads before she finds a prince!”

  Gran laughed: “I told you that!”

  “And you were right Mum,” Mrs Kirk replied.

  “What do you mean Mrs Kirk?” Margaret asked. She was now only heaving an occasional sob and her eyes were dry.

  “That there are lots of men in the world but most of them are no good and only want one thing from a girl. You have to be very careful and have to search hard to find a good one.”

  Kylie giggled. “You hear that Margaret? They only want one thing, so you stop kissing Graham in dark corners.”

  Margaret flamed bright red. “I don’t!”

  Mrs Kirk stepped forward. “That will do girls. Now, I think a cup of tea is called for after that,” she said with a smile. Kylie knew that her mother had caught Graham in the bath with Margaret the previous year but she also knew that her mother approved of Margaret as the right sort of girl for Graham. ‘If only the oaf would realize it!’

  But it
wasn’t Kylie she caught kissing a boy in a dark corner later that morning. It was Allison. When the garden had been weeded and pruned Mrs Kirk went in to prepare lunch. Kylie sat reading while Margaret sat beside Gran who was teaching her to crochet.

  Mrs Kirk came to the doorway. “Kylie, go and find Allison and tell her lunch is ready,” she said. “I saw her go down towards the milking shed a while ago.”

  Kylie walked down to the milking shed with Scottie trotting along with her. She was feeling very relaxed and happy. The holiday was working out and she was excited at the prospect of finding the gold mine. She hummed happily as she walked down the road. Outside the milking shed was a white utility but she took no notice of that. Uncle Bill drove a white utility.

  Still humming happily she walked into the storage room at the far side of the milking shed and came to a shocked standstill. In the corner, in a passionate embrace, were Allison and Bert. They were kissing and Bert was holding her very close. As soon as they saw her they stopped and let each other go. Bert snatched his hands away and went brick red with embarrassment.

  So did Kylie. For a moment she could only stand and gape in shocked surprise, before the hurt of jealousy flooded in. “Sorry!” she blurted out. “Lunch is ready.” With that she turned and fled. Within ten paces tears had sprung to her eyes and she found she was breathing hard and her hands had bunched into tight little balls. As she walked rapidly back up the road she told herself not to be silly; that it was none of her business. ‘It’s not as though Bert has ever indicated that he likes me. So he’s not cheating or anything.’

  But it was small consolation to hurt vanity and pride. Kylie knew she was jealous and that she wanted Bert to do things like that to her. “He is so good looking!” she told herself. Then she sobbed and more tears came. Knowing that her tears would be noticed, she stopped in the machinery shed to dry them and to calm down.

  A new problem then arose: how to react to Allison. ‘I don’t want to spoil the holiday by being bitchy; and besides, she hasn’t done anything deliberately to hurt me. I haven’t told her I like Bert. Be sensible.’

  A few minutes later she heard Bert’s utility start up. He drove off back towards town and Allison came walking up the road looking worried and a bit agitated. Kylie stepped out onto the road and waited for her.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to spring you like that.”

  Allison shrugged, then giggled. “That’s alright.”

  Another worrying thought crossed Kylie’s mind: “Did you know he was coming over?”

  “I spoke to him on the phone,” Allison replied.

  ‘He must really like her to drive all that way,’ Kylie mused. She replied seriously: “Please be careful Allison. Don’t do anything silly. You are too young. And please let my mum know. She is responsible for you.”

  Allison had the good grace to blush and bite her lip. “Sorry. I never thought of that. Oh he’s wonderful! I’m in love!”

  That made Kylie jealous again, but, perversely she was also glad. It was wonderful to see Allison’s happiness. Taking control of her own emotions with an effort Kylie managed a smile and walked on towards the house.

  That afternoon they went to Atherton on the shopping expedition. Kylie took the time to go to the Land Resources office to buy a map. She found they were more expensive than she had expected, and also that there were several to choose from. She finally bought two, a Parish Land Survey map, and an Army Topographic Map of the sort her brother Graham used for bushwalking. ‘He can use it if it is no good,’ she decided.

  After that she went to the Post Office to post a letter to the Mines Department, asking for information about any leases or claims registered by Grandad Hector. She was now losing heart about ever finding the old gold mine, but a stubborn streak in her character kept her working at it.

  Then it was Christmas shopping. Kylie loved that. She helped Margaret choose more Christmas decorations, then bought more presents for family and friends.

  While she was browsing in a bookshop Kylie received a pleasant surprise. Into the shop walked Roger Dunning. Roger was a cheerful, tubby boy who was one of Graham’s best friends and a member of his ‘Hiking Team’.

  “Hi Roger! What are you doing in Atherton?” she asked.

  “Spending part of the holidays with my Aunty,” Roger replied. “She lives here. What are you doing?”

  “Same. Staying at my Gran’s farm over near Bartle Frere,” Kylie replied.

  “Have you climbed it yet?” Roger asked with a grin.

  “No, and I’m not going to; at least not in the wet season,” Kylie replied. She had been told that winter was the best time to climb the mountain, otherwise the chances were that clouds would obscure the view.

  Roger laughed. “Graham will drag you up it when he gets back!”

  “Fat chance!” Kylie replied, then realized that wasn’t the best comment to make to Roger, who was chubby and quite sensitive to comments about his weight.

  “When does he get back from his cadet camp?” Roger asked.

  “Three days time, on Monday,” Kylie replied.

  “What are you doing then? Are you going back to Cairns for Christmas?” Roger asked.

  Kylie shook her head. “No, we are spending Christmas at Gran’s,” she replied. Then, knowing Graham would tell his friend anyway, she said: “We are going to find a gold mine.”

  Roger snorted: “Goldmine! Get real. There hasn’t been any gold found around here for a hundred years.”

  “There has so!” Kylie replied indignantly. She proceeded to describe the story of the ‘Jeweller’s Shop’ to Roger. While she was doing this Margaret joined them. She knew Roger well and exchanged greetings.

  When Kylie had finished Roger said: “In the jungle?” He made a face when Kylie nodded. “I suppose Graham will rope us all in to help find this bloody thing.”

  Both Kylie and Margaret laughed and Kylie nodded. They gossiped for a while longer, then went their separate ways. The girls returned to the car laden with parcels and bundles. As they loaded them in Margaret nudged Kylie.

  “Look!”

  It was Allison. She was walking slowly along the footpath, hand in hand with Bert. She looked blissfully happy and was smiling up at him. He was talking animatedly to her and was loaded with shopping. Once again Kylie felt the sharp claws of jealousy but also knew she was glad that Allison was enjoying her holiday. ‘I wish I was in love!’ she thought wistfully.

  Margaret was obviously thinking the same thing as she said: “Only three more days before Graham gets home.”

  ‘And I hope the stupid lout doesn’t break your heart!’ Kylie thought. She was very fond of her brother but knew from experience that he was an absolute fool for a pretty face.

  Bert gave them all a cheerful greeting. Mrs Kirk frowned but said nothing. When it was time to go Bert and Allison stood holding hands till the last possible minute, staring deep into each others eyes.

  “Isn’t it sweet!” Margaret whispered.

  “Humm,” Mrs Kirk murmured. “As long they are only holding hands.”

  “Oh Mum!” Kylie said, but she coloured with knowledge of what the pair had been doing in the milking shed.

  “Come on Allison,” Mrs Kirk called. “Goodbye Bert.”

  Allison climbed in, blew Bert a kiss, then sat back with a sigh as the car moved off. “Oh he’s wonderful. I’m in love.”

  “And you are too young,” Mrs Kirk said. “You remember that Bert is a lot older than you.”

  “Only four years older Mrs Kirk,” Allison replied.

  “He’s still a male, so don’t do anything silly,” Mrs Kirk said. “And please ask before you arrange to meet him.”

  “Yes Mrs Kirk, sorry,” Allison said. But she didn’t sound sorry and she smiled all the way back to the farm.

  The shopping expedition returned home and unloaded. Mysterious parcels were swiftly spirited inside and hidden in cupboards. Then the girls set to work to put up the new decorations. Kylie was
feeling very happy by the time they had completed the task but her spirits were dampened somewhat when she showed Uncle Bill the maps she had bought.

  The Parish Survey Map was just black and white and showed only the creeks, the surveyed boundaries of all the land allotments and the vague outline of the mountains. The farm was easy to find but no mines were marked, only the words STATE FOREST. This was confirmed when they compared it with the Army Map. This showed that almost the entire area they were interested in around Swipers Flat and along the western edge of the escarpment above the Mulgrave valley was State Forest.

  “That means it will all now be part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area,” Uncle Bill said. “No-one will be allowed to do any mining in there.”

  That was a blow but Kylie wasn’t ready to give up yet. “Maybe we could just find those samples in the glass jars. That wouldn’t be mining,” she said.

  “You are clutching at straws now girl,” Uncle Bill said. “Forget about the mine. I will find a way to pay the bills.”

  But in her heart Kylie did not want to give up. “I will find it anyway, just out of curiosity,” she said.

  Uncle Bert eyed her with admiration. “You don’t give up easily do you?”

  “No, not if I think it is important,” Kylie replied.

  “Good for you. Then I will help if I can. Now, are you girls too worn out from shopping or can you still help with the milking?”

  Milking followed, after which the girls went back to the house for a bath. Allison was first in the bath. Margaret went in as soon as she had finished. Almost immediately there was a shriek and Margaret cried out: “Oh! Oh! Another frog!”

  She came backing out of the bathroom with only a towel held over her front. Kylie ran to help her, then called out: “No Uncle Bill! Margaret isn’t dressed.”

  Margaret realized her back was exposed and struggled to wrap the towel around her. Allison and Mrs Kirk arrived as she at last managed this. Margaret pointed into the bathroom. Kylie put her head around the door and saw a large green frog sitting on the end of the bathtub near the taps. She turned to Allison and said: “Heavens Allie, he must have been there when you were having your bath.”