Jack & Harry

by Tony McKenna

  KEY TO MAP

  PERTH — Jack & Harry’s home city

  NORTHAM — Catch train to Kalgoorlie

  SOUTHERN CROSS — Boys meet Paddy O’Brien

  KALGOORLIE — Paddy introduces boys to Father O’Malley and meet Reynold

  MENZIES — Encounter with Aboriginals, boys saved by Reynold

  MT MARGARET MISSION — Father O’Malley leaves boys and returns to Kalgoorlie

  WARBURTON — Jack and Harry are taken by Reynold to meet Uncle Warri

  DOCKER RIVER — Boys arrive with Reynold and Uncle Warri

  PETERMANN RANGES — Jack & Harry will experience the wonder of the Petermann Ranges and learn about Lasseter’s Cave and his lost gold

  ANGUS DOWNS — Cattle drove starts

  Uncle Warri, Reynold, Jack and Harry meet up with Cattle Drove

  FINKE RIVER — An historic cattle route they follow along the river

  ANNA CREEK STATION — Christmas Day 1950

  WILLIAM CREEK — Old railway station on Oodnadatta track .

  MARREE — End of cattle drove. Jack and Harry meet lshmo, Afghan camel driver

  COOBER PEDY — Central Australian Opal Fields

  PORT AUGUSTA — Jack & Harry catch train to Kalgoorlie

  CROSSING — Crossing the Nullarbor Plain - East-West Railway

  BACK TO KALGOORLIE — Then drive home with Father O’Malley

  – – – – –Jack & Harry’s route

  •••••••••••Railways

  This 2014 edition published

  By

  McKenna Country

  Boddington Western Australia

  www.tonymckenna.com.au

  Copyright © Tony McKenna and Mervyn Davis 2005

  ISBN: 9781742984834 (eBook)

  1st published in Australia 2005

  2nd edition 2006

  3rd edition 2007

  Audio Book 2009

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher

  All Characters in this publication are fictional and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

  Cover design and typesetting by Working Type (www.workingtype.com.au)

  National Library of Australia Cataloguing in Publication data

  McKenna, Tony 1944

  Davis, Mervyn 1940

  Jack and Harry – No Turning Back

  Digital edition distributed by

  Port Campbell Press

  www.portcampbellpress.com.au

  Conversion by Winking Billy

  Chapter One

  It was November 3, 1950 in Perth Western Australia. The hot afternoon dragged on at Ashmorton public school. Jack Ferguson was restless, fidgeting with his pencil, drawing doodle circles on his workbook as the teacher droned on about polygons and fractions – not Jack’s favourite subject. He glanced at the wall clock above the teacher’s head. It was almost three o’clock and he willed the large black hand on the clock to move more quickly to the magical ‘bell’ time. His mind wandered to the coming weekend when his mate Harry would be staying over.

  Harry and Jack had been inseparable friends since they met in primary school. With the same interests in football and cricket, fishing and just having fun, Jack knew the weekend would be a great time. They planned to go down to the creek to catch yabbies. These small freshwater crayfish were delicious cooked and eaten with fresh crusty bread and a dash of vinegar. Even more fun was catching them with a hunk of red meat, or a lamb chop, tied to a piece of string. It was a skilful art to gently pull them to the bank and scoop them up with a handmade net, usually made from Jack’s mum’s discarded stockings, and Jack and Harry considered themselves master ‘yabbie catchers’.

  After what seemed like an eternity to Jack, the hand eventually crawled to the ‘12’ at the top of the clock and the bell signalled the end of the school day and – more importantly – the school week and two whole days of fun. There was a scramble as the students spilled from the classroom along the passage and into the schoolyard. Jack searched for Harry in the bustling throng. Harry was in a class behind Jack being exactly one year younger, their birthdays being within two days of each other which meant they usually had a combined party.

  ‘Jack, Jack!’

  ‘Hey, Harry! Over here.’

  Harry, a tall gangly kid with a shock of sandy coloured hair and a mass of freckles on his angular face, ran to where Jack was standing. Smiling, he slapped Jack on the back and they feinted in a mock fight for a few seconds.

  ‘Got your gear with you?’ Jack queried.

  ‘Yeah, in here.’ Harry indicated his school bag. ‘Don’t need much, just a change of clothes and me toothbrush. I left the schoolbooks in the desk ’cause I guess we’re not doin’ any homework this weekend are we, Jack?’

  ‘No way! Let’s go then.’

  As they walked from the schoolyard, another boy caught up with them. ‘Hey, you blokes, what are you up to this weekend?’

  ‘G’day, Billy, not a lot,’ Jack replied. ‘Harry’s staying over and we’ll probably go down to the creek tomorrow, see if we can catch some yabbies. Might have a game of cricket or somethin’ this arvo.’

  ‘Can I come over and join in?’

  ‘Yeah, suppose so, but you’ll have to bring your bat as we only got one.’

  ‘OK, see ya.’

  ‘See ya, Billy.’ The boys continued walking.

  ‘Hey, did you know it’s my birthday tomorrow?’ Billy called after them.

  ‘That right? You havin’ a party, Billy?’

  ‘No, my dad says I can’t have a party and a bike.’

  ‘You gettin’ a bike for ya birthday, Billy? How do ya know, aren’t presents supposed to be a surprise?’

  ‘Dad let me go down and pick it out at the shop. It’s a Malvern Star racer. I’ll bring it over to show ya tomorrow.’ Billy turned on his heel and was quickly lost in the gaggle of bustling school children.

  ‘There’s somethin’ about him I don’t like, Jack.’ Harry glanced over his shoulder at Billy Munse’s, retreating back. ‘Not sure what.’

  ‘Billy’s all right, Harry, just a bit spoiled I reckon. His old man’s a snob but.’

  ‘A Malvern Star racer for his birthday lucky bugger, and a new one.’ ‘Yeah, well his dad is a solicitor so I suppose he can afford it.’

  ‘My dad says you can’t trust solicitors.’

  ‘Dunno, Harry, never had anythin’ to do with ’em, don’t even know what they do really except it’s somethin’ to do with law and criminals and stuff.’

  ‘You ever been over to Billy’s house, Jack?’

  ‘No. You?’

  Harry shook his head.

  Ashmorton, a subdivision on the eastern outskirts of Perth with rows of neat three and four bedroom brick houses set on quarter acre blocks of land, bordered natural bush parklands with a creek, that was called a ‘river’ meandering through it. The park separated Ashmorton from the more affluent suburb of Kelsborough.

  The Fergusons lived in one of Ashmorton’s red brick houses with a white picket fence behind which was a rose garden that Alice Ferguson, Jack’s mother, tended with loving care. A concrete driveway ran down the right-hand side of the house that led to a single timber-framed garage. The backyard was spacious with grassed areas, shady trees and the inevitable wood fuelled brick constructed barbecue around which most of the Fergusons’ social events took place. Jack’s father, Jack Senior, was proud of his home, his wife Alice and family of six children. He had worked hard to achieve his success and was a Stock and Station agent with Elder Smith Gold
sbrough Mort, having joined them when he was thirteen years old as a yard hand at the saleyards. Eager to learn he had shown natural ability to evaluate sheep and cattle and worked his way up the ranks reaching the position of Buyer, travelling to remote stations and sometimes interstate on behalf of clients to purchase stock. Forty-five years old, he had a tanned face and arms, a result of hours in the open at the saleyards. He was considered an honest, no-nonsense bloke you could rely on; he was steady, liked a beer, a barbecue with his mates and enjoyed a bet on the races although he was never known to wager beyond his means. Tall and muscular with black curly hair and brown eyes, everyone said that young Jack was the spitting image of his father.

  ‘G’day, Mum,’ Jack called as he and Harry entered the kitchen from the back verandah.

  ‘Hello, son. Oh, Hello, Harry.’ Alice Ferguson turned from the kitchen sink and wiped her hands on a floral apron she was wearing.

  ‘G’day, Mrs Ferguson.’

  ‘How was school today, boys?’

  ‘OK I guess,’ mumbled Jack.

  ‘Yeah OK,’ Harry added.

  ‘What time’s Dad gettin’ home Mum?’

  ‘He called to say he was stopping off for a couple of beers on the way home as it’s Friday but said he’d be here about six o’clock. I’ve got tea planned for about seven. What are you boys up to?’

  ‘Not much, probably have a hit of cricket; a couple of kids are comin’ ’round. Got anythin’ to eat, Mum? You hungry, Harry?’

  ‘You bet.’

  Alice smiled, taking a plate of sandwiches from the refrigerator and placing them on the kitchen table. ‘Thought you might be a bit peckish. This should keep the wolf from the door until teatime. There’s a billy of milk in the fridge too if you want it.’

  ‘What’s for tea, Mum?’

  ‘Growing boys!’ Alice mused, ‘always thinking about tucker. Lamb’s fry and bacon tonight and there are stewed quinces with custard for afters. You eat lamb’s fry, Harry?’

  ‘Eat anythin’, Mrs Ferguson.’

  ‘OK boys, make sure you let the littlies join in the cricket and don’t bowl too hard at them.’ She looked at them with mock sternness.

  ‘We won’t, Mum.’

  Alice could soon hear the kids playing cricket out in the street. Fortunately they lived in a ‘No Through Road’ and only resident traffic used the street. Not everyone owned a vehicle and those that did knew that most of the kids living in the street played outside after school and on weekends, so they kept a watchful eye out for them.

  The front bar of the Exchange Hotel was packed to overflowing. There was a lot of laughter and a buzz of rowdy conversation as workers unwound after a busy week and planned the weekend ahead.

  ‘Another beer, Jack?’

  ‘Better not, Eric.’ Jack Ferguson glanced at the bar clock. ‘Told Alice I’d be home by six. How about we get a couple of bottles and take ’em home to my place, have a beer there. How about you pick up Eve and stay for a feed? What about you, Jim?’

  ‘No I can’t, Jack,’ Eric said, ‘I promised Eve I’d take her to the pictures tonight. Maybe tomorrow though.’ He stubbed his cigarette butt into a glass ashtray.

  ‘I’m a bit tied up tonight too, Jack,’ Jim answered. ‘How about we have a barbecue tomorrow though?’

  ‘Sounds fair to me.’ Jack drained his glass. ‘Let’s have it at our joint though ’cause young Harry Turner’s staying over with Jack for the weekend so I’ll invite his folks too. You know Claude and Jean don’t you?’ They nodded.

  ‘We’ll make an arvo of it then. Come ’round about three or thereabouts.’

  They agreed to meet at Jack’s house the next day and left the smoke filled bar.

  Jack Junior and Harry woke early on Saturday morning. The house was quiet, with Jack’s siblings and his parents still sleeping. Jack opened the vents on the slow combustion wood stove and fanned some kindling alight. When the stove was hot he filled an iron kettle with water from the tap and placed it on the stove to boil. Harry busied himself making toast. The younger children started to stir, laughter and noise filling the house.

  ‘Quiet you lot!’ boomed a voice from down the hallway. ‘Your mum’s trying to sleep.’

  Jack laughed. ‘That’d wake Mum anyhow, Dad yellin’ like that. How about we take ’em in a cuppa and some toast?’

  They knocked on Jack and Alice’s bedroom door. ‘Yeah, come in,’ Jack’s father bellowed.

  ‘Thanks boys, what’s this in aid of then, Jack?’ His father pointed to the pot of tea and plate of heavily buttered toast.

  ‘We want to head off early Dad to go down to the creek.’

  ‘So this is to soften us up eh?’ His father took a bite of toast. ‘All right, Jack but don’t get up to any mischief you blokes and don’t forget that your parents are going to be here for a barbie, Harry. Be good if you boys could chop some wood and set the fire. That’d save me some time as I want to go down town and get some ice to keep the drinks cool then to the butcher’s for some snags and chops.’

  ‘Be careful too boys, down at the river.’

  ‘Yeah, Mum, but it’s only a creek not a river and not all that deep except for a couple of holes. We’ll be all right. Stop worrying.’

  ‘Yes, Alice, the lads’ll be OK. Don’t get carried away and forget the time though.’

  ‘No, Dad.’

  ‘See ya, Mr Ferguson.’

  Across the park in Kelsborough there was excitement at number 29 Lawton Drive as William (Billy) Munse woke from a restless dream-filled sleep. It was his birthday and even though he had chosen the bike at the shop, he couldn’t quite remember every detail of it and was anxious to see the bike again and to ride it out to show off to his schoolmates.

  He paced impatiently around the lounge room waiting for his parents to come downstairs. They had been out to dinner the previous night to a restaurant in the city. Billy hadn’t really wanted to go but his father had insisted, saying that it was only proper for a young gentleman to go to dinner with his parents on his fifteenth birthday. Billy now waited for his parents to wake. He didn’t dare disturb them as his father would probably be in a bad mood anyhow after drinking too much wine at dinner and Billy didn’t want to make matters worse by antagonising him further. He knew the bike was in the garage but it was locked and he didn’t have a key so he would just have to wait. He made himself a cup of Milo and nibbled at some toast to pass the time.

  After waiting restlessly for almost an hour, Billy was joined by his parents.

  ‘Good morning, William, happy birthday, dear.’ His mother brushed her lips against his cheek.

  ‘Happy birthday, son.’

  ‘Thanks, Dad, Mum.’ Billy moved from one foot to the other expectantly. ‘Can I have my bike now?’

  ‘Shortly, William.’ His father glared at him over the top of his thick horn-rimmed glasses. ‘There’s something you need to be aware of though, it’s important and concerns your new bike.’

  ‘Yes, Dad, what?’ Billy was mystified.

  ‘You know that bike was not cheap, it cost me a lot of money and you have to learn to respect things of value, William.’

  ‘Yes I know, I really app …’ His father cut him off with a wave of a hand.

  ‘That bike is for you only. I don’t want you letting any of the local riff raff ride it do you hear?’

  ‘Yeah, er … sure, Dad,’ Billy stammered.

  ‘I mean it, son! I’m not going to pay good money to have other kids whose families can’t afford it, ride your bike. You have to be aware that we are a little better than they are and if I see you letting any of the other kids riding it then I’ll lock it up in the shed and no one will ride it. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes, Dad,’ Billy agreed with his father. Agree to anything so that I can get the bike. He smiled sweetly. He’d never know if I let someone ride it anyhow.

  Billy was presented with the bike and spent the next hour riding it around the driveway and a short way down the fo
otpath outside his home so he ‘could get used to it’ as his father advised before he would be allowed to take it further.

  ‘You were a little harsh on him, William, it is his birthday after all,’ Mrs Munse said.

  ‘Harsh nothing and I meant what I said. He’s better than those other kids, especially those ruffians from the other side of the park. They’re just a blue collar mob, not professional people like us.’

  ‘I know, dear but he does go to school with most of them and you know I didn’t agree with that from the beginning. He should be in private boarding school, we can afford it.’

  ‘It’s not a matter of money. I never went to boarding school but I slogged hard to get a scholarship to go to university. William has to learn to mix with the ordinary people of this world but not to be part of them. That way he will learn what they are like, what makes them tick so that when he eventually graduates from the bar and comes into the firm with me he will understand their mentality more. After all, they’re the ones who are usually in trouble with the law and need a solicitor to defend them. Makes sense to me.’

  His wife smiled weakly and agreed. She had learned over the years that submission was the key to peace in the Munse household.

  Chapter Two

  Jack and Harry were walking up from the creek through the park towards Jack’s home with a bucket full of yabbies when Billy Munse rode into the park and swept speedily toward them down the bituminised pathway.

  ‘Get a look at this for a bike! Told ya I was getting one for me birthday.’ Billy yelled as he approached the duo.

  ‘Gee, Billy, sure is a beauty.’ Harry stared in amazement at the shining chrome and blue Malvern Star with the racing handlebars and pedals fitted with straps so the rider’s feet wouldn’t slip off.

  ‘She’s flash all right, Billy,’ Jack agreed. ‘Look at them wheels, got racing tyres too. Bet she goes fast.’

  ‘You bet she does,’ Billy quipped proudly. ‘She’s got front and rear brakes too. Stops on a sixpence.’

  ‘Come on, Jack,’ Harry started to walk off. ‘We have to get back to your place to chop that wood for ya Dad.’ The last thing Harry wanted to do was look at the bike and watch Billy gloat.