‘We’re coming with you. Surely it’s going to be better than waiting out here. Lawrence can pillion behind you. We can tie him on with some octopus straps if it comes to that,’ Hugh suggested.
Barnaby nodded. Within a few minutes they were ready to leave.
The men sped along the bush tracks and through the paddocks as fast as they dared. Lawrence was clinging to Barnaby’s back, although at one stage Barnaby thought the actor was losing his grip and slowed to make sure that he was still conscious.
‘Come on, mate, stay with us,’ Barnaby urged as Hugh hopped off his bike and checked on his brother-in-law. Lawrence was still awake, but visibly weaker with sweat streaming from his temples.
By the time they arrived at the hangar, Lawrence’s breathing was shallow and he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open.
Barnaby raced in and prepped the aircraft, then pulled it out using the specially designed trolley.
Hugh had moved Lawrence onto the ground so he could rest more comfortably. Together, the men loaded him into the back seat of the chopper – it was fortunate they had a four-seater as Barnaby wouldn’t have wanted to transport the injured man on his own.
‘What about the kids?’ Hugh shouted over the whine of the propellers as they slowly began to rotate.
‘We’ll call them once he’s safe. They’ll still be hours coming in with the cattle,’ Barnaby said.
Hugh wasn’t sure it’s what he’d have done, and he didn’t even want to think about the fact that where there was one snake there were bound to be more. Barnaby and Evie had lived out here for years without anyone being bitten though, so surely this was just a case of bad luck. Lawrence was going to be fine – he had to stay positive. In the future they’d all tell the tale of his miraculous recovery after being bitten by a huge western brown, but right now they just had to get him to hospital and make sure that he survived.
Sprocket McGinty had swallowed hard as he heard the ping of at least two motorbikes approaching the homestead. ‘Oh geez, someone’s back.’ He’d looked around and wondered where he could hide, then peered through the louvred back windows into the empty yard.
He still hadn’t found the map. His captor would be wondering what was taking so long, but there was no point returning empty-handed. He really didn’t want to end up in the ditch back down the road. Sprocket began to hatch a plan. It would be much easier to get the document from Alice-Miranda herself. She knew who he was and he was a friend of her father’s. Besides, the page wasn’t hers to start with. He’d just ask her.
The motorbike engines had stopped a few minutes ago and Sprocket was still waiting, unhidden, for someone to return to the house. He’d just say that he had a lead on Dan and had dropped in to check whether they’d seen him. Except that Sprocket remembered he didn’t have a car so they might question how he’d got there. He ran his tongue over the outside of his teeth and realised he was drier than a desert spring as the shoosh shoosh shoosh of a helicopter’s rotors filled the air. Sprocket was surprised to see the blue R44 lift into the sky over the back of the sheds. It looked like there were three people on board. If that was the case, then maybe he was in the clear for a while yet.
He looked around the sleep-out. He’d made a terrible mess. Alice-Miranda’s suitcase hadn’t been hard to find, given it had a name tag, but perhaps upending the contents all over the floor hadn’t been his smartest idea. Junie had followed him into the room and was now meowing her disapproval.
‘It’s not my fault, cat. You’d turn the place upside down too if you had that thug breathing down your neck. And what are you doing here anyway? Where’s Dan?’ he said to the cat, who meowed a reply to every question. Trouble was, Sprocket couldn’t understand ‘cat’.
He jumped from one leg to the other as if doing a Scottish jig. It was a nervous affliction, though sometimes he just liked to dance. He had no idea when the others would return. It could be any moment.
Sprocket’s ears were still on high alert as he began to stuff the clothes back into the suitcase before remembering the child was neat. Everything in her suitcase had been folded and placed inside, not thrown haphazard like he was doing.
Sprocket was usually neat by nature too – it’s just he was in a hurry. Though no one was likely to believe it, he’d actually attended a rather posh boarding school as a boy. He knew how to make beds with hospital corners and fold washing. Living out here however, his wardrobe was somewhat limited – underpants, a blue singlet and a pair of stubbies for each day of the week was all he needed and therefore didn’t require much attention.
‘Okay, Junie, you go and have a look and let me know if the coast is clear?’ he said to the cat, who scampered out the door.
He’d go and explain his plan to the old bruiser, and drive the ute around to the back of the house so it looked like he’d brought his own vehicle. Then he’d wait for the kids to come home. He was sure he’d have that page by tonight, no matter what.
It was just after four when Larry shut the gate on the herd and the children’s work for the day was almost done. The cattle were now in the home paddock behind the sheds.
‘Good job, everyone!’ the girl called.
Hayden had already checked the water troughs and found them empty, so had gone to run a hose from one of the rainwater tanks at the back of Molly and Ralph’s place. Obviously his father hadn’t fixed the problem yet.
Alice-Miranda slid down from Harley’s saddle and gave the horse’s neck a rub. ‘Thank you for looking after me out there. You’re a lovely boy – much better behaved than my Bony.’ Despite this, Alice-Miranda still missed her own naughty beast. Bony might have been tricky at times, but she had to admit his personality was larger than life.
Millie leapt off Saki and checked the mare’s feet. She was worried that the horse had seemed a bit lame on the way in and soon saw the problem – a stone lodged in Saki’s hoof.
Jacinta and Lucas had already returned their four wheelers to the shed and walked back to the yards to help Hayden.
‘Should we give these guys a wash down and some dinner before we turn them out?’ Alice-Miranda asked, garnering a nod from Larry.
‘Unfortunately it will be more a bucket rinse than a proper shower,’ the girl said. They walked the horses around to the stalls at the back of the machinery shed, where Millie quickly located a hoof pick and dealt with Saki’s discomfort. The girls spent the next half hour tending to the horses before they were turned out into the home paddock up behind the hangar.
As they walked back down towards the house, they noticed two bikes in the shed in place of the helicopter.
‘Did your dad say anything about taking the chopper out today?’ Alice-Miranda asked Larry, who shook her head.
‘Dad hates flying,’ she said. ‘He does it if he absolutely has to – like searching for Matilda – but otherwise he leaves all the mustering to Buddy. I think he had a close call a few years back, but he won’t talk about it.’
‘I wonder why there’s only two bikes,’ Millie said.
‘Maybe the other one’s in the machinery shed,’ Alice-Miranda suggested. The girls took a peek when they went past, but it wasn’t there.
‘Maybe they had to head out further than Dad had originally planned,’ Larry said.
The mystery was abandoned as they rounded the corner to see the white ute that had sat deserted on the side of the road the other day parked near the house, with Sprocket McGinty leaning on the bonnet.
‘G’day, girls, how’d ya be?’ Sprocket grinned, his teeth just about blinding the three of them with their glimmer.
Millie shielded her eyes. ‘Close your mouth, Sprocket. You could permanently injure something with those fangs of yours.’
The man chuckled. Larry and Alice-Miranda did too.
Alice-Miranda noticed the blood encrusted around Sprocket’s nose and on his chin. ‘Are you hurt?’ she asked urgently, pointing to his face.
Sprocket flinched, realising that he should have h
ad a wash when he was in the house earlier. ‘No, I just have a drippy snoz sometimes. Didn’t realise it was bad,’ he said.
‘So this is your ute?’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘We saw it parked on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere the day we drove out – we were all a little worried as it seemed a strange place to leave a car – and with the door open too.’
‘I don’t usually leave the door open,’ Sprocket mumbled to himself. ‘Is Hugh with Two about?’
‘Daddy and Uncle Barnaby and Uncle Lawrence are out checking the bores. There’s a problem with the water,’ the child explained. ‘We’re not sure when they’ll be back. This is Larry, she’s Uncle Barnaby’s daughter.’
‘Hello,’ the girl nodded.
‘That’s a fine name you’ve got there,’ Sprocket said. ‘Same as mine actually. Just no one’s used it in about fifty years.’
The girl broke into a grin. ‘Thank you. I think it’s an excellent name too. Would you like a cup of tea or a cool drink?’
‘Is the Pope a Catholic?’ the man replied as he followed the girls up the steps and into the house. ‘Mind if I use your facilities? Don’t fuss, I know where they are.’
Larry looked at him suspiciously. Sprocket recoiled. ‘I mean, I have no idea where they are so you’ll have to point me in the right direction, if you please?’
Larry frowned. ‘Follow me,’ she said, and led Sprocket down the hallway. ‘Just in there.’
She sprinted back to the kitchen. ‘Is that the crazy guy you went to visit before you came out here? The one who was doing an extension with dynamite?’
‘One and the same,’ Millie said. ‘He’s bonkers.’
‘He might be slightly eccentric, but I think Mr Sprocket has a heart of gold. He saved Daddy’s backside – quite literally.’
The girls giggled at Alice-Miranda’s joke. There had been a discussion about Sprocket’s lifesaving rescue during dinner the other night.
‘I wonder what he’s doing here?’ Millie said.
They didn’t have to wait long to find out.
Alice-Miranda had just retrieved six cups for the children’s drinks and flicked the switch on the kettle when the man returned, his hair dripping wet.
Larry looked at him and frowned. ‘Did you have a shower?’
‘I limited myself to a minute. Barely got wet, but I’ve felt like a grub ever since . . . well never mind,’ the man said. ‘Found a towel on the shelf. Hope you don’t mind – I know country folks are renowned for their hospitality.’
Millie looked at Larry, who kept a straight face and managed not to betray what she was really thinking. Certainly, her parents were generous hosts, though her mother would have been mortified – Evie always directed the stockmen and other workers to one of the cottages, as the house was her sanctuary and strictly reserved for family and invited guests.
‘So, what are you doing out here?’ Alice-Miranda asked as she finished making the man’s tea and sat it down in front of him.
He picked up a teaspoon and the girls watched, mesmerised, as he heaped eight giant scoops of sugar into the cup.
‘Aren’t you going to stir that?’ Millie asked.
Sprocket pulled a face. ‘Good grief, no. I don’t like it sweet.’
The girls chuckled as he lifted the cup to his lips.
‘I thought I had a lead on Taipan Dan, but it’s proven a dead end. Anyway, given I was so close to Hope Springs I thought I’d come and see how you were all faring,’ the man said. ‘And blow me down if you don’t have Junie here with you. So maybe my lead isn’t as dead as I thought.’
None of that was true, of course, though he had been shocked to see the cat.
‘We found her on the road about half an hour before we saw your car,’ Alice-Miranda said.
‘My car? Where did you see my car?’ he asked. ‘Haven’t seen it myself for a while actually.’
‘Your white ute,’ Alice-Miranda said, confused. ‘The one that’s sitting outside the back of the house at the moment.’
‘Oh, that car, yes of course,’ Sprocket frowned and lifted the cup to his lips. ‘Lovely brew. My compliments to the tea lady.’
‘So where were you when we found the ute?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
‘We called to see if there was anyone about. You mustn’t have heard us,’ Millie said.
‘I was um, ah, indisposed,’ the man replied. ‘Had to walk a mile to find some privacy and then hope I didn’t get bitten on the bum by a brown.’
The girls giggled. ‘Absolutely understandable,’ Alice-Miranda said.
Jacinta, Lucas and Hayden barrelled through the back door and were surprised to see the man sitting in the kitchen and holding court at the end of the table.
‘Mr Sprocket, you remember Jacinta and Lucas and this is our friend Hayden, Larry’s older brother,’ Alice-Miranda took care of the introductions.
The children all said their hellos and grabbed some drinks.
‘We’ve been out mustering,’ Hayden said. ‘It’s thirsty work.’
The man nodded.
‘Has anyone heard from Dad?’ the boy asked.
The children shook their heads. ‘He’s taken the chopper. We could try him on the radio,’ Larry suggested. The girl stood up and walked into the pantry, where she picked up the handset. There was a crackle of static over the airwaves. She held the microphone in front of her mouth and pressed the button on the side.
‘This is Hope Springs to Victor Hotel Hotel Sierra Tango, come in please,’ Larry said.
But there was no response. She tried again with the same result.
Alice-Miranda had hopped up to join the girl. ‘What if I just call Daddy’s mobile?’
‘You probably won’t get him. The coverage out here is patchy at best,’ Larry said.
Alice-Miranda decided to try anyway. She picked up the ancient phone on the wall and dialled the number.
‘Hello Daddy,’ she said, and gave Larry a thumbs up. ‘Where are you?’
‘Oh my goodness, that’s terrible,’ the child gasped. Larry looked at her anxiously. ‘Will he be all right?’
Larry was leaping about asking her who she was talking about, but clearly Alice-Miranda was still receiving information.
‘Does Aunt Charlotte know?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
Larry almost felt guilty for breathing a sigh of relief – it wasn’t her father or mother who were in trouble – though she was still desperate to find out what was going on.
‘We’ll be fine, Daddy. Actually Mr Sprocket is here. He was in the neighbourhood and dropped in. Would you like me to ask if he can stay until you and Uncle Barnaby return? I know we’d be fine on our own. I just suspect the adults will feel more comfortable if there is another adult about – even though, to tell you the truth, Daddy,’ she lowered her voice to a whisper and partially covered the handset, ‘I think Mr Sprocket might be in more need of looking after than we are.’ Her voice went back to its usual volume. ‘Tell Uncle Barnaby that we got the cattle in.’
There was a pause again. Her father was speaking. ‘Really? Sabotage? That’s awful. Does Uncle Barnaby have any idea who might be responsible?’
There was another lull. ‘Don’t worry – we’ll keep an eye out for anything unusual. It’s probably a good thing Mr Sprocket’s here now then. Give Uncle Lawrence our love. Goodbye, Daddy,’ the girl said, and promptly hung up.
‘What’s happened?’ Larry demanded.
‘I’d best tell everyone,’ Alice-Miranda said, and walked out into the kitchen with Larry right behind her.
‘So where are they?’ Lucas asked.
‘At the hospital in Coober Pedy. Uncle Lawrence was bitten by a snake, but they say he’s going to make a full recovery. Daddy and Uncle Barnaby are staying with him for now though, until he’s feeling properly better,’ the girl explained.
Jacinta’s mouth gaped open and Lucas’s face turned pale.
‘Daddy says you mustn’t worry. Uncle Lawrence is fine. He’s had a do
se of antivenene and is awake and talking,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘It’s getting too late for Uncle Barnaby and Daddy to fly back and they don’t have another vehicle in town, so they’ll have to stay overnight and see how Uncle Lawrence is in the morning.’
‘I’ve got one,’ Sprocket said. ‘A vehicle that is. If they can get themselves up to the hideaway they’re welcome to it. Come to think of it, it might not start and I can’t actually remember where the keys are and, oh no, they can’t. It’s parked out the back here isn’t it?’
The children gave each other quizzical looks. The man seemed very confused about his car.
Sprocket took a slurp of tea. ‘What got him? Inland taipan or a western brown?’
‘Daddy said they think it was a brown snake but either way he’s terribly lucky,’ Alice-Miranda said.
But Jacinta wasn’t feeling that way at all. Fat tears spilled onto the top of her cheeks and she started to cry. ‘Why did that have to happen? I hate the outback!’
Lucas put his arm around her and she turned and sobbed into his chest. The boy was feeling wobbly at his father’s close call himself, so he was glad to have someone to hold onto.
Alice-Miranda could understand that it was a big shock.
‘There, there, Jacinta,’ Sprocket gave her a grin. ‘The outback is magnificent – and honestly, apart from all the things that are trying to kill you, it really is one of the safest places on earth. I bet this homestead’s never been locked up once since it was built. The family probably doesn’t even own a set of keys.’ He thought about the irony of his words, given his captor was now holed up in one of the staff dongas waiting for him to return with a map he was about to steal from a child.
‘That’s true,’ Hayden said. ‘We never lock anything, and the keys are always in the cars and the motorbikes. You never know when you might want to make a quick getaway.’
None of that was making Jacinta feel any better. She wished she had a pair of ruby slippers and could click her heels together and go home.
‘Mr Sprocket, Daddy asked if you’d mind staying with us until he gets back.’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘He said he’d feel better knowing there was another adult here. Especially because Uncle Barnaby thinks that someone is tampering with the bores and stealing Hope Springs’ water.’
Alice-Miranda in the Outback Page 13