They Found a Cave Read Online Free Page A

something Ma said last night. She don’t think yer aunt’ll be back for a long time…an’ I’d keep out of Ma’s way, if I was you , Brick.’
    â€˜I shan’t, then. Why should I? Does she think because Jandie’s away a few days she’s going to boss us all about?’
    â€˜As a matter of fact I reckon she do think something of the sort.’
    â€˜Humph! Then there’s another think coming to her when Jandie gets back. She’ll lose her job, won’t she, Nig?’
    â€˜ That don’t bother her—nor him neither. They’re goin’ to leave anyhow. Got it all fixed.’
    For a few moments there was no sound except from Nippy, busy scratching drawings of animals on the wet sand of the track.
    â€˜Then,’ said Nigel very slowly, ‘why didn’t they tell Jandie that before she went away?’
    Tas wriggled uncomfortably, and kicked a piece of wood with the patched toe of his boot. ‘Oh—I dunno,’ he muttered.
    â€˜Yes, you do,’ Nigel insisted. ‘They think they’re going to have a grand time now she’s gone—boss us about and make us work for them—that’s right, isn’t it, Tas?’ And then he demanded fiercely, ‘ Tas , are you on our side? ’
    â€˜Yes, I am. ’Course I am! Wot do you think? Would I have split on them to you all if I wasn’t?’
    But Cherry shook her head. ‘How can he be? It’s his own mother!’ she put in quickly.
    â€˜I am, jest the same,’ Tas repeated firmly. ‘She’s never bin like a mother to me—see? And he’s not my Dad. My own Dad…died.’
    â€˜Then Tas, what’s going to happen?’
    â€˜Reckon I know. They’ll clear out before Jandie returns, but they guess that won’t be this side of Christmas. They git a share in the lambs, see, so they don’t want to hurry too much. When they reckon your aunt’s coming back they walk out one day with no notice at all and leave me behind to do the explaining. I know…it happened before, see? Not that I’d go with them this time, nor never again.’
    â€˜Well, I’m—I’m—they can ’ t , Tas!’
    â€˜Yeah, that’s about the strength of it. And I reckon you’d all do best to watch out now—’specially Brick.’
    â€˜But—what can we do , Tas?’
    â€˜I dunno. Keep what I’ve told you under your hat of course, and don’t go lookin’ fer trouble. It may work out all right, if your aunt gits home soon, and they don’t git at no drink.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Yeah, that’s sure to start trouble, see? Hullo! She’s begun yellin’ fer me already. Look! Git up to Hollow Tree, quick! Wait there till I come. I’ll tell her you’ve all gone after them goats. I reckon I can work something.’
    Tas sped away to the Homestead, joining them later at Hollow Tree. They watched him bounding up with bulging pockets which he patted lovingly.
    â€˜We’ve struck lucky,’ he panted. ‘Look here! Enough tucker fer us all. I’m told off to find some sheep for them. She said to cut meself some bread and cheese, but you would git nothing because you cleared out. So I brought your dinners, too. I kidded her it would take all day to find them sheep, though I reckon I know jest where they’ll be. So now we can all make tracks for the day. Like to come up the mountain with me and take a look at those caves?’
    Quite suddenly it became a day to rejoice in after all.
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    The climb was steep from the start, and though Nippy’s legs were sturdy they were short, so it was taken gently with plenty of rests on fallen tree-trunks and boulders. Towards the top the weather-beaten rock frowned down in great cliffs which bulged outward. It seemed impossible to climb higher, but always Tas pointed out a way until they stood right under the rock