Read Online Jack & Harry by Tony McKenna - Free Book Online

the window shut and sat hoping the man would find a different compartment. To their annoyance the door slid open and a man with a hat placed jauntily on his head and a large smile on his ruddy face stepped into the car.
    â€˜Top of the mornin’ to you, lads,’ He bellowed. ‘Name’s Patrick O’Brien but you can call me Paddy … everyone else does.’ He held out his hand in greeting.
    Each boy shook hands in turn hoping the man would just sit quietly and not ask any questions.
    â€˜Hello, Mr O’Brien,’ Jack said ‘Morning,’ Harry mumbled.
    â€˜Mister? I said to call me Paddy, lads. Mister makes me sound too old. And what are your names then?’
    They said their names.
    â€˜Headin’ to Kalgoorlie then are ye, what’s the reason for the trip then?’
    â€˜Visiting our auntie,’ Jack said quick as a flash. ‘We’re cousins me and Harry.’ He pointed to his friend.
    â€˜Cousins ye are! You don’t look alike but that’s all right, I don’t look like anyone in my family that’s to be sure.’ He took a flask from his coat pocket and took a long swig from it. ‘Arrgh, good drop that, me lads, mother’s milk it is.’ He chuckled and stretched his short legs out in front of him.
    The boys looked at each other and giggled. It seemed to Jack that the man who had joined them looked just like a leprechaun that he had seen a drawing of in a book at school. They both began to relax though as there was something about the little man that they liked. He was jovial and smiled a lot even though he sounded funny.
    â€˜So, Kalgoorlie is it? Been there before have ye?’
    â€˜No, our auntie’s just moved up to there and our parents thought it’d be good if we would go up and give her a hand settle in.’
    â€˜Go out, lads, go out . Kalgoorlie is not up , it’s out, ’ He laughed loudly and took another swig on the flask.
    â€˜That’s a funny lookin’ bottle, mister … sorry, I mean, Paddy.’ Harry pointed to the flask. ‘What’s in it … tea?’
    â€˜Tea!’ Paddy roared with laughter. ‘It’s whisky, lads, but not just any whisky.’ He looked suddenly serious. ‘It’s Irish whisky, the finest little drop of the doin’s you can get, to be sure.’
    There was silence for a time as Paddy seemed to reflect on the merits of fine Irish whisky.
    â€˜You goin’ to Kalgoorlie too, Paddy?’ It seemed strange to Jack to address an adult by his Christian name.
    â€˜That I am, that I am.’ The boys thought it funny that Paddy always seemed to say things twice.
    â€˜You boys ever seen a game of two-up ?’ Paddy said suddenly.
    â€˜Two-up? No, what’s that?’ Harry asked. ‘Is it a type of footy?’
    â€˜Football? Football?’ Paddy roared again. ‘No, me lads, it’s a bettin’ game it is. You take two pennies and place ’em on a piece of wood called a kip.’ Paddy took another swig from the flask then looked sadly into the neck, shaking his head before placing the cap back on it and continuing with his explanation. ‘The pennies must be placed on the kip tails up and then you spin them in the air and if they lands heads up like you called you win but if they come down as they went up, that’s tails up, you lose. Simple it is, but a grand game, a grand game.’
    â€˜Do you win much if they come, what is it … heads up?’ Jack asked.
    â€˜Oh, to be sure you do, lads.’ Paddy shook the flask near his ear.
    â€˜I’d like to play a game like that,’ Harry said.
    â€˜Me too.’ Jack sat forward eagerly in his seat.
    â€˜Aahh, boys, it’s for adults it is, not for lads and you need to have money to play two-up.’ Paddy looked wistfully out of the window at the passing bush.
    â€˜We got money, Paddy,’ Harry said.
    Jack looked sharply at