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

Harry. ‘Only two pounds.’
    â€˜Two quid have ye, lads?’ Paddy looked thoughtful then a smile spread across his impish features. ‘Tell you what, me lads, if you want to trust me with yer two quid I could take you to see a two-up game. You’d have to hide in the bush but it’d be a grand experience for ye both. And we, er … you, could make a quid or two as well if I won. But you’d have to be aware that ye can sometimes lose. You the types of lads that can take that sort of chance?’ He gazed steadily at them.
    They looked at each other, knowing they had only yesterday taken a big chance with their money by having a bet on the Melbourne Cup.
    â€˜I think we are, Paddy, don’t ya reckon, Harry?’
    â€˜No doubt about it, Jack.’
    â€˜Well, that’s grand then. Just wanted to make sure you were serious, lads, ’cause let me tell ye, Paddy O’Brien never loses at two-up, Paddy O’Brien only ever wins.’ He winked at the boys and took a final swig at the flask holding it high to drain the last drop from it. ‘It’s a deal then, is it?’ He was suddenly serious. ‘You stand me the two quid and when I win you get your two quid back and we share the winnin’s, that a fair deal, lads?’
    â€˜Seems fair,’ Jack answered not sure if they should be agreeing to any new gambling game with this stranger.
    â€˜Let’s shake on it then, lads, and then I’ll have a little snooze to prepare me mind for the game. Have to be clear headed ya know and that’s for sure. Don’t be makin’ a lot of noise now.’
    They shook hands with the little man who then sat back on the seat and was instantly asleep, snoring loudly over the sound of the train.
    â€˜Jack, look at that.’ Harry pointed excitedly out of the window at a big mob of kangaroos that bounded away from the passing train. ‘Gee, there must be hundreds, Jack.’
    The train sped steadily on through a changing landscape, mostly flat but with varying vegetation. There were thickly treed areas giving way to grassed plains dotted with spinifex. Emus were also plentiful and at one stage Jack pointed a wombat out, scurrying from the track. Soon there were low hills with rocky outcrops standing above the dense bush.
    A wedge tail eagle flew from the sky into their view from the carriage window. ‘Look, Jack, he’s divin’ on somethin’.’ The eagle descended like a bullet from the sky and just when it seemed it would crash headlong into the ground it pulled back and with legs stretched, cleanly picked a rabbit from beside a grasstree. Flapping its great powerful wings the huge bird returned to the sky, rabbit securely held in its talons.
    â€˜Wow! Jack, did you see that?’
    â€˜Sure did. Hey we’re comin’ into a town, Harry, wonder what it is?’
    â€˜I think it must be Coolgardie, Jack.’
    â€˜What’s all the noise about?’ Paddy O’Brien snuffled and rubbed his eyes. ‘Oh, looks like Coolgardie it is.’
    â€˜Coolgardie,’ whispered Jack reverently. ‘One of Australia’s wealthiest gold mining towns once.’
    â€˜Certainly was, and still plenty to be found.’ Paddy had now stirred and was sitting up straight in his seat looking from the window. ‘See that tree over there? He pointed. ‘Ernest Giles, the great explorer once camped under that tree and in the mornin’ they found him dead from pneumonia. I think he was one of Australia’s finest explorers. You must have learned of him in school.’
    â€˜What? Er … not sure, Paddy.’ Jack was too excited looking at the gold mine headworks that sped past their view from the window to think about school or explorers or anything.
    Paddy looked at them and thought about when he was their age and new things fascinated him as they were discovered. He wondered about these two boys and if this trip