Brumby Plains by Joanne Van Os Read Free Book Online Page B

home. We’ll come back with more torches and stuff and have a good look next time.’
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    Dinner that night was a very quiet affair. Sam could see that something was bothering his parents. They didn’t even ask many questions about the trip out tothe Arm, which was a bit of a relief. He was sure Darcy and George would be unable to control themselves and would end up blabbing about the paintings. When he and Tess began to clear the table, his parents excused themselves and disappeared into the office.
    â€˜Is something wrong?’ asked Tess. ‘They seem awfully quiet.’
    â€˜I don’t know,’ Sam replied as they carried dishes into the kitchen.
    â€˜Maybe they had a fight or something,’ said Darcy.
    â€˜Mum and Dad never fight.’ George started to fill the sink with hot water.
    â€˜It’s probably just too many bills or something – they’ve been spending a lot of time in the office lately.’ Sam sounded more confident than he felt. His parents did seem to be really distracted by something, but he had no idea what it could be.

‘I need some strong hands to grease a few saddles,’ Mac announced at breakfast the next morning, ‘and you four are nominated.’
    They all moaned a bit, more out of habit than any real grievance, because it wasn’t such a bad job.
    After breakfast Sam and Tess prepared the greasing mixture and the rags, while Darcy and George laid the saddles and gear on the front lawn in the sun to warm them. They sat comfortably rubbinggrease into leather, and quietly discussed the events of the previous day. It had been agreed on the way home that they should say nothing about the paintings because everyone would want to see them, and then they would have to own up to being in the cave.
    George tried to argue that he’d only fallen into the cave by accident, so how could they be blamed for that, but Sam could see too many potential problems.
    â€˜If we say we found the cave, we won’t be allowed to go back. We’ll only talk about the view, and the waterholes we saw on the top of the ridge, okay?’ The others agreed.
    The phone rang, and a few moments later Sarah came out of the house. ‘Norrie wants to speak to you, Tess!’
    When she came back outside, Tess looked pleased. ‘Norrie and Lazarus want us to come out bush with Vincent this afternoon, and to camp out overnight with them so we can go fishing early in the morning. Aunty Sarah says we can!’ She dropped down beside the others and picked up her greasing rag.
    â€˜Tess, how are you going to explain being a vegetarian to Vincent?’ asked George with an evil grin.
    â€˜Yeah, and how can you bear to kill little fishies?’ needled Darcy.
    Tess looked askance, and flushed. ‘Well, I’m not going to fish myself – just because I don’t think we should kill animals to eat doesn’t mean you can’t. And I don’t know what Vincent will think, but I’ll bet he’s nicer about it than you lot are!’
    They went inside for lunch, and found the dining room table covered in paperwork, with Mac and Sarah murmuring to each other and looking very unhappy. They went into the kitchen and made themselves sandwiches. George took mugs of tea to his parents, and came back in a few minutes looking puzzled.
    â€˜Sam, what’s a Final Notice?’
    â€˜I dunno – why?’
    â€˜I saw this letter from the bank on the table, and it had “Final Notice” across the top of it. Mum and Dad seem really upset, too.’
    â€˜We got one of them once when Mum forgot to pay the electricity bill, and they were going to cut off our power,’ said Darcy.
    â€˜But what kind of bills do banks send?’ wondered Sam. It must have something to do with his parents looking so distracted lately.
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    Norrie and Lazarus arrived with Vincent in the Landcruiser ute after lunch, and they all piled in the back