Jack's Island by Norman Jorgensen Read Free Book Online Page A

beside Constable Campbell, dragging his feet. In his hand he carried a small shabby suitcase tied up with twine. He saw Banjo and the rest of us waiting on the jetty for him and as he shuffled past we saw he’d been crying. Tears ran down his cheeks but he didn’t wipe them away until he saw Banjo at the end of the jetty. He stopped beside Banjo and sniffed.
    â€˜I’ve got for you a Christmas present, Banjo.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out the smallest and most delicate blue starfish I’d ever seen. ‘I been saving it, special.’
    Banjo took it and I knew he wouldn’t be able to say anything without bawling.
    Dafty then said just one word, ‘Lassie?’
    Banjo nodded. ‘I’ll look after your chook.’ And I knew Banjo would.
    â€˜Goodbye,’ Banjo said. Nothing else, just goodbye.
    Banjo turned his head away. I did as well. It was awful. So unfair.
    Dafty stepped over to Bess. Like at the NCO’s ball, he couldn’t take his eyes from her. ‘Bess...’ He didn’t seem to know what else to say.
    Bess smiled, kindly. She leaned forward and said, ‘Safe journey, my little Fred Astaire. Never, ever change. Keep that breathless charm.’ I recognised the words from the song they’d danced to.
    â€˜I will feel a glow just thinking of you,’ she continued. ‘We’ll miss you, Dafty. I’ll miss you.’ She smiled and kissed him on the cheek.
    Constable Campbell put his hand on Dafty’s shoulder but it was obvious he didn’t want to be doing this. ‘It’s time, son. Sorry. We have to go.’
    Little Eric and Christian threw in the mooring lines and clambered aboard. The ferry reversed its engine and pulled away from the jetty, chugging like an old tractor.
    Dafty stood in the stern of the boat against the rail with the constable sitting further inside. I’d never seen anyone look so awkward or uncomfortable as Constable Campbell did at that moment, as if he hated every second of what he was doing. He looked guilty and incredibly sad. Then above the noise of the motor I was surprised to hear Banjo humming. As the boat pulled away his humming became louder and clearer. It was the tune to ‘Waltzing Matilda’.
    Next to him, Bess started singing the words. ‘You’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me.’
    Dafty heard it too. He lifted his head up. He didn’t wave. He just stood there with his hands tightly clutching the rail, not taking his eyes from us.
    The ferry gathered speed and little Dafty Small grew smaller and smaller.
    The song grew louder as the other kids all joined in, sort of self-consciously at first, but then at the top of their voices. ‘Up rode the squatter mounted on his thoroughbred...’
    Constable Campbell stood up and walked away to the front of the boat, his shoulders slumped like he carried the worries of the world.
    â€˜Down came the troopers, one, two, three...’
    We stood there singing the song over and over until our voices became hoarse and the ferry grew so small we couldn’t make out the figures any more. It was wrong, what was happening to Dafty. He wasn’t bad. He was just a bit dim and didn’t know any better.
    Eventually the other kids drifted away but I stayed with Banjo, who was staring out across the grey water. We were never going to see Dafty again.
    â€˜Banjo, we’d better go,’ I said. ‘Palmer’ll be waiting.
    He turned and stared at me but didn’t move. His eyes were cold and distant. ‘Let him wait,’ he said.

Mr Palmer Announces the News
    The next morning Palmer didn’t call the roll first thing as he always did. Instead he stood quietly until we all sat down.
    â€˜Children.’ He stood at the front of the class and gripped his walking stick. His leg must’ve been hurting like hell as it shook slightly. The scratches on his face didn’t look too good either. He