Sydney Bridge Upside Down Read Free

hiding-places, usually the swamp because the single-plank bridge was too awkward for his crutch. He had to staybehind and watch me go, cracking the whip and shouting, making me feel sorry for him.
    I liked Dad. Cal liked him too. We had good fun when our mother was away. We didn’t mind if she took her time about coming back.
    ‘Want me to go to the store, Dad?’ I asked - as soon as he’d made Cal promise to keep away from the works. ‘I can go to the store after I’ve done the weeding. No trouble.’
    ‘Not today thanks, Harry,’ he said. ‘That reminds me, though. I must put in an order for the paint, must do it on the way to work.’
    ‘Expect you’ll let Cal and me help to paint the house?’ I said. ‘Get it done quicker if you do.’
    ‘We’ll have plenty of time,’ he said. ‘But you boys can help, all right. I’ll do the high bits, you two can do some of the low bits.’
    ‘Expect we’ll have it done by the time she gets home?’ I said, in case he had a hint, or a warning, of when she’d be back.
    ‘That’s the general idea,’ he said. He looked into his cup, seemed to frown. ‘But she won’t be back for a while yet. Not according to her letter. She’d be coming with your cousin if she was in a hurry to get back. She wouldn’t let Caroline make the trip alone.’
    Cal and I scowled at each other. We had forgotten about our cousin. Dad laughed. ‘She’s an interesting girl. Your mother says so.’
    ‘She’s old,’ I said. ‘You said she was too old to play with.’
    ‘Well, rather too old for childish games,’ he said. ‘But Idare say she’ll be grateful if you boys show her some of the sights of the district. You can be her guides.’
    ‘As long as she’s not coming here to boss us,’ I said.
    ‘She’s coming for a holiday,’ he said. ‘City girls often come to places like Calliope Bay for holidays.’
    ‘The same as country teachers like Mr Dalloway have holidays in the city, eh?’ I said.
    It was Dad’s turn to scowl. ‘Who said Dalloway’s gone to the city?’
    ‘I forget,’ I said. ‘No, that’s right! I made it up.’
    ‘Take care, Harry,’ he said. ‘Nobody likes liars.’
    ‘I think he might have said he was going to the city,’ I said. ‘One day at school.’ I reflected while my father watched me. ‘But I’m not sure. Sorry, Dad.’
    ‘It’s all right,’ he said. ‘Anyway, you’re not to misbehave when Caroline’s here. I want you boys to make her welcome. Show her that country people are hospitable.’
    ‘Yes, Dad,’ I said. ‘Trust us.’
    ‘I wonder,’ he said. But he was smiling as he hopped to his crutch, against the wall near the stove. ‘Don’t leave the dishes too long,’ he said, hopping to the door. ‘They bring the flies.’
    ‘I’ll do them right after I get dressed,’ I said.
    He studied our pyjamas. ‘About time they went into the wash,’ he said. ‘Remind me about them next Monday.’
    ‘I’ll get some driftwood for the copper, Dad,’ I said. ‘After the weeding.’
    ‘No hurry,’ he said. ‘Later in the week will do.’
    Cal and I went to the back steps to watch him get on to his bike. It was always interesting to see him take off.He had to work fast with his leg, pushing himself away from the tank-stand, jabbing down quickly on the pedal, stopping the wobble just in time, then speeding up the side-path.
    Back in the kitchen, I threw the pot of raspberry jam at Cal. ‘Catch!’ I yelled.
    He missed. The pot exploded on the wall. Jam splashed everywhere.
    ‘Dad!’ yelled Cal, running up the passage to the front door. ‘Hey, Dad!’
    ‘You’re too late,’ I said. ‘He’ll be nearly at the river by now.’
    It never took Dad long to reach the river, I thought as I cleaned up the glass and jam. He covered that half-mile stretch of road as quickly as any person with two good legs. The only time he slowed was when he got into the roadside metal. Then he had to use the crutch to keep his balance, poking