W for Wandering Woodworkers

Chapter 23

Weeks went by and no more news about Sad was heard.  Step worried about his friend and hoped that he was just in hiding, maybe with a new identity.

Step’s roommate was Tom, who was in second year at the local high school.  Tom was now a different boy to the one Step was forced to share a room with at the Zipporah Magillacuddy Home.  When Step, Tear and Sad were in trouble for hiding a girl in the attic, Step had to share with the most unpopular boy in the home.  Although he didn’t know it, Step had turned Tom’s life around and despite their age difference, they were now the best of friends.

It was several months into the year and the cool winds of Autumn were blowing leaves along the street as Step walked home from school one Friday afternoon.  He was deep in thought about a project he was working on. He had already been to the local public library to find a book on Australian explorers.  He was planning a relief map of NSW using papier-mache, showing the Great Dividing Range and the major rivers and then painting the path of various explorers in different colours.  It would be about the size of a small table and he was wondering where he could obtain the wood.  He caught sight of Tom at the front gate and discussed his problem. Tom suggested going to the local joinery to look for offcuts and taking the dog for a walk at the same time.

Nurse Smiley and Dr Goodheart had a large, friendly dog called Woof who wasn’t allowed in the house except when going for walks.  Then he would patter along the corridor from the small back yard to the front door, have his lead clipped on and off he would go with one of his owners.  Sometimes Tom was allowed to take him for walks but Step was considered too young to control such a big dog.  He still like to play with him in the garden and was teaching him to shake hands and roll over.

Woof was very excited to be going out, so after letting Nurse Smiley know where they were going, the two boys and dog set off for the timber yard.  The owner was friendly and let them look through the scrap timber for something suitable.  Tom pulled out a piece of three ply that was exactly the right size.

“Now all you need is newspaper, glue and paint,” said Tom.  “I’ll bet Nurse Smiley knows how to make the glue.”

Woof was pulling hard to keep moving.  Tom was holding the wood in his other hand and lost his grip on the lead.  The dog leapt over the piles of timber and ran out the gate of the timber yard.  Tom thrust the wood into Step’s hands and began to chase after the dog.  Not wanting to lose his precious timber Step couldn’t keep up and was soon totally lost in a maze of unfamiliar streets.  How could he find his way home and what would Nurse Smiley say when he told them he had lost both Tom and Woof ?

He thought back to his experience in Tumbarumba after escaping from a farm where he was being held captive.  A policeman had found him sheltering in a doorway and taken him for a night in the police cells.  It was dry and warm in the cell and next day another policeman had driven him back to the orphanage.  All he had to do was find a policeman and he would end up home again.

There was no one around in the narrow lane where he found himself.  In the distance street lights were coming on as darkness fell.  He must find a busy road.  Clutching his wood he made his way towards the lights, searching in vain for a police car.  Finally, pulled up at the traffic lights, was what Step had been looking for.  Lights flashing, with the sign POLICE on the roof, it was a welcome sight.

Step tapped on the window, which opened up in front of him.  Two police, one male and one female, were in the front seats.

“I’m lost,” said Step. “Please could you take me home?”

“Hop in,” said the lady.  “We’ll take you to the station.”

As the lights changed and the car moved forward, a message came over the car radio.

“All units report to 16 Collins Street.  I repeat, all units to report to 16 Collins Street immediately.  This is high priority.”

“We just have to make a detour,” said the male policeman. “Just crouch down in the back seat so no one can see you and you will be all right.”

The two police leapt out of the car after arriving and dashed into a building.  Sirens were wailing all around them.  Step noticed the keys were still in the ignition but the engine was turned off.  A minute later a man jumped into the car and began driving at great speed away from the area.  Peering between the front seats Step saw with horror that the man had a short little finger on his left hand.  The left arm also had a tattoo of a dragon.  Step couldn’t see anything else but surely this was Phineas Crowe, the escaped prisoner!

END OF CHAPTER 23