Somewhere around the Corner Read Online Free Page A

whiskery jaw. ‘That’s crook, that is. That’s real crook.’
    Young Jim glanced at Barbara. Her eyes were wide and frightened. He turned back to the fireman. ‘Please don’t put us off. I have to get my…my sister home.’ His voice cracked.
    The fireman was silent, looking at them. He scratched his head. ‘Struth, I dunno. A couple of kids. How long since you’ve eaten?’
    ‘Yesterday…I mean, the day before.’ Barbara whispered.
    ‘Struth! Hungry and shivering…why couldn’t you’ve jumped someone else’s blooming train?’
    He placed his big arm around Young Jim’s shoulders. ‘Come on lad, up this way. And you too, girlie. You’ll be warmer along here.’
    The man led them up the siding and stopped by the engine. ‘Hey Charlie, get the sausages out, will you?’
    The driver’s head poked out, as whiskery as the engineer’s, ginger streaked with grey.
    ‘What the—’
    ‘Couple of kids, trying to get home to that susso camp down past Binoweela. They’re hungry.’
    ‘I don’t care what they are. You can’t bring them up here!’
    ‘Just for five minutes to warm them up.’
    ‘You know the regulations as well as I do.’ The angry voice was weakening.
    ‘You can take the regulations and…look, what’d you feel if they were your kids, eh?’
    The driver looked at them sharply, then turned his back. He rummaged behind and unwrapped a thick parcel of newspaper. There were sausages in it, fat and glowing pink in the red light from the fire box.The fireman hauled himself up, grabbed the shovel and shoved it into the coals.
    ‘Give it a minute in there and she’ll be right. Come on kids, up you come. There, that’s the ticket.’ He flung the sausages onto the hot shovel. They wriggled fiercely and spat fat.
    They smelt incredible.
    ‘Best smell in the world, isn’t it?’ said the fireman. ‘Nothing like it to keep you going through the small hours. Couple of snags, a bit of bread, a billy of tea and the king’s your uncle. Hey, Charlie, speaking of tea…’
    The tea was hot, strong, and very sweet. The sausages were wonderful, three each, so rich they dripped into the bread. They leant into the warmth of the engine and watched the stars mingle with the sparks from the chimney overhead. Charlie ate beside them, watchful and wordless.
    ‘Time to get moving.’ The fireman put his cup down.
    ‘Come on, you kids. There’s a carriage down the end. Hop into it.’
    ‘But—’ Young Jim and Charlie spoke at once.
    ‘Buts’ll get you nowhere. If anyone asks questions, I’m paying your fare.’ He glared at Charlie.
    ‘Thank you,’ whispered Barbara.
    ‘Don’t want thanks. Just you promise not to jump any more rattlers. You understand?’
    ‘I understand,’ said Young Jim quietly.
    ‘You see that you do. And you look after your sister, too, mate. No more crazy larks like this one. Now try and get some sleep. I’ll wake you at Binoweela, don’t you worry.’
    They walked slowly down the siding, full of sausages and kindness. They could just hear the voice of the fireman behind them.
    ‘Only kids…a susso camp…you ever been to one of those places? My word, it’s a fair cow.’
    The carriage seats were leather, firm and soft. Young Jim tossed his swag to Barbara for a pillow, then stretched out opposite and fell asleep.
    The windows were brushed with daylight when she opened her eyes. The paddocks were lush and green, with creeks like small brown snakes wriggling through their corners. Barbara huddled under Young Jim’s jumper in the corner of the carriage and watched the paddocks flicker by. Young Jim was still asleep. She thought he hadn’t got much sleep the night before. He was too wrapped up in looking after her.
    It was a dream. It had to be a dream; or maybe the world before was the dream and the only thing real was now.
    The train shuddered to a stop. Young Jim’s eyes opened. He sat upright and looked out.
    ‘Hey, we’re here.’
    ‘End of the line!’ It was