Cedar by Kim Winter

Author:Kim Winter
Format: epub

FIFTEEN

Jack paused a moment, wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. He bent again, shifting the weight of the horse’s hoof higher up on his thigh. Taking the hoof pick up again, he scraped out the mixture of sand and manure that was imbedded in the hoof, then loosened his grip on the horse’s leg, letting it return to the ground. Straightening up, he turned and gave the horse a pat on the rump.

‘You’re not a bad old nag, are you, Absent?’ he said.

The horse flicked one ear back, while it munched contentedly on the grain in the nosebag that hung from its halter.

Looking down at the half-grown pup lying in the shade of the horse, Jack said, ‘What about you, China? Are you a good pup?’

The young dog raised his head, one ear folded over as he pricked his ears on hearing his name.

Bending down, Jack ruffled the black fur that grew longer each day. China rolled over, his legs in the air, silently begging for a rub on his stomach.

‘You’re a con artist, aren’t you? Just like that kid I got you from.’

Jack put the pick away in the horseshoe bag attached to the saddle. Breakfast would be ready soon and he still had the manure to remove from his line of horses. Some men hated stables, but Jack found it a time for doing a job that made him feel useful.

Since they had returned from Gallipoli, it seemed pointless to ride drill and parade. They had had the hard fight and now they were waiting around in camp, back in Egypt. Rumours had it that they would be off to France next, but then again, the word was that the Turks would try to seize the Suez Canal. The 1st Brigade had not had three days’ rest before they were mounted and off into the desert.

As he reached for the rake, Chris came sauntering past and stopped when he saw Jack.

‘You know how you put the word around to keep an eye out for a young fellow on a chestnut horse? Well, Freddy saw another one just now,’ he said casually, waiting for the reaction. He was disappointed.

Thomas’s letter had been waiting for Jack when he landed off the ship from Gallipoli. After reading it, Jack had stormed around for days, looking for Matty. The men of the regiment had helped him out, keeping an eye out for a chestnut horse with four white stockings and a blaze. Jack guessed that Matty would insist on bringing Cedar if he enlisted in the Light Horse. Thomas had sent another letter, telling Jack that their search in Australia had turned up no news, repeating his request for Jack to keep at look out.

Turning to Chris, Jack said, ‘It won’t be him. Even though you boys have been cobbers, helpin’ me in my search, I’m slowly givin’ up hope. He’s probably been sent to France.’

‘Oh, well, he may turn up eventually,’ he replied, saddened by Jack’s disappointment.

Chris waited until Jack finished in the horse lines.

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