Journey Under Warning by Elsie Locke

Author:Elsie Locke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OneTree House Publishers
Published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

In the next clearing Mr Parkinson and Jim Drake were quarrelling – those two who had been best of friends for years past.

‘Sam, you can’t be serious!’ Jim was holding nothing back. ‘In another day they’ll be all over the plain. We eluded them so cleverly that they’re bound to search all the harder. We’ve got to get away to Nelson overland before they bar our way.’

‘And leave all our things behind? We can’t afford that.’

‘Captain Wakefield said he’d make up for any losses,’ said Jim.

‘What, if we walk off empty-handed? We can’t claim anything unless we do our best. And there’s my boat on the river by the old station. You’re forgetting that.’

‘You were stupid to leave it there, and the other gear.’

‘We only left broken axes, a few clothes and a half barrel of salt beef,’ responded Sam Parkinson.

‘And two guns.’

‘Old muskets not fit to shoot a bird and no ammunition left.’

‘If the Māori get them, they might have the ammunition. How will you explain that to Captain Wakefield? We’re in a mess whatever we do, Sam. We should stow our gear and go.’

‘Stow the talk, Jim, and let me think.

‘It’s high time you did.’ Jim Drake crashed angrily away through the manuka. When a few minutes later Mr Parkinson came over to the labourers, the result of his thinking amazed them.

‘I’m going to the old station by the Wairau,’ he said. ‘Who’ll come with me?’

‘I’m game, Sir!’ Gibby had had enough of sitting shivering in a blanket, feeling cramped and closed in. The others were not swept in so quickly.

‘But you said to keep away from there!’

‘What’s the caper?’

‘D’you mean to walk straight in among the Māori?’

‘I only want to collect some gear,’ said Mr Parkinson. ‘We left a couple of axes.’

‘Blunt ones with broken handles.’

‘We can fix the handles. We’ll take care how we approach. If the Māori are there we won’t go in.’

‘Creep up on them like?’ said Peter Crow mischievously. ‘All right, I’ll give that a try.’

‘I’m game to play, if I’m allowed to creep away,’ added Harry.

‘Is that a yes or no?’ demanded Mr Parkinson, who didn’t enjoy Harry’s off-hand rhymes.

‘Yes. I’m all for a bit of fun.’

‘I’ll gang along,’ said Will, thinking not of fun but of Gibby.

‘The first three volunteers will be enough,’ said Mr Parkinson. ‘Gibby and Richardson and Crow.’

And Will knew from the way Sam Parkinson spoke that even now, when anything might happen, their master would not take a man who might have a better idea what to do than he had himself. Nothing was said about the real reason for going: the guns.

Will smelt danger. As soon as they’d gone he began to fret about Gibby. True, the lad would do as well as any in a crisis; but he ought to have Will at his back.

However, Mr Parkinson was being cautious. As they neared the Pine Grove he made the four of them scatter just far enough to pass on a warning at any sign of Māori.

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