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Updated: May 16, 2025
There was a weak spot near where Hector, Peterson's billy-goat, had butted his way through on a memorable occasion, and escape was still a comforting contingency. The master approached McKnight with a pencil as if to set a lesson, but this was merely a ruse; Jacker was a hard-headed vicious youth whose favourite kick Ham wisely reckoned with on an occasion like this.
'Jacker, my man, he said cheerfully, 'bring your slate and sit here. I have a little job for you. Dick, standing alone, watched his mate seat himself at the desk, elated for a moment with the idea that perhaps Jo was not going to regard their offence as particularly heinous after all; but his better judgment scouted the idea, and he returned to his scrutiny of the wall.
Dick, who before leaving home had rifled his small savings bank, had provided Jacker Mack with money for supplies, and Jacker brought with him a pound of candles, some black material for masks, and half a dozen packets of Chinese crackers. The Chinese crackers represented cartridges for the pistols of Red Hand's gang. Dick had decided to be known as Red Hand.
On top Dick Haddon's big billy-goat was feeding greedily on the lush herbage of the Gaol Quarry; below, Dick and his boon companions were preparing for a tremendous adventure. After escaping from his room Dick had hunted up Jacker Mack, Phil Doon, and Billy Peterson.
Jacker, I intend to leave you standing here for a few moments to cool. You may have noticed, boys, that the youthful form when over-heated or possessed with unusual excitement has not that poignant susceptibility which might be thought necessary to the adequate appreciation of a judicious lambasting. Has that ever occurred to you, McKnight?
The lads heard the victim blubbing, and pictured his humorous contortions after every cut for Parrot was weirdly and wonderfully gymnastic under punishment and Jacker hugged himself and kicked ecstatically, and young Haddon bowed his forehead in the dirt and drummed with his toes, and gave expression to his exuberant hilarity in frantic pantomime.
'Parrot Cann, will you kindly favour me with a few minutes on the floor? It was the old cracked voice, flavoured with an ominous irony. Dick paused in the middle of a throw with a cocked ear and upturned eyes; Jacker Mack grinned all across his broad face and winked meaningly. They heard the shuffling of a pair of heavily shod feet, and then the voice again.
You see we're all in it. We're the Mount of Gold Quartz-minin' Company me an' Jacker an' them but it's on'y a make-believe company, an' I'd like Mr. McKnight, an' Mr. Peterson, an' Mr. Doon to come, an' the detective cove too, cause there's somethin' else there somethin' else p'tickler too. 'Very well, we can go an' see McKnight an' Peterson, but they'll laugh at us.
'We were workin' in here a bit for a change this afternoon after Peetree hunted us, an' I broke through. 'What's in there? asked Jacker in an awed voice. 'Look, said Dick. Jacker backed away; the other three kept a respectful distance and stared silently. 'It's on'y another drive, Dick explained. 'It must come from the Red Hand, I think.
He won't know a word about it in the mornin'. We're all right if none of us blabs. You fellers goin' to stay? 'I ain't. I'm sick o' bein' a bushranger, said Jacker, with a reflective and remorseful rub at his hurt place. 'So'm I, said Ted.
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