Jack & Harry by Tony McKenna Page B

‘Those boys just love a river … don’t they, Claude?’
    â€˜Trail’s a bit cold, gents.’ The sergeant didn’t want to raise their hopes too much. ‘But, yes, at least it confirms they were probably here but I wonder where they are now? Do they know anyone in the area?’
    â€˜Not that we know of.’ Jack scratched his chin thoughtfully ‘I know a few people here because of work but I’m sure the boys know no one here though, do they, Claude?’
    â€˜We’ve racked our brains on that question, sergeant, no luck there. I can’t imagine why they would come here to Northam, it’s a mystery to us.’
    A uniformed officer came to the door and motioned to the sergeant to join him out of the room. He glanced at Jack and Claude and the sergeant excused himself and stepped from the room, closing the door behind him.
    â€˜Wonder what that’s about?’ Claude queried.
    â€˜Don’t know, mate, could be anything. I guess these coppers have more on their plates than just worrying about our two young runaways. Little buggers, I’ll tan Jack’s hide when I find him that’s for sure.’
    â€˜That’s what I feel like too, Jack, but quite honestly I’ll be just so pleased to see them that I’ll probably forget to yell at them.’ He looked up as the sergeant returned with the young officer at his side.
    â€˜Well, Dave, better tell them the news then.’
    â€˜News! What news?’ Concern showed clearly on the two men’s faces. ‘You got some news about the boys?’
    â€˜Dave here,’ The sergeant indicated the constable, ‘was down at the railway station checking on some vandalism there and mentioned your boys to the stationmaster. It seems two boys answering the description you gave us bought tickets on the train that left on Tuesday night bound for Kalgoorlie.’
    â€˜Kalgoorlie! What the hell would they be going to Kalgoorlie for and where did they get the money to buy tickets?’ Jack was puzzled.
    The young constable looked at his sergeant who nodded. ‘Ahh, sir?’ The young man addressed Jack. ‘The stationmaster said that the boys never queried the price of the tickets and paid cash for them. He got the impression that the cost was of no concern to them and he also noticed they had a few quid on them.’
    â€˜I don’t believe it, Jack.’ Claude sounded troubled. ‘They have money on them! Where did they get that? Why would they be heading to Kalgoorlie?’
    â€˜I’m not sure, Claude, but those Munses have something to answer to, that’s for sure. Those boys are on the run for something I’m sure they didn’t even do. They’ve obviously convinced themselves that they would go to jail over that bloody bike.’
    The sergeant looked baffled so Jack explained to him and the constable what had led up to the boys’ disappearance. ‘I’ll put a call through to the Kalgoorlie station, gents, and alert our boys there to be on the lookout. They’ll turn up,’ he encouraged.
    â€˜Kalgoorlie … on the train.’ Claude said mainly to himself. ‘Yeah and do you know what, Claude?’
    â€˜What, Jack?’
    â€˜On Tuesday night when I drove back to Perth after I got the message about the boys I stopped at Merredin at the level crossing to let a train go through. Do you know what bloody train it was?’ He continued without waiting for an answer. ‘The ‘Kalgoorlie Miner’! I was yards from my boy and didn’t know it, Claude. Just yards from them both.’

Chapter Nine
    Writing the letters home was a disturbing experience for both boys. When each of them had composed the one page rough note they compared what they had written to ensure neither one had divulged anything in the letters that could reveal their exact whereabouts or give a clue to any future plans. They made some minor edits