Matty and Bill for Keeps by Elizabeth Fensham Page B

can tie coloured rope around trees. And how about we tell Maggot to get to the creek from the back of the school? Then there’s no risk of our families knowing anything.’
    Maggot writes . . . Hurry up. I’ve been waiting more than a minute.
    Troy writes . . . Go down the back of Dewey Creek Primary, past their vegie garden. There you’ll find a track going down towards the creek. I’ll meet you along there at 7pm. If I’m held up for any reason, I’ll send my Bill.
    Maggot writes . . . Can he be trusted?
    Troy writes . . . I would trust him with my life. He’s loyal.
    Just as Bill had finished typing, Mat said, ‘You’re not taking him on face to face, Bill! He’s dangerous!’
    â€˜It’s the only way,’ said Bill. ‘I have to get that worm out of our lives.’
    Then Mat said, ‘I’ve got second thoughts.’
    â€˜Surely not you!’ said Crispin.
    â€˜Not about getting Maggot, no,’ explained Mat. ‘But about how we should get him.’
    â€˜So what are you thinking now?’ asked Bill.
    â€˜I’m thinking we need a bit of wise help,’ said Mat.
    â€˜You mean Nan?’ asked Bill.
    â€˜I do,’ said Mat.
    â€˜Can you do that without her knowing all the details?’
    â€˜I’m pretty sure,’ said Mat. ‘We really could do with some Koori knowledge to help us deal with this sort of enemy.’
    â€˜Koori?’ asked Crispin.
    â€˜Indigenous. Aboriginal,’ explained Bill.
    â€˜Secret knowledge!’ said Crispin. ‘Sounds good.’

After Crispin had gone home for the evening, Mat and Bill sat on the verandah next to Nan. She was in her armchair sewing together her crocheted squares. A single frog croaked from somewhere out in the garden.
    â€˜Ah, my sister calling,’ said Nan. ‘Tiddalick only talks to me on special occasions nowadays.’
    â€˜What’s this going to be, Nan?’ asked Mat, nodding at the squares of coloured wool in her grandmother’s hands.
    â€˜A rug for the Red Cross,’ said Nan. ‘What are you kids up to? You only stop your running around and sit with me when you’ve got some scheme up your sleeves.’
    â€˜You’re right, Nan,’ said Bill.
    â€˜It has something to do with water,’ said Nan. ‘I can tell that.’
    Bill was amazed. This emergency was in every way about water – about protecting the creek from Maggot’s evil pollution scheme.
    â€˜I told you we needed to see Nan,’ said Mat to Bill.
    Mat came straight out with it. ‘What would Kooris do in the old times when they wanted to scare an enemy away?’
    â€˜Good and proper?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ said Bill. ‘Forever.’
    â€˜Did they point bones?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜Not in Victoria,’ said Nan. ‘That was for nations in other parts of this big land.’
    â€˜What then?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜Well,’ said Nan, breaking off her cotton and tying a knot, ‘you’d probably sing someone.’
    â€˜What’s singing?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜You sing a special chant, over and over, so your enemy is weakened or runs away. You can also call in the help of animals or the forces of nature.’
    â€˜How do you sing, Nan?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜It’s passed down in the family,’ said Nan. ‘Like the bards in old England.’
    â€˜Cool,’ said Bill. ‘Crispin will like this.’
    â€˜So he’s in on this, too?’ smiled Nan. ‘I can’t say I’m surprised!’
    â€˜How do we find a person who can do the singing?’ asked Mat.
    â€˜You’re looking straight at her,’ said Nan. ‘My father inherited the gift and passed it on to me. It’s a spiritual gift, kids. You don’t use it just because you’re annoyed with someone. The situation has to be serious.’
    â€˜I promise you, it is,’ said