Forest Shadows Read online

  Reg, Snook and Quenton stared into the swirling current. After a while, they saw them. Quenton was the first to react. He glared at Jars, folding his arms in a gesture of defiance. ‘Are you crazy? I’m not risking walking on them. They’re covered with water. They’ll be slippery. No, I’m not going any further. It’s too dangerous and besides, I can’t swim.’

  Reg, deciding it was time to step in, said, ‘Jars, Snook, you two go ahead with Shadow. I’ll make sure Quenton gets across.’ He waited for them to go ahead and then gestured to Quenton. ‘Okay, let’s pretend you’re Indiana Jones or Tarzan or whoever and cross this river. I’ll be right behind you to stop you going for a swim. Okay?’

  Quenton stood there, not saying anything.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Reg coaxed. ‘It’s our turn now. The others are nearly halfway.’ Finally, with lots of cajoling and heaps of urging, Reg got him to make the first move.

  After that it was a nightmare. With Reg behind and holding him by the waist, Quenton inched his way from stone to stone, arms akimbo, body tottering and complaining all the way. At last, with Reg looking just as relieved as Quenton, they reached the other side without mishap.

  Letting go of Quenton’s waist, Reg gave him a playful shove forward. ‘Go join the others. See what they’re up to now. They’re flappin’ on about something by the look of them.’

  Jars and Snook were deep in thought, staring at the pool below the falls. Shadow, deciding to follow suit, was staring too.

  ‘Quenton,’ Jars asked when he and Reg drew close, ‘what colour did you say the river was? When you first saw it?’

  ‘Dunno,’ he pouted, still recovering from the crossing.

  ‘I remember,’ Reg said. ‘He said it looked like tea.’

  ‘That’s it,’ Jars said, getting excited. ‘Now, what do you know about the Mad Hatter?’

  Reg though for a moment. ‘He was in Lewis Caroll’s book, Alice in Wonderland.’

  ‘That’s right, and the Mad Hatter was doing something.’

  ‘Having a tea party as I recall.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Snook said butting in. ‘It’s like our riddle, you know, the bit where it says where the Mad Hatter drinks. Well, we reckon this is where he drinks … the river!’

  ‘Snook’s right,’ Jars said picking up on his theme. ‘At the party the Mad Hatter was drinking tea and the river is the colour of tea. The riddle was pointing us to the river. Where the Mad Hatter drinks means the river. Get it?’

  ‘Trouble is,’ Snook said. ‘There’s a lot of river and it’s all tea-coloured, so which part?’

  ‘That’s what we need to figure out.’ Jars said. ‘We need to work out what the second part of the puzzle means … and the rainbow rise. But at least we’ve made progress.’

  Quenton grunted, shaking his legs one after the other, trying to get rid of the water on his shoes. He looked up, his face twisting and wrinkling as if he’d swallowed a fly. ‘When are we going to see this Mr Wu and get back to the shack?’ he complained. ‘My feet are soaked and I’m getting cold standing here.’

  Everyone ignored him, including Shadow, who barked and ran towards the trees. Halfway there he stopped and looked back, waiting.

  ‘Right now, Quenton,’ Jars said. ‘Right now.’

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  * * *

  'Mr Wu’s camp’s on the other side of the trees,’ Jars called out as she wound her way through the scrub with Shadow way out in front, grinning and sniffing the air. There was no doubt about it; he wanted to see his friends again.

  ‘We’re here. It’s Mr Wu’s place,’ Jars cried out as they broke through the undergrowth and into the open. ‘This is his land. And look, there are his animals.’

  Shadow saw them too. He lifted his head, looking at Jars, his eyes questioning. She smiled and patted his head. ‘Okay, Shadow, away you go; go pay your friends a visit.’

  ‘Amazing,’ Reg couldn’t help saying. ‘Different species of wild animals mingling with each other. It’s unreal.’

  ‘But what’s that?’ Snook asked pushing himself forward. ‘On the ground. All that white stuff.’

  They all saw it except Quenton who, as usual, was bringing up the rear. Every blade of grass, as far as the eye could see, glistened with a fine, intricate display that looked like tangled netting.

  ‘Wh-what is it now?’ Quenton asked, catching up, then looking over Snook’s shoulder. He saw what had grabbed Snook’s attention. ‘What’s all that gooey stuff? Talk about gross!’

  Not strictly white as Snook had first thought; on closer inspection he saw that it was a grey, very faint, luminous substance that appeared to be clinging to every blade of grass within sight.

  ‘You’re looking at spider webs,’ Reg explained. ‘Made by thousands of tiny spiders this morning.’

  ‘What!’ Quenton erupted, almost choking, ‘That mushy stuff’s spider webs?’ He spluttered and threw his arms in the air. ‘That’s it! That’s the last straw. I’m definitely not going any further. I don’t want any creepy crawlies climbing up my legs.’

  As if he was getting used to Quenton’s flare-ups, Reg ignored him and finished explaining. ‘The webs were made after the rain.’ He looked at Quenton. ‘And for your peace of mind, the spiders have long gone. Nothing’s going to bite you.’

  Seeing that Quenton had calmed down somewhat, Jars pointed with her chin towards the hut. ‘That’s where he lives but I can’t see Mr Wu. He must be inside his hut. Let’s go and find out.’

  At that moment Shadow returned. He barked and turned his head to one side, his eyes questioning.

  Jars smiled. ‘I get it. You want to go and see Mr Wu. Okay then, off you go. Tell him we’re coming.’

  Snook shook his head. ‘That dog of yours seems keen on Mr Wu.’

  ‘Yes, he’s one of Shadow’s new friends.’

  Snook gave her a gentle shove. ‘Let’s go see him then.’

  Chapter Forty

  * * *

  'Unbelievable,’ Quigley said to Evelyn. ‘They’re still going our way, following the path on our map. How can that be?’

  ‘Yeah, and they crossed on top of that waterfall like they was walkin’ on water,’ Hector added. ‘How’d they do that?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Evelyn said. ‘But there’s only one way to find out. Let’s keep following them.’ Hector didn’t move. ‘That means you, Hector; we need to leave now!’

  But Hector’s legs had frozen, refusing to move. He’d seen something – two figures standing alongside a tree, tall, silent shapes, almost hidden in the gloom of the forest. ‘They’ve been watching us,’ he said, more to himself than the others. ‘They’ve been following our every move. Whatever they are …’ Regaining the use of his legs, he could hear his heart pounding against his chest as he hurried to catch up with his sister.

  Chapter Forty-One

  * * *

  Wu Han, followed by Po-Yee, was on the way out of his hut when Jars, followed by the others, drew near. Shadow, grinning and wagging his tail, was already at Wu’s side. The old Chinaman smiled and bowed as he saw them approaching. As before, he was dressed in traditional Chinese style. He spoke to Jars as soon as she arrived. ‘You have come with friends. That is good. What are names?’

  Jars introduced everyone. Wu smiled again and bowed to each of them.

  ‘Mr Wu,’ Jars began, ‘we have things to ask you.’

  Wu held up his hand. ‘Yes, yes, I understand, but do not worry, Wu Han will listen soon. Please, follow me. We sit by fire. Then you tell Wu Han everything and Wu Han tell you some things too.’

  They all trailed behind as Wu, carrying Po-Yee, shuffled over towards his usual seat by the fire. He placed Po-Yee down and sat, whilst Reg and the kids, after finding a place to sit, gathered around. Shadow settled at Wu’s feet next to Po-Yee.

  Reg was the first to speak. ‘Jars has already told us about you, about your collection and how your friend hid it. She also told us about your fear of losing it to cer
tain visitors in the forest. I think she called them The Collectors.’ He tried to hide the lingering doubt that he felt about it all but knew he’d failed.

  Wu Han raised his head and looked Reg squarely in the eyes. ‘You not want to believe. You think what Wu Han say not possible. But you must trust Wu Han. I tell truth. There much danger if you not listen, if you not understand.’ He waved an arm towards the forest.

  ‘Whatcha mean, danger?’ Snook asked.

  ‘You know about crocoite?’

  ‘Yeah, Jars told us about it.’

  ‘The Collectors angry I not give them crocoite to fix ship. But if I give to them, Collectors take Wu Han and Po-Yee away.’ He looked up at each in turn. ‘Maybe they take you, too.’ Reg, still confused asked, ‘Where? Where would they take you, er, us?’

  Wu fell silent; then, looking up towards the sky, he said, ‘I not know. Somewhere far.’

  A cold shiver ran down Jars’ spine. She looked at each of the others. Reg looked puzzled. Snook looked excited as if game for anything. Given the circumstances, they seemed normal enough, all except Quenton, whose forehead had erupted into tiny bubbles of sweat. His face had coloured too, and his eyes, darting and whizzing about in his head like a mad thing, told Jars that he was ready to bolt at any moment. He was a mess.

  ‘What do they look like, these creatures?’ Reg asked. Jars frowned, wishing he hadn’t. A description wouldn’t help Quenton, not in his present state.

  ‘Sometimes we see as dark shadows, sometimes in other way.’

  ‘Howdya mean?’ Snook asked. ‘What other way?’

  ‘Sometimes they tall like giant, scales like snake, eyes like fire.’

  ‘What about feet?’ Snook wanted to know.

  ‘Feet have web like platypus.’

  Jars gave Reg a nudge, nodding towards Quenton, who was getting worse, really freaking out. Reg immediately changed the subject. ‘Why are you living way out here, Mr Wu? Wouldn’t you be better off in town?’

  ‘I tell you story. Then you know.’ He looked at each of them in turn before beginning. ‘I am of Han dynasty. My name has special meaning. It very famous, very ancient. It mean warrior. Po-Yee’s name special too. It mean Precious One.’

  ‘Warrior!’ Snook whooped. ‘Wow! What does that mean? Do you get to fight bad guys or somethin?’

  Wu held up his hand. ‘Be patient and I tell.’ He hesitated for several moments before continuing. ‘Wu Han has been in this world very, very long time. I very, very old.’

  ‘This world?’ Snook chipped in once again.

  ‘Snook,’ Reg said, ‘let Mr Wu tell his story without butting in.’

  ‘Yes, I tell story.’ Wu’s eyes took on a faraway look. ‘When I very young man I come to Australia from China to work in mine. I work in many mines.’

  Quenton, pretending to stifle a yawn and looking as if he’d calmed down, made a loud, sighing noise. Jars couldn’t help thinking he was pretending, covering up how he really felt. She gave him a threatening look. Getting the message, Quenton dropped his eyes and then looked away. She turned to Wu Han. ‘Go on, Mr Wu, what happened next? Did you come to live in this place, this forest, after you stopped working in the mines?’

  ‘Yes, I come here, but not to live. I come here to die.’

  Quenton, who had reverted to studying the back of his hands, looked up with a start. ‘D-die? What? Who’s going to die?’

  Snook, who was near to Quenton, leaned over and nudged him. ‘Can it, Quigley. Try listenin’ for a change and you might find out.’

  Spluttering, he leaped to his feet. ‘He’s just fooling with us, all this talk about giant thingies. It’s all baloney.’

  Wu rose from his seat. ‘Your friend not happy,’ he said. ‘He very confused.’ Looking at Quenton and then the others, he said, ‘I think it best you leave in short while.’ He pointed to the sky. ‘It getting late. Soon sun disappear.’

  ‘Before we go,’ Reg said, surprising Jars, ‘I was wondering about your friend? I mean, why didn’t he return after he hid the treasure?’

  ‘My friend, Yao Ming? He die.’

  ‘How come? Was he ill?’

  ‘At first, he not sick but later he die. He die of poison.’

  ‘He was poisoned?’

  ‘Yes, from arsenic.’

  ‘Was there a mineral called realgar in your gem collection?’ Reg asked, once again surprising Jars.

  ‘Yes. That how Yao Ming die. Wu Han collect this crystal from old gold mine on Nullarbor Plain. I not want Yao Ming to have it so I not pack with other precious stones, but when he see it, he put it in pocket to hide in secret place. Wu Han not know this and Yao, he not know that realgar sometime very dangerous.’

  Looking very interested, Reg asked, ‘Mr Wu, have you told anyone else all of this?’ Wu shook his head. ‘And he died, not just disappeared?’

  ‘Yes, he die. I not tell anyone this or how Yao Ming die but I know. Wu Han know many things.’

  Reg nodded and rose to his feet. ‘Okay, we’ll get going now. It was very interesting talking with you, Mr Wu.’

  Without promising, but hoping all the same, Jars said, ‘If we happen to find your rock collection, Mr Wu, we’ll bring it back to you. If you want it, that is.’

  ‘Yes, I be very grateful. I think maybe it time for Wu Han and Po-Yee to …’

  ‘Time for what?’ Jars asked.

  Wu’s face crinkled into a half-smile. He folded his arms, his hands hidden in the folds of his gown. ‘I tell you what my father tell me: Light from stars always there, even after stars not live.’

  ‘Okay, Mr Wu, we’ll try and remember that,’ Jars said, not really understanding.

  Wu Han bent and picked up Po-Yee; then cradling the cat in his arms, he bowed one more time. ‘Goodbye, Jars, I go now.’

  With the sun starting to melt into the black belly of the forest behind him, the old Chinaman turned, and then with slow, halting steps, he walked towards his hut.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  * * *

  Evelyn and Hector had had enough. Evelyn, her eyes glaring, turned and faced Quigley. ‘This isn’t working out, is it? We’ve wasted a whole day.’

  Once again they were huddled behind a cluster of bushes, observing the ranger and kids, only this time they were looking at a third party, a crinkly-looking, old Chinaman, who had just got out of his seat, heading for his hut.

  ‘It’s not my fault,’ Quigley moaned. He jerked his thumb towards the group standing around in the Chinaman’s yard, looking as though they were ready to leave. ‘We could hardly go searching for the treasure with them as an audience.’ He took a quick look at the faces of Evelyn and Hector, hoping they weren’t going to blame him for the mix-up.

  ‘It’s bizarre.’ Evelyn said. ‘You lead us on a so-called treasure hunt and we end up here, spying on three kids, a ranger, and a Chinese man.’

  Hector pointed the .22 rifle at Quigley. It looked as though they weren’t going to let him off after all. ‘Something’s fishy, Quigley! What are you playing at?’ He thrust out a hand. ‘Hand over the map. I want to see it.’

  ‘Wh-what do you mean?’ Quigley stammered, his eyes riveted on the barrel of the gun.

  ‘I mean I think that map of yours shows the way to the Chinaman’s camp and not to the treasure. You’ve been fooling with us!’

  ‘No, no. the map’s genuine. I told you where I got it.’

  Evelyn decided it was time to step in. ‘Cut it out and listen to me! What we have to do is find out the truth, whether Reg Carter and those kids are looking for the treasure, too, or whether they’re just paying a visit. Either way, we need to find out what their intentions are, like why they are here and how long they are staying. Let’s hope they’re going home tomorrow. If they are, we’ll have a free hand to go searching for the treasure.’

  She looked over at Hector. ‘We’ll double back and wait for them near the shack. When they come back, you get close enough to them to see what they’re up to, maybe even hea
r what they’re saying. It’s getting dark so you’ll have cover. Okay?’

  Hector lowered the rifle. ‘Right. I’ll do it, but we’d better get a move on.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because the ranger and the three kids are leaving and they’re coming our way.’

  Chapter Forty-Three

  * * *

  Leaving Mr Wu’s camp, they began to retrace their steps. It wasn’t long before they heard the dull rumble of the waterfall.

  ‘Can’t we find another way to cross the river?’ Quenton moaned. ‘I don’t want to end up as fish bait.’

  ‘Talkin’ about fish, there’ll be trout below the falls,’ Snook said ignoring him.

  ‘What kind?’ Jars asked, having read something about the species.’

  ‘Brown trout mostly, but there’d be a few rainbow.’

  Snook’s words triggered something in her mind. ‘Did you say rainbow?’

  ‘Yeah, they like the fast water.’

  ‘Don’t they climb waterfalls?’

  ‘Yeah, they go up upstream. So do brown trout for that matter. The trout look for a shallow spot with a gravelly bottom. That’s where they lay their eggs. Thousands of ’em, and if there’s a waterfall in the way, well, they climb it.’

  Jars paused in mid-stride and grabbed Snook by the arm.

  ‘What’s up?’

  ‘I think I’ve solved the riddle!’

  ‘What? Are you serious?’

  ‘Yes! It’s all falling into place.’ The words poured from her mouth. ‘Just think, where the rainbow rise means where the rainbow trout rise and they rise here, up this waterfall, from a pool the colour of tea. I think we’ve discovered where Yao Ming hid the treasure.’