Poppy and the Thief Page 4

  ‘I know Tian doesn’t mean to do bad things,’ Poppy said. ‘What happened to your brother, Tian’s father?’

  Dr Lin sighed. ‘He was killed at Lambing Flat three year ago. White men don’t like Chinese diggers. Two or three thousand, they came, steal and burn Chinese camp. My brother, he ran away but he fell and was beaten to death.’ His eyes began misting over. ‘And now Lin Tian’s poor mother back in China, may never see son again.’

  On the road, Tian had told Poppy about the way some whites treated the Chinese on the goldfields. But he never said anything about his father.

  She waited a moment before asking, ‘What will Jimmy Ah Kew do to Tian now?’

  ‘Ten lashes with whip, in public, and he must work for Jimmy for six months without pay, only room and board. And as he is my nephew and my family, I must pay fine of fifty shillings.’

  Something didn’t seem fair. Poppy frowned. ‘But they were going to kill me!’

  Dr Lin smiled. ‘Jimmy Ah Kew only scare you, so that you would never come back. And Lin Tian is a clan member, part of Sun Moi. We help and protect each other.’

  Well, at least Tian won’t be killed, thought Poppy. ‘Are they going to let me go, Dr Lin?’

  ‘Yes, but Jimmy Ah Kew wants to speak to you first.’

  Jimmy Ah Kew sat on the same roll of blue cotton that the doctor had sat on a few minutes before, watching Poppy eat. He had come in with a bowl of hot rice porridge. He was not so frightening now. In fact, he seemed kind, and a bit tired. This was Poppy’s chance to ask him about the letter.

  ‘I sorry. Big mistake,’ he said.

  ‘I am sorry, too. Lin Tian is my friend.’

  Jimmy Ah Kew smiled. ‘My father used to say, “If friend with rat, no complain if cat eat you.” Bad friend always trouble.’

  ‘But Lin Tian is not really bad,’ she said, putting a spoonful of the warming porridge into her mouth.

  ‘Have good heart, but do bad things, what difference?’

  Poppy thought about that. He was right. No matter how nice you think you are, if you do bad things then … She suddenly sat up straight, remembering the letter in her pocket!

  ‘Mr Ah Kew, I came to see you yesterday because I wanted to ask you about a letter … a letter I have with your red tiger stamp on it.’ She reached inside her pocket and handed it to him.

  Jimmy Ah Kew saw the seal and unfolded the worn and yellowing paper. Then he looked at her and smiled. ‘Eh? You son of Lee Hing?’

  ‘Lee … Hing?’ Poppy repeated, slowly.

  ‘Your father. He is friend. He send this letter to me from prison few month ago. He want me find his children. I busy man, no time leave Wahgunyah. So I send man out looking. Pass letter on to someone, say he know half Chinese boy and girl.’

  ‘Please, sir, please can you read it to me?’

  Jimmy Ah Kew smoothed out the paper. Then he began.

  ‘My dear children. I very sorry leave you and your mother but I have no choice. This is reason why: Many year ago I make contract to come to Queensland from China. I must work food and living for three year. But boss very cruel so I run. I run long way. Come down to Victoria on bullock carts. Then I meet your mother. Four good years we together. But one day someone see me. I must run again. My friend Jimmy Ah Kew hide me but still I caught. I sent to jail back in Queensland. Every night I think of my children. Then I hear your mother die and I very sad, so sad my heart cry.

  ‘But soon I get out of jail. I ask someone write this letter for me. I send it to Jimmy, hope he maybe find my children so we be together one day.

  ‘Your father.’

  Poppy was crying when Jimmy Ah Kew folded the letter and handed it back to her. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘You stay here. I write to him.’

  She looked up at Jimmy Ah Kew. How she wished she could stay. She wiped her tears on her sleeve. ‘I can’t. I have to find my brother …’

  ‘Brother?’ Jimmy Ah Kew looked at her suspiciously. ‘I know Lee Hing have only two children – one is boy, one is girl.’

  Poppy went pale. She had been caught out. If only I had told him the truth from the beginning, she thought. Now he’ll think I’m a liar. She looked at Jimmy Ah Kew’s stern face. She was still a little afraid of him. But he had been a good friend of their father’s. Surely he would understand.

  ‘Well?’ he said. ‘Are you son of Lee Hing?’

  ‘I … I am Kalinya, Lee Hing’s daughter. I’m sorry …’

  Jimmy Ah Kew’s eyebrows arched in surprise. ‘You girl?’

  Poppy looked down at her hands. ‘When I ran away from the mission I had to dress as a boy so I wouldn’t be caught.’ She waited for him to explode with anger. But he looked admiring instead.

  ‘Aiya. So brave.’ His eyes now appeared apologetic. ‘But if I know you girl… I never beat girl. Where your brother?’

  ‘He is heading to Beechworth. That’s why I have to leave.’

  Jimmy Ah Kew sat still for a moment, thinking. Then he said, ‘In two day time I go toward Beechworth with bullock train, take supplies to my men. You come too. Look after wife, Lai Lai. I tell Lai Lai stay home, but she insist to come. She say wife have to be with husband. I have many camp. We ask at camp for your brother. I pay you money.’

  Poppy thought about Jimmy Ah Kew’s offer. Being with the bullock train would mean that she would have food, shelter and be safe. It was a good idea, a very good idea.

  Poppy nodded and smiled. The clouds were clearing, the sun was shining again!

  That night, amidst the fireworks and music, Poppy and Fisher were invited to the wedding banquet. Jimmy Ah Kew’s shop was cleared of all merchandise and tables and chairs were set up. In the backyard a pig roasted on a spit and the smells of cooking wafted out along the street. Poppy watched, transfixed, as Jimmy Ah Kew and Lai Lai, both dressed in red robes, bowed to each other and drank from tiny cups. The celebrations went on until after midnight.

  TWENTY bullock wagons stood outside Jimmy Ah Kew’s general store. They were being loaded with supplies of food and equipment for the men out ring-barking the trees, clearing the land to make way for homesteads, paddocks and vineyards.

  Jimmy Ah Kew had introduced Poppy to his new bride the day before, and for the first time Poppy was able to see her face. Lai Lai had smooth pale skin and eyes that sparkled. Poppy smiled at her, and Lai Lai inclined her head slightly.

  Poppy climbed on board the first wagon and sat between Lai Lai and the driver. Holding the Tear Jar in the palm of her hand, she prayed that she would soon find Gus.

  ‘Hey, Tian,’ she called out. He was riding in a cart behind her, and waved. Poppy heard that he had been working hard for Jimmy since the incident with the gold necklace. Maybe at last he had learnt his lesson.

  Fisher nudged her from behind, licking her cheek. She put her arm around his neck. He was balancing on sacks of rice but she had made a little hollow for him to sleep in. She laughed and kissed the top of his head, happy to be moving on at last.

  On the first day out of Wahgunyah, Lai Lai did not say a word except to her husband Jimmy Ah Kew. Poor Lai Lai, Poppy thought. She had travelled thousands of miles across the sea to marry a man she had never seen before. And now, here she was, only a few days after arriving in the colony, on board a wagon heading into the bush.

  It was Fisher who made Lai Lai laugh for the first time. They had camped beside a stream and Fisher had dropped a wriggling fish at Lai Lai’s tiny feet. She jumped and screamed. Then realising what it was, she covered her mouth with her hand and began to giggle.

  From that moment on, even though Lai Lai was nine years older than Poppy, they became fast friends. They would talk using sign language or by drawing pictures in the dirt. Slowly, Lai Lai learnt a little English and Poppy a little Chinese. Lai Lai even showed Poppy her tiny feet all wrapped up in bandages. They looked very painful to walk on. She told Poppy that bound feet were considered very beautiful in China. Then Poppy took off her boots and they both laughed when
Lai Lai said they were as big and as wide as duck’s feet.

  But at night, lying inside their tent, Poppy would hear Lai Lai crying softly to herself.

  Several days later, the wind was so strong the bullocks had to pull twice as hard. Then it poured with rain. The track quickly turned into a muddy river.

  In the late afternoon, Poppy saw the welcome sign of smoke rising. It was the first of Jimmy Ah Kew’s camps.

  The men in the camp had been working in the bush for several months. How glad they were to see their boss bringing fresh supplies of food and letters from family back home in China.

  That night the rain cleared and the clouds blew away, leaving a glitter of stars across the sky.

  Around the fire, a kitchen was set up. There were two cooks busily preparing the evening meal. Poppy was fascinated as she watched them make noodles. They kneaded and pummelled the dough, then rolled it out flat and folded it many times before chopping off the ends. The fine strips looked like pale yellow ribbons draped over racks, while a large vat of water was brought to the boil.

  Jimmy Ah Kew approached the fire. Poppy had been anxious to ask him about Gus, whether his men had seen him or not.

  One of the cooks greeted Jimmy Ah Kew. He dropped a batch of noodles into the boiling water and a few minutes later scooped them out again. He placed a bowl of noodles on the table in front of Jimmy.

  ‘You come eat with me,’ Jimmy Ah Kew said to Poppy.

  He called the cook to give Poppy a bowl of noodles as well. She sat down beside him.

  ‘You, Lai Lai, good friend now,’ Jimmy Ah Kew said, noisily eating.

  Poppy nodded and smiled. ‘Uncle,’ she said, ‘have you asked your men about my brother? Has anyone seen him?’

  Jimmy Ah Kew shook his head. ‘But no worry. We ask at next camp and next and next.’

  Poppy nodded. ‘Uncle, what is our father like?’

  He looked across to where the bullocks were grazing. ‘You father, he is good man. You all be together one day.’

  ‘Did you know our mother?’ Poppy asked.

  ‘No, I never meet her, but I know your father love her very much.’

  Just then, one of the men rushed up to Jimmy. They spoke briefly in Chinese. Poppy couldn’t understand what he was saying, but she could tell by the tone of their voices something was wrong.

  The man left and Jimmy Ah Kew put the bowl to his lips and ate the last of his noodles. She noticed a look of worry on his face.

  ‘What is it, Uncle?’ Poppy asked.

  ‘Roads very bad for wagons because of rain and mud. No way through.’ He sighed. ‘We cannot get to all camps. Tomorrow we must travel north.’

  North! Poppy’s heart sank. I can’t travel north. Beechworth is in the opposite direction.

  ‘Maybe we still find news of your brother,’ Jimmy Ah Kew said, laying his chopsticks down and pushing himself up from the table.

  Poppy shook her head. ‘I have to get to Beechworth, Uncle. I can’t go with you.’

  Jimmy Ah Kew looked down at her. ‘I take you there after. You come with us now. Safer for you that way. No good young girl alone,’ he said, frowning.

  ‘It will be too late by then,’ Poppy said.

  Jimmy Ah Kew touched her shoulder.

  ‘Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll be all right. I’ve looked after myself all these months and Fish will take care of me. Won’t you, boy?’

  Clouds like grey giants ready for war gathered on the horizon. Jimmy told her to take plenty of food and a blanket roll for the cold nights ahead. How sad she was, saying goodbye to Lin Tian and Jimmy Ah Kew. And of course there was Lai Lai, whose eyes were damp with tears as they stood facing each other.

  ‘We see soon,’ Lai Lai said. ‘You find brother, come back. Ho m’ ho? I make noodle.’

  Poppy smiled and nodded. ‘Joy gin,’ she said. Then she slung her satchel over one shoulder and her blanket roll over the other and walked away.

  By the time evening fell, Poppy and Fisher had gone several miles. Suddenly, flashes of lightning tore the sky in two. Quickly she made camp as large drops began to fall. Then Poppy crawled inside the humpy she had constructed.

  All through the night, the wind howled, tearing at her shelter, threatening to carry it away. It was a good humpy but not strong enough to weather such a storm. Soon the ground she was lying on had turned to mud.

  Poppy thought the night would never end. She lay shivering in her wet blanket until the grey light of morning streaked the sky.

  She was so cold and tired it was all she could do to stand. And her blanket and satchel were now twice as heavy. Everything was soaked through.

  Fisher trotted ahead, glad to be setting off again. But every step seemed an effort for Poppy.

  How long have I been walking? Have I come this way before? Am I going around in circles? These were the questions that dogged her as she plodded on. Her mind felt as thick as the mud she was ploughing through.

  Poppy was chilled through to her bones, and shivering uncontrollably. She put her palm to her forehead. It was hot and burning. All she wanted was to lie down and sleep. Not yet, she told herself, just one more mile, just one more mile. I have to find Gus. She tried to picture his face, but his features kept dissolving. Now, not only were her clothes wet, but dried mud caked her boots so that each step was torture, as if her feet were boulders too heavy to lift.

  Poppy didn’t see the snake until she was almost on top of it. She leapt sideways but tripped and fell, hitting her head on something hard. The sky whirled about her.

  POPPY put her hand out to feel for Fisher but he wasn’t there.

  Touching her head with her fingers, she felt a sticky substance.

  Blood!

  Groaning, she tried to sit up but was too weak. Then she remembered the snake.

  She glanced across at the spot where it had been. It wasn’t a snake, but a stick lying across the track. Poppy didn’t care now. All she wanted was sleep.

  Closing her eyes was better. The throbbing in her head was like a mallet hammering in her brain.

  Neither awake nor asleep, she lay on the track. She didn’t know what was real. Napu was there smiling down at Poppy, her gentle brown eyes filled with love. But she spoke in a tongue that Poppy couldn’t understand.

  ‘What did you say?’ Poppy whispered. But the words that came from her lips were only the squeaks and snorts of a tiny echidna.

  Then Napu rose into the air, black wings spread wide. Poppy felt herself shrinking, disappearing into nothing.

  The last thing Poppy saw clearly before fainting was Dangamai, the spirit of Napu, on a branch above her, softly cawing.

  When Poppy awoke, she still couldn’t see clearly. Pictures faded in and out of her vision. Long thin shadows passed her by and she tried to turn her head but it felt heavy, so heavy. Best to let it lie, no aching if she laid it down.

  Through the veil of fever, a hand pressed something cool to the wound on her forehead. Someone lifted her head. ‘Dhangu, dhangu,’ a soft voice said, and a cup was held to her lips. The liquid tasted bitter but it warmed her insides. Then Poppy heard singing. Strange, but it made her feel as if she was the Spirit Tree and this life-giving liquid was spreading up her trunk and into her branches, making new leaves grow.

  Over her, a face hovered. The face had deep, quiet eyes and looked familiar. Napu? All the while the person softly spoke her name. ‘Kalinya, Kalinya maan.’

  She remembered the camp where Tom had taken her, and the people, there, who had made her feel so welcome, especially Aunty and her two dogs. She tried to picture their faces, but thinking hurt too much. No. Better to sleep.

  As time passed, Poppy was awake for longer periods of time. Sometimes it was night and she could see the red glow of a fire. Sometimes it was day and birdsong would fill her ears.

  Then, one morning, Poppy opened her eyes and for the first time she could see clearly. The throbbing had gone, too. She tried to sit up and look around. She was lying in a hum
py on a soft bed of leaves under a warm possum-skin rug.

  A woman ducked her head and entered the humpy. She knelt, then sat back on her heels.

  ‘Aunty!’ Poppy said, smiling with affection. ‘How did you find me?’

  Aunty took one of Poppy’s hands in hers and said, ‘Dangamai.’

  Dangamai? Poppy could only understand a few words – ‘Napu … Kalinya … Dangamai … baka.’ Aunty’s words were soft like water gurgling over pebbles in a mountain stream.

  She wondered how long she had been there. It felt like days.

  Fisher appeared at the doorway with the two other dogs. Aunty shooed her own dogs away but let Fisher in. He padded up to Poppy, lying down next to her with his chin resting on her chest.

  Time passed and with each day Poppy grew stronger. There were seven adults and a baby in the camp. Poppy fussed over the baby, playing games like she did with the children back at Bird Creek. Sometimes she would tell the little one stories about her adventures on the road. Or about the orphans at the mission. And sometimes she would sing The Bellbird Song. The baby would laugh, raising her arms up and down as if she was beating a drum. Whenever Poppy sang, everyone would stop what they were doing, lift their heads and listen attentively.

  Poppy wished she could understand what was being said around the camp. If only she had the time, she would stay and learn the language. These were her people, she knew that now, Napu’s brothers and sisters. Maybe the little one was her cousin. How she longed to stay there with them.

  As Poppy grew stronger, the women showed her how to dig up roots and collect fruits and berries to eat. Sometimes, when they were by the stream, Fisher would catch a fish and Aunty would laugh. Aunty never tired of enjoying Fisher’s hunting skills.

  At night, while they sat around the fire, everyone listened quietly to the older man speak. His beard glowed golden in the firelight. Sometimes he was serious and nobody would move. Then a smile would cross his face and he would say something which would make everyone rock back with laughter. It was infectious and Poppy joined in, even though she didn’t understand a word.