Christine Harris - Audrey Goes to Town

Audrey Goes to Town

The Audrey Club!

If you love reading Audrey stories, join Audreys fan club to read more!

You will receive a postcard from Audrey!

FREE updates on Audrey via The Outback Post.

Enter Audrey competitions.

FREE Audrey giveaways.

The chance to have the author, Christine Harris, visit your school.

To join send your mailing address inside an envelope to:

Little Hare Books, 8/21 Mary Street,
Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
or visit www.audreyoftheoutback.com.au

*You will need to get Mum or Dad or your guardian to send a permission note in your email or envelope!

I want a dad who rides a camel
to work.Jack, age 8

Audrey

goes to

Town

Christine Harris

Illustrations by Ann James

www.littleharebooks.com

Little Hare Books
8/21 Mary Street, Surry Hills
NSW 2010 AUSTRALIA

www.littleharebooks.com

Text copyright Christine Harris 2008
Illustrations copyright Ann James 2008
Cover illustration copyright Ann James 2008

First published in 2008

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Harris, Christine, 1955- .
Audrey goes to town / Christine Harris ; illustrator, Ann James.

978 1 921272 67 7 (pbk.)
For primary school age.

James, Ann.

A823.3

Cover design by Natalie Winter
Set in 13/18pt Stone Informal by Clinton Ellicott
Printed in China by WKT Company Limited

5 4 3 2 1

For Ben, who shines as brightly as AudreyCH

For Tash and Ashwho like to look and wonderAJ

Contents

Christine Harris has lived in different parts of South Australia, some of them isolated country areas.

The directions to one of her houses went like this: the first fridge on the right, fifteen kilometres after the last pub. Kangaroos jumped past her kitchen window, and she once found a snake skin in the shed.

She spent much of her childhood in the wild places of her imagination, as a princess in a castle, a pirate on the wild seas, an archaeologist. Even her best friend, Jennifer Hobbar, was imaginary. But Christine only realised this when she tried to visit Jennifers house and had no idea where it was.

Christine believes the Outback draws you back to visit, again and again. She also believes that, with a vivid imagination, you can travel anywhere.

www.christineharris.com

Audrey could hardly wait to get to Beltana.

Audrey Barlow bounced as the wheels of the wooden cart hit a pothole. Although the floor was padded with blankets and what was left in the food bags, each bump jarred Audrey and her brothers.

Douglas fell sideways, giggling. He was only three, so he giggled at nearly everything.

Sesiting, isnt it? said Audrey.

Exciting. Price tried to sit straight and tall, as though he didnt care about the roughness of the bush track or the town they would reach that afternoon. But his eyes shone.

Eucalyptus trees grew on the wide plain. Although the sand was not as red as back home, the grey saltbush was familiar. And there were tufts of green grass. Maybe it rained more in the south. A grey rabbit scurried across the track, its tail and ears flashing white.

Audrey looked up at her parents on the high front seat of the cart. Mum had been unusually quiet for most of the trip. Her face was pale. Audrey wondered if Mums leg was hurting. Years earlier, a tank stand had crushed it, so she walked with a limp.

Dad turned his head to peer at Audrey from beneath the brim of his battered hat. His bushy beard fluttered in the wind. Not far now, Two-Bob.

She grinned. Dad always used her nickname. A swaggie called Bloke had given Audrey that name when shed said, Youre as crazy as a two-bob watch.

Swaggies usually avoided towns. But Audrey could hardly wait to get to Beltana. From her home in the bush, it was three days walk to the nearest house. And a lot more than that to a town.

Dad, are the houses in Beltana really right next to each other, in rows? asked Audrey.

Sure as eggs.

There wont be so many flies because theres more people to share them. Back home, flies stuck to their backs like dark coats. Especially on north wind days.

Suddenly Mum grabbed Dads arm. Stop!

Mum half-dropped, half-jumped to the ground without waiting for Dads help.

Audrey exchanged a surprised look with Price.

Their mum bent over, her arms cradling her stomach, and began retching into the saltbushes.

Douglas slipped his hand into Audreys and squeezed. Silence settled on the family. The only sound was Mum going for the big spit, and the wind hissing dust.

Dad stood, holding the camels steady. His rough hands were as battered as his hat. Dirt stained his fingernails. Dad narrowed his eyes and stared at the Flinders Ranges on the horizon. Audrey guessed he was trying not to make Mum feel awkward about being sick.

He slipped the reins into his left hand and, with his right, patted his top pocket. Although he had given up tobacco, he still liked to chew on the empty clay pipe. He fumbled as he took it from his pocket and the pipe fell to the ground.

Snort lifted one of his large flat feet and crushed it.

Dad glared at his camel, then down at the crumbs of his favourite pipe.

Snorts in twubble, said Douglas.

Snorts always in trouble. Audrey wriggled her fingers. They were starting to tingle from her little brothers tight grip.

Dad must have been very worried if he could watch his pipe get smashed and not say naughty words.

Mrs Barlow reached into her pocket for a handkerchief. She turned to face the family. Her skin was shiny with perspiration. She moved her mouth into the shape of a smile, but it didnt look real.

Are you all right? asked Audrey.

Mrs Barlow nodded. Im not a good traveller.

Dad gave Mum a funny look like he wanted to say something but couldnt. He offered Mum his hand. She took it and climbed back onto the front seat of the cart.

As they began moving again, Mums back was straight and she didnt take her eyes off the track ahead. But she gripped the seat with both hands as though she might slide off. Audrey had a strange feeling, as though someone had whispered something important and shed missed what was said.