Free Flight of the Jabiru by Elizabeth Haran Page B

lovers, something highly unusual amongst seamen. Freddie had sailed with Captain Callahan for twelve years, so no one suspected that he’d jump ship and they immediately began a search for him when he failed to return to the ship after a few hours of shore leave.
    An hour after the search began, the truth came to light, when a message was delivered to the captain from Freddie. He confessed to falling in love and having made an impulsive decision to marry Miss Isabel Simms and stay in Australia. He apologized profusely, so it was clear he felt awful for letting the captain down.
    Sid suggested it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for a crewman to jump ship on the spur of the moment, and that sadly they nearly always returned to a life at sea after finding out they could not settle in the life of a landlubber. But he wished Isabel and Frederick well for the future, and so did Captain Callahan, despite being unhappily a crewman short.
    Sid’s prediction had Lara worried that Frederick might abandon Isabel. She was sure such an occurrence would destroy her fragile sense of self-worth.
    Sid claimed the ship was changing its run. “We’ve got a contract to transport rice between Saigon, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and New Guinea for the next few months,” he said to Lara and the remaining four passengers, a middle-aged couple who were joining their son and his family in Palmerston, and two brothers in their forties who’d inherited a cattle station in the Kimberly region.
    â€œDarwin is a likely place to pick up a crewman who speaks Chinese or Vietnamese,” Captain Callaghan added.
    Suzie Wilks was one of the passengers to alight in Fremantle. Lara knew she’d miss her company, as they’d become good friends. She was met by her ecstatic husband on the docks with Lara witnessing their warm reunion from the ship’s railing.
    â€œAre you looking forward to the prospect of getting off the ship soon, Lara?” Sid asked as he joined her at the railing.
    â€œI am,” Lara said less than enthusiastically as she gazed at the distant land. “But, to be honest, I’m slightly terrified of what lies ahead.”
    â€œYou’ve got nothing to worry about,” Sid said with a mischievous twinkle. “Wait till the Aussie blokes get an eye full of you. They’ll be falling over themselves to help you out any way they can.”
    Lara was used to Sid’s harmless flirting, so she laughed. “My students will be far more of a challenge than any man,” she admitted. “Have you spent much time in Darwin?” She was curious to know more about the city that was to be her home for two years.
    â€œI can name every pub in the city.”
    â€œWhy doesn’t that surprise me?” Lara smiled.
    â€œWell, we were stuck in port for a month once when the ship suffered engine failure off this coast. We had to be towed to the wharf and couldn’t sail again until parts came up from Perth. As it was monsoon season, it took awhile. So what’s a man to do, but drink?”
    â€œWhat were your impressions?”
    â€œThe beer’s really good,” Sid grinned.
    â€œYou know very well that I meant your impressions of the people and the place...”
    â€œThere’s a real cultural mix of people in Darwin, but they’re all relaxed and friendly. Best of all, they don’t mind shouting a round or two.” He laughed again. “The scenery is beautiful and by that I mean the two-legged variety as well as the landscape.”
    Lara shook her head.
    â€œSeriously, I really like Darwin,” Sid said, licking his lips. “I can almost taste my first coldie ashore.”
    â€œYou are incorrigible,” Lara said. But she was delighted that everyone was going to be friendly. It made her a little less anxious about what lay ahead.
    â€œDarwin Harbor is a large indented embayment, with three main arms, East, Middle, and West. Two major