Free The Tunnels of Tarcoola by Jennifer Walsh

closer.’
    After a few more false starts they found the way out. When they were sure of it, David went back and used his knife to scratch a big cross and an arrow by the entrance.
    â€˜Now, let’s get the ropes on again,’ he said.
    The others nodded vigorously, and they roped themselves together, checking the knots carefully. David led the way back along the passage to the shaft.
    â€˜Umm, where to now?’ he asked.
    â€˜I wouldn’t mind getting out of here for a while,’ confessed Martin. ‘I could do with some fresh air.’
    â€˜Yes,’ agreed Kitty. ‘We can have a picnic in the garden with the rest of the food.’
    They climbed up the shaft and made their way out of the cellar and into the garden of the Haunted House. The shadows were surprisingly long, but they found a sunny spot by a pond choked with water-lilies.
    Andrea put her bag down, sat down on the edge of the pond and dabbled her hands in the greenish water.
    â€˜I’m starving,’ she said. ‘Have you got any more of those muesli bars?’
    â€˜Andrea!’ gasped Kitty, staring at her. ‘Your legs!’
    Andrea’s bare legs were streaked with blood from numerous cuts and scratches, and bruises were starting to develop. She held up her hands. Her fingers and wrists were a mess, covered with scratches.
    â€˜It hurt when I was climbing out of the hole,’ she said. ‘But then I forgot.’
    â€˜Come back to our place,’ suggested Kitty. ‘We’ve got some stuff to put on it, and bandaids . . . ’
    â€˜Nah, I’m all right. Mum’s got some herbal stuff at home. I’ll have a long, hot bath.’
    They finished the food.
    â€˜Are we coming back tomorrow?’ asked David.
    â€˜You bet,’ said Martin.
    â€˜We can’t,’ Kitty reminded him. ‘We’re going to the Blue Mountains to see our cousins.’
    â€˜Oh, why does that have to be tomorrow?’ groaned Martin.
    â€˜Well, I’ll be back,’ announced Andrea. ‘What about you, David? Are you up for it?’
    â€˜Oh! Yeah, sure. How about eleven o’clock?’
    â€˜Yep. Meet you in the garden at eleven.’
    â€˜But you’ll see everything without us,’ protested Kitty.
    â€˜We’ll just have a little look,’ David promised her. ‘I can’t spend too much time. I’ve got to make a model for Science.’
    â€˜And I’ve got a History assignment,’ said Andrea.
    The boys looked at her with surprise.
    â€˜So?’ she said challengingly. ‘So?’
    â€˜Fine,’ said Martin. ‘Fine.’
    THEY separated at David’s front gate. He let himself in and quietly stowed his backpack in the hall cupboard.
    Cooking sounds were coming from the kitchen. His mother had vegetables strewn over the bench and was frowning into the screen of her laptop.
    â€˜The recipe says chervil,’ she said. ‘I wonder if Italian parsley would do?’
    David’s heart sank a little. His mother’s cooking was sometimes rather experimental. He preferred weekdays, when his grandfather took over.
    â€˜Can I help with dinner?’ he offered.
    â€˜That would be lovely, darling. It says the potatoes have to be cut into two-centimetre cubes.’ She pushed a board and a knife towards him, and he perched on a stool beside her.
    â€˜So how was the meeting?’ he asked casually.
    â€˜Curiouser and curiouser,’ murmured his mother. ‘Is there something I’m missing? Or rather, something you’re missing? Some new piece of technology you’re hankering after?’
    â€˜No, Mother, I’m just interested.’
    â€˜Well, since you ask, there’s a little light on the horizon today. I won’t fill you in on all the details, for fear of sending you to sleep, but there’s a bit of a legal hitch at the developer’s end.’
    â€˜What kind of