The Word of God (45 page)

It will be risky going on along that road,
he thought, even though it was the
shortest way.
Only two kilometres in a straight line- chicken feed to someone like Graham,
he calculated. He explained this to the others when Stephen rejoined them.

Joy had been following the discussion as she worked. She now took the Code Sheet and Bible and looked at it. “How does this work do you think?”

The plot of a book Peter had once read flashed into his mind. “I once read a spy thriller set in World War Two called ‘The Key to Rebecca'. It was set in Egypt and had a code system the German spy was using. It was numbers and they were either words or letters on a particular page. You had to know which page to use on which day. There were three or four numbers. The first number told you which page and the second which line to go to down the page. Then the third number was the word or letter.”

Joy smiled. “I'll try that.” She flicked the Bible open and set to work.

Stephen said; “What about the prisoners?”

“We leave them here,” Peter replied. “Gagged and tied up.”

Megan looked horrified. “Oh they could die!” she cried.

Peter shook his head. “No they won't. We will come back with the police to get them; if their mates don't find them first.”

Joy interrupted. “This works Peter. Today we use Ruth, Chapter Nine. The first instruction is from Two Nine to Two Four and is telling him to move to Search Area Jericho.”

“Where is that?” Graham asked, bending to the map.

Peter pointed to the map. “Here, about a kilometre North West of us,” he replied. “Damn! That was the way I thought we should go.”

Sir Miles looked worried. He turned to Old Ned. “Is that anywhere near where Frank Connolly is hiding?”

Old Ned shook his head. “No. Frank is hiding up at Cockatoo.”

“Where is that?” Peter asked, holding the map for him to see.

Old Ned shrugged. “Not sure. I mean, I ain't never seen it on a map. I can't read maps.”

Graham was surprised. “How did you get there?” he asked.

Old Ned eyed him resentfully. “We just followed the roads. We knew where to go because our dads showed us.”

“Where is this Cockatoo place?” Peter asked.

“Up in the mountains behind Herberton, up past the dams on the Wild River,” Old Ned replied.

“The dams!” Graham and Peter both cried at once.

Peter nodded. “We know the area well! We did a cadet exercise there two
years ago. Remember Steve, the one where those bird poachers tried to catch Tina Babcock?”

Stephen grinned and looked at Graham. “The exercise where you crept in and kissed that girl from the Navy Cadets?” he teased.

Graham blushed bright red. “It was a dare,” he retorted.

Peter grinned. “I thought it was true love,” he said.

Stephen chuckled and shook his head. “Lust more like.”

Joy nudged Peter. “What happened?”

“Tell you later. It's a long story. Now Mr Durward, would you be able to lead us to this place you call Cockatoo?”

“Sure, I can take you there now,” Old Ned replied.

“What about going to the police?” Megan asked, looking very anxious.

Peter knew it was the sensible thing to do. He calculated times and distances in his head. The Old Dam on the Wild River was marked on the map and was about six kilometres away in a straight line. Two roads were shown on the map but he remembered that the last time they were over in that area the roads and the map did not seem to bear much relation to each other.
Even the New Dam isn't marked,
he thought.

It will be ten kilometres or more. Three or four hours at the very least. In that time we could have contacted the police at one of these farms.

But how long before the police reacted and reached the Old Dam? And were Joy and Megan up to a forced march over the mountains?

Am I?
Peter wondered, amazed at how strongly he felt about finding the Scroll. It was now a burning urge which made him fidget with impatience to be moving.
I'll get religion next!

After thinking for a few seconds he said: “We will split up. Some will go west to get the police and the rest of us will go to find Frank.” He did not invite any debate but got it anyway.

Graham objected. “Split up! I seem to remember that plan causing problems before,” he said in a voice laden with sarcasm.

“It worked the other day on Robsons Track,” Peter countered.

“Yesterday that was,” Graham commented.

God! Only yesterday!
Peter thought.

Stephen looked around the group. “So, who goes to the police and who does a trek over the mountains?” he asked.

“Joy and Megan and one of you two go to get help,” Peter replied.

Joy immediately shook her head. “No. I am coming with you,” she replied.
She looked so determined that Peter at once gave in and smiled at her. He was very pleased that she had such spirit and that she had the grit to want to go on. Without thinking he put his hands on either side of her head and drew her to him. Her eyes sparkled and she raised her lips to his. They kissed.

“Isn't that sweet!” Stephen said sarcastically.

“You are just jealous Steve,” Graham said. “I think it's wonderful.”

Stephen made a face. “Yes, but we can't wait to watch the whole courtship ritual,” he said.

Peter started to laugh and released Joy. Her eyes shone with love. He said: “OK. So who goes? Megan?”

“Yes, I'll go,” Megan said.

Peter looked from Graham to Stephen. Graham said: “I went yesterday, and missed all the action. It's your turn Steve.”

Stephen shrugged. “OK. How do I navigate? There's only one map.”

Peter looked at Old Ned. “Can you lead us from here?”

“Sure. I know these mountains like the back of me hand. I've been walking them since I was a boy.”

Peter felt very uneasy about handing the map and his compass to Stephen, but could not see any other option.

“We could make a copy of the map,” Joy suggested.

“Take all bloody day!” Stephen objected.

But Graham nodded. “Just the main features,” he said. “Come on, give it to me. I'll do it.”

He took the map and a sheet of paper from the bundle of captured documents. Using his pencil he quickly traced the main features and the key grid intersectors.

While he worked Peter heard a vehicle engine. It sounded a long way off and died down. Then it came again, louder.

“Someone coming.”

They crouched in the grass and peered out. The vehicle came from the North West along the track. Peter got only a quick glimpse of it through the trees. It was dark green. From the sound it turned left at the main road and headed towards the yards.

“The fat will be in the fire now! We'd better get moving,” he said. “Grab your gear and let's move.”

Graham jerked his thumb at the four prisoners. “What about them? They will see which way we go.”

“Deception plan then. Do a fishhook and head the way you want to go after we are out of sight. Let's get them gagged fast so we can move,” Peter replied.

The four prisoners objected but this was ignored. Their legs were tied as well as their hands, using strong nylon cord the cadets all carried. Gags were inserted. Peter looked around to check they were ready. He saw that Joy had swung the radio on and was adjusting the headset. She had her notebook in hand.

“Turn the volume down on that radio if you can,” he said.

Joy nodded. “I already have.”

“Good girl. Let's go.”

Peter led the way east back towards the road. When he was sure they were no longer visible to the three men he stopped and pointed south. “Here's the sketch map. Off you go Steve. We will circle back the other way.”

“What time do you expect to get to the Old Dam area?” Stephen asked.

“About four or five this afternoon,” Peter replied. “Good luck.”

Stephen sniffed. “Oh I don't know. I prefer to depend on skill,” he replied.

The old joke raised a smile. The two groups separated. Within a few minutes they were out of sight of each other. Peter angled left until he came to the vehicle track near the junction with the main forest road. He crossed the track and circled back through the open bush till he was well past the place where they had left the track, then stopped.

“OK, we should have broken any trail for a while. Which way… er… Ned?”

Ned looked around at the forest. It was fairly open there, large trees with waist high grass and clumps of lantana. He shook his head. “Not sure.”

“But you said you knew these mountains like the back of your hand!” Peter said.

“Well, I do, but only when I know what road or creek I'm on,” Old Ned replied.

Peter suppressed his annoyance. “It will be dangerous walking along the roads,” he said. Already he was regretting not having the map.

Graham stepped forward. “Can't be helped. I will go on ahead as scout, as long as Ned here can point me the right way.”

That was the best they could do. Peter did not like it but equally did not want to still be blundering about the forest when it got dark. He nodded and Graham set off at a brisk walk, M16 at the ready. As soon as he was fifty paces ahead Peter followed. Graham walked through the long grass and, with an instinct for direction and ground that Peter always marvelled at, led them back to the track after half a kilometre.

That was on a down slope into a wooded valley. They walked quickly, only stopping when Graham did. He stayed well out in front, often out of sight. Joy followed Peter, then Old Ned and Sir Miles. It was easy walking, the track being two well worn wheel ruts.

At 1130 they came to a fair sized stream which was flowing with clear water over rocks. It was only ten paces wide and ankle deep. Graham was waiting for them. He was busy filling his water bottles. “Fill your water bottles,” he said.

Peter nodded and told Joy to act as sentry watching the rear while they took turns to do this. Graham replaced his water bottles, drank deep and washed his face, then grinned and hefted his rifle to the ready and set off up the slope beyond.

Joy watched him. “Like a pig in mud,” she muttered.

“What?” Peter asked as he knelt to fill a water bottle.

“Graham. He thinks this is just the bee's knees. He is enjoying every minute of it,” Joy commented.

Peter nodded. “He is a great guy to have around at a time like this,” he replied.

“I hope Stephen and Megan are alright,” Joy said.

“They will be. They will probably arrive at the Old Dam before we do,” Peter replied. He rinsed his mouth and splashed water over his head and arms. It was delightful relief. He then took over watching the rear while Joy filled her water bottles.

After a couple of minutes they continued on. The track wound on up the hill, curving right to head northwards up a long ridge. This was fairly open: large trees and grass without much undergrowth. It was easy to walk through but did not offer much cover when moving. Peter estimated he could see for up to two hundred metres at a time, which was a worry.

The ridge went slowly up for half a kilometre. The group stopped several times to get their breath back. All began to perspire and pant. Old Ned in particular looked quite puffed.

That's a worry,
Peter thought.
I hope he doesn't break down in the mountains.

They saw no sign of Graham until near the top of the ridge. He suddenly appeared from behind a tree, finger to his lips. “There is a road junction up ahead. I can't see anyone but I think it is the place nicknamed ‘Jericho' so we need to be careful.”

Graham led them forward to the road junction. It was at a sharp right angled bend in a graded gravel road, one part going west and the other north. Beyond the road the ridge sloped slowly on upwards but the vegetation changed to larger trees and a thicker undergrowth of bushes and ferns among the grass.

“Which way?” Peter asked, as Old Ned puffed up to join him.

Ned looked around and hen nodded. “Oh, I know where I am now,” he said happily. “If we go that way we come out at Wondecla.” He pointed west.

“Which way to the Old Dam?” Graham asked.

“Oh, the other way,” Old Ned replied. He screwed up his eyes and squinted up into the tree. “Some real good orchids around here.”

“Isn't it a State Forest?” Joy asked.

“Er.. yes,” Old Ned replied, clearly embarrassed.

Graham made a face. “Thou shalt not steal eh?” he said. With a chuckle he turned and loped off along the road to the north. Peter let him get out of sight before following.

The road went up and down over small ridges along the side of a forested slope for over a kilometre. It was easy walking most of the time. The main concern Peter had was the openness of the road compared to the bush on either side. On their right the undergrowth and forest thickened up to a real tangle, and then to rainforest. There was a creek there but he could not see it.

Graham was waiting for them at the edge of a clearing. “The road ends here,” he said. He pointed to where an overgrown road vanished into a thick wall of rain forest. A rough vehicle track went off to the right, running steeply down to the creek and up the hill on the other side.

“Which way Ned?” Peter asked.

“That way,” Ned replied, pointing along the vehicle track.

“But that is heading back towards the east,” Graham objected. “This overgrown road is the one shown on the map as going to the Old Dam area.”

“It is all overgrown,” Old Ned replied. “Hasn't been used for donkey's years.

This track cuts across to link up with the other road what comes up the mountain from East Barron.”

“You sure?” Graham asked. He studied his rough tracing. “It will add a few kilometres to our walk.”

“'Course I'm sure,” Old Ned replied indignantly. “We was up here only a month ago, come up that other road we did, followin' them red arrows. They are the pony club riding trail.”