Twins Sail Into Adventure

By Jocelyn Price

Twins, Nia and Ngaire are self-reliant, intensely interested in the wildlife of the land and sea in the part of New Guinea where they live. Since they were quite young, the twins have accompanied their patrol officer on many trips through the bush and by sea to the small islands that abound.
At eleven years of age they are sent to boarding school in Australia where they find the life style rather stifling to their free spirits. At last the long summer holidays arrive and the twins can return home to their free and independent way of life. Keen naturalists, they plan to sail together with their dog “Lik-lik” to explore an island and the reefs that surround it
Little do they know that they will be sailing straight into a host of dangers, shipwreck, komodo dragons, giant squid, and most deadly of all, criminals with guns who are determined to keep their secret at all cost. An exciting read for children age 8 to 13 years. The author lived for many years in just such a part of New Guinea, and the wildlife encounters are based on real life experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jocelyn Price
• Release date: Dec 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301927425

Jocelyn Price

CONFESSIONS OF A 76 YEAR OLD GRANDMA!I am Jocelyn, a 76 year old grandmother who lives in outback Queensland. All my life I have lived outside my comfort zone in order to find out all about life and its meaning. Sometimes I have succeeded and sometimes I have not, but every time I have failed in what I have done, I know that I have learned from my mistakes and this has made me a better and more compassionate person. I used to live by the rules, “would have,” “should have” or “could have”, but I’ve given that away and I now dive into Life headfirst! (And I’m loving every minute of it!)I have had many occupations including court typist, Legal Secretary, Disability Carer, English Teacher, cleaner and dishwasher. I have tried many things in my life such as learning Languages. I started learning Languages because my ex-husband told me and everybody else that I was thick as two planks and unable to learn anything! So I set out to prove him wrong! And it worked! And somewhere along the line I developed this great love of learning and I’m still doing it!The other day just for fun I thought about all the things I had started in my life. I want to complete them but imagine my horror when I added it all up and it came to 792 years!!! (How many lifetimes is that?) It scares the shit out of me!So here is my list ..Finish my degree in Modern Languages(French, German, Italian)Finish my study in music – piano, viola, keyboards, Irish FluteBe a full time animal carer. (I would give up everything for this)Teach English to persons of other cultures. (I loved my time in Shanghai)Read all my favourite books over and over again.Do a lot of charity work particularly getting different cultures to mix.Get my black belt in Akido.Work on my spiritual side as I would really love to talk to angels, animals and fairies.Write and publish my book (last one) on religions.Take part in more protest marches for things like women’s rights, animals and the environment. But I don’t really want to be arrested any more. It’s been 7 times already and I guess that’s enough.Keep watching “Bold and the Beautiful” until it ends (and I hope it never ends!)Learn to be spiritual instead of a scatterbrain.I really would like to do a course on the real aboriginal culture.And of course wear “hippie” clothes for the rest of my life.*************************************************************After a lifetime of experiences in various parts of Australia, New Guinea, Afghanistan, Russia, Germany, Pacific Islands, and China, Jocelyn Price now lives in a small town in the outback of Australia.At 75 years of age she was determined to try her hand at writing, but first she had to learn to use a computer – a challenge that ranked right up there with another challenge she had met previously -- coping with a sandstorm in Egypt!Jocelyn writes across varied genres - stories for children, romantic stories set in outback Australia, and non fiction dealing with mental health issues.Jocelyn's books are available in print from www.ebooksoutback.com.au or by emailing her at [e-mail]

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TWINS SAIL INTO ADVENTURE

Written by Jocelyn Price

Published by Kylie Reynolds at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Jocelyn Price

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PROLOGUE

Twins, Nia and Ngaire are self-reliant, intensely interested in the wildlife of the land and sea in the part of New Guinea where they live. Since they were quite young, the twins have accompanied their patrol officer on many trips through the bush and by sea to the small islands that abound.

At eleven years of age they are sent to boarding school in Australia where they find the life style rather stifling to their free spirits. At last the long summer holidays arrive and the twins can return home to their free and independent way of life. Keen naturalists, they plan to sail together with their dog Lik-lik to explore an island and the reefs that surround it

Little do they know that they will be sailing straight into a host of dangers, shipwreck, komodo dragons, giant squid, and most deadly of all, criminals with guns who are determined to keep their secret at all cost.

An exciting read for children age 8 to 13 years. The author lived for many years in just such a part of New Guinea, and the wildlife encounters have the basis of actual experience.

CHAPTER ONE – SCHOOL BREAKUP

Twenty metres to go and Nia is leading! Now fifteen metres and Ngaire has shot ahead! Ten metres and the girls are racing neck and neck! Five metres! Two! And it’s a dead heat! The commentator paused for breath, then announced, The hundred meters swimming championship was won by Nia and Ngaire Curtis in a dead heat!

"Twenty metres to go and Nia is leading!

The eleven year old twins shook hands and climbed out of the pool. They were almost identical in appearance with blond, shoulder length hair which turned up at the ends, mischievous blue eyes and small button noses which wrinkled at the slightest provocation.

The twins were immediately surrounded by their classmates. Congratulations twins, cried Helen Fuller, the class captain.

That was a great effort! shouted Cath Thompson.

I couldn’t have done better myself, said Irene Cook.

It was breaking-up day at Lynton Girls’ College in Sydney. Parents and friends gathered in a group over the rolling lawns or around the pool where the swimming carnival had been in progress. The hundred metres championship was the last item on the programme before the presentation of prizes.

The twins craned their necks over the heads of their schoolfellows, searching for their parents. There they are! shouted Nia. She made off, closely followed by Ngaire,

Mum! Dad! shouted Nia. Here we are!

Tall and broad-shouldered, the twins’ father presented an imposing figure. Steady on, he laughed. I don’t want to get wet through. He shook himself free from the twins who immediately fastened on to their mother. She was a larger edition of the twins – the same long fair hair and the same blue eyes. She said, Congratulations, girls. Now why don’t you go and change?"

All right Mum, chorused the twins, but we’re awfully hungry.

Eats after prize-giving, said Helen Fuller, firmly. Everyone laughed.

The twins and their friends scampered off. A round, cheerful looking woman wearing glasses walked over to the group. She was the School Principal and smiled at the twins’ parents.

Good afternoon, Miss Schmidt, said the twins’ father.

Good afternoon. I hope you are enjoying yourselves’ she said. The twins did very well in the championship. They have been practising hard enough for it.

I wish their school work was as good, sighed Mrs. Curtis.

Oh, but they have improved greatly this year, replied the School Principal. They just missed out on a prize, but the main thing is that they have both settled down much better over the last twelve months.

I’m pleased to hear that, said Mrs. Curtis. I’m afraid New Guinea has ruined them as far as study is concerned.

I’m partly to blame, said Mr. Curtis, because I’ve taken them on patrol with me ever since they were small. I thought it would make them more self-reliant when they got older. I’m afraid I just didn’t bother about much schoolwork at that stage.

They are not doing too badly, said the Principal. What do you have in mind for the holidays?

The twins are going on a trip by themselves to an island. One of our native chiefs on the patrol post has made them an outrigger canoe and….

Mrs. Curtis was interrupted by the return of the twins in one direction, and from the other direction another mistress came in sight, followed by a cigar smoking man whom the girls had never seen before.

I would like you to meet Mr. Istvan Karachek, said the mistress. He has just arrived from Melbourne. She turned to the strange man. Mr. Karachek, this is Miss Schmidt, our School Principal, and these people are Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, from Papua New Guinea. I was telling you about them. They live at a patrol post many kilometres from civilization. Oh, and these are the Curtis twins, Nia and Ngaire.

The Principal and the twins’ parents shook hands with Mr. Karachek. He turned and nodded briefly to Nia and Ngaire. I’m always glad to meet interesting people from out of the way places, said Mr. Karachek, in a very heavy foreign accent. You see, I am a journalist. Perhaps some time you will tell me a bit about your life in New Guinea.

Meanwhile, the twins stared at the newcomer. I don’t like the look of him, whispered Nia.

Ngaire nodded. I don’t either, she whispered back. She scrutinised the fat man and said, He looks like a bit of a crook, doesn’t he?

I don’t trust big, fat men with small beady eyes, said Cath.

He’s huge, isn’t he? whispered Irene. Why! He must weigh over 110 kilos!

And what a red face he has! said another girl. And look how he keeps mopping his face all the time. He looks as if he’s got something to hide.

Anyway, he looks dangerous to me, said Helen, with conviction.

The Principal approached. What’s all the whispering going on? she demanded.

Oh, er, nothing Miss Schmidt, answered Helen. We, er, were just talking about the twins’ canoe trip over the holidays.

And they’ve even got aqualungs and spear guns, added Cath.

Lucky girls, said Miss Schmidt, and her usually stern face relaxed in a smile. I wish I were going with you.

The girls giggled to themselves. The twins wondered how she would fare climbing coconut trees, or handling an outrigger. Somehow they could not picture their teacher doing any of these things.

Just think of all that luscious tropical fruit – bananas, pineapples, mangoes, sighed Helen.

Everyone laughed.

Shush, girls, said the Miss Schmidt, the prize-giving is about to begin.

For the next 30 minutes there was a polite silence, broken only by the Principal’s speech and the intermittent hand-clapping as the girls trooped up to receive their prizes.

Mr. Karachek’s eyes fastened thoughtfully on the twins..

During the ceremony, Mr. Karachek’s eyes fastened thoughtfully on the twins. Helen, with her imaginative mind working overtime, wondered why the fat man with the red face should be watching the twins so intently. She resolved to mention it to them after the prize-giving. Perhaps there’s a mystery somewhere.

The handclapping came to an end. Mr. Karachek walked over to where the twins were standing with their friends. Tell me, he began, where are you going on your canoe trip?

Helen tried to catch the twins’ eyes in silent warning. But she was too late.

Well, Ngaire began, slowly, there are a lot of places we could go, but we have decided on an island a fair way from the patrol post. It’s called ‘Usaka Island’ and it’s surrounded by the most fabulous reefs.

Nia took up the story. And on the island itself there is the most wonderful animal and plant life. We both want to be naturalists when we grow up, so we thought we would do a fair bit of exploring while we are on holidays.

I see, mused the fat man. Usaka Island, eh?

Helen watched him closely. She thought he seemed to pale a little at the twins’ words and she wondered if anyone else had noticed it. Apparently no one had. Then Mr. Curtis said, I wish I were going, too, but I have to stay at the patrol post and run things there.

The fat man did not seem to hear what Mr. Curtis had said. Abruptly he continued, When are you leaving for New Guinea?

"We’re flying by ‘Air Nui Gini’ at 2.30 in the morning, so we should be in Lae about 9.30. Then we catch a Cessna to Finschhafen and