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 have the basis of actual experience.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Feb 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479793655

Jocelyn Price

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 being mislaid in a freezing Russian winter. Jocelyn writes across varied genres- stories for children, romantic stories set in outback Australia, and non fiction.

Book preview

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!

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"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.

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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 from there we transfer to a patrol boat. We should be home by about 10.30 that night.

For a moment Mr. Karachek seemed to be deep in thought. He made as if to say something and then changed his mind. Is there a telephone nearby I could use? he asked.

Oh, yes, sir, said Nia politely. There’s one just round the corner, but you’ll have to be quick, because everyone will be using it shortly, because it’s the last day of term, you see.

Thank you, boomed the fat man and strode off.

Now, what do you make of that? cried Helen. He certainly seemed a bit nosey to me. And I didn’t like the way he rattled off those questions to the twins. I’d beware of him if I were you.

Always on the lookout for a mystery, Helen, laughed Mr. Curtis. Mr. Karachek appears quite harmless to me; just another journalist in search of a story. Mr. Curtis continued, Now, Helen, would you think it very mysterious of me if I gave you some money and suggested you buy yourself and all of your friends some ice-cream?

Oh, no, Mr. Curtis, that would be just the shot!

Well, here you are, he said, giving Helen a handful of money. Don’t be too long now, as we’ll have to be off soon.

Yes, said Mrs. Curtis, and the twins have to finish their packing.

Oh, Mum, cried Nia, we thought that maybe you would finish it for us.

Not likely, she laughed.

Mrs. Curtis turned to her husband and said, I think a nice cup of tea would be very welcome now, don’t you? She looked around and continued, Where is Mr. Karachek? He said he would come and have afternoon tea with us.

He’s probably on the scent of another story, laughed Mr. Curtis. Come on, Nancy, that tea sounds too good to miss.

Mr. Karachek joined them a short while later in