Chapter 24: Chapter 24

The next thing had to do urgently was to go and see the Taylors, well, Amy at least. He

didn't want her to hear the story from anyone else.

Gabriel was barely a block away from the police station and heading home towards

the boarding house when he sensed that he was being followed.

The afternoon was waning and the street seemed quieter than usual as the constant

flow of traffic began to cease. Fewer heavy draught horses than usual were clopping

along with jingling harness hauling drays and lorries. The shouts of the carters as

they jockeyed for position at the warehouse doors seemed muted; the roars of

encouragement as they backed their teams up with cracking whips to the loading

entrances of the warehouses were less raucous than usual

Christmas was still three days away but the town seemed eager to begin the

celebrations after a hard year.

Many of the carters who had already delivered their loads had not sought other jobs.

Their horses were already stabled and they had gone off to celebrate the approach of

Christmas, so there were more patrons in the hotels than was usual at that hour.

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As he passed the doors and open windows the noise of loud conversation and calling

out would rise to a crescendo and die away again from his hearing as he walked on.

Those inside seemed comfortable and though a few people went in none came out.

Other, more sober souls, like himself, were going home, but there were no drunk

people staggering out of the hotels; it was a too early for drunks to be thrown out

because they had spent all their money and closing time would not be for hours yet.

Later when time and money had cut out they would have to waver home to nearby

boarding houses or cottages and face their irritated spouses.

Between hotels and warehouses the street was quiet and the footsteps of a few

pedestrians echoed clearly against the bluestone and brick walls of the buildings.

After working hours it was a quiet, respectable neighbourhood for people who

laboured in the offices and factories close by and lived in the cheap boarding houses

and residential hotels that were plentiful at the western end of town.

Many had finished early because of the pull of Christmas slowing down trade like a

falling tide.

He turned several times to see if there really was someone following behind. When he

did so people walking nearby stared back but by no means could he believe that any

of them cared about his movements. Perhaps a plain clothes policeman had been

ordered to follow him in case he was going to meet Benno. He shrugged that thought

off. The sergeant who took down his words knew that he never, ever wanted to meet

that man again.

He was soon at Mrs Byer's house and went in, but not before looking up and down the

street, still with the uneasy feeling that some unseen person was following.

One or two of Mrs Byer's boarders edged past and went inside as he stood in the door.

He nodded, recognising them vaguely, but was sure that none would have any interest

in following him anywhere.

He went up to the Taylor's room, but was told by a servant that they were in the

common room with a guest.

As he entered Amy rose and flashed at him one of her smiles. His breath was

constricted for a moment but he managed to smile back. There was no kiss this time.

After a long, heated argument with her mother she had promised not to kiss him

again, at least not in public. Queen Victoria was still on the throne and it was

improper for unmarried couples to kiss in the presence of others. If they were

engaged a kiss on the cheek was permissible, and that was quite enough.

As soon as could take his eyes off Amy he saw the guest they were entertaining, It was

an old friend.

''Sir Thomas,'' he cried. This was the man he had last seen wearing an all white suit.

The one who owned the ship and saved Gabriel frolm being sent back in disgrace to

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third class, where he belonged.

''Hello Gabriel,'' he said. ''I knew if I found the Taylors I'd find you. You wouldn't have

let Amy go that easily,

''Actually she found me, In the middle of a crowd in Bourke Street.''

''Well done Amy. He wasn't going to escape just because he was hiding in the middle

of a crowd, was he.''

''I think we have discussed the matter quite enough,'' said Mrs Taylor.’Amy was

brought up to be a lady. She would never dream of searching for a young man in a

crowd of people in a busy street’.

There were several witnesses in the room who knew Amy had done exactly

that but said nothing. They didn't want to stir up an argument with Mrs Taylor.

Sir Thomas thought it time to change the subject, ''I was about to tell how I found

where you were staying, it was simple. I was walking along Swanston, opposite Saint

Paul's Church when I saw a display of bibles in a shop window. It was a religious tract

society, and I thought Alfred may have called in on them already, perhaps he had a

letter of introduction.''

"Well, I did!'' cried Mr Taylor. Did you meet the Reverend Mr Wade? We're great

friends now, he is a true believer in what is revealed in the bible.''

''Yes, he holds you in high estimation, and as well he told me where you were living.

Now Gabriel. I have to congratulate you. Amy has been saying wonderful things about

the business you're running now. Tell us about it.''

''Well sir, I'm glad she gave you such a good report, but I got into an awful scrape

today.'' He told them of Benno smashing the music shop windows, and how Mr

Gladman had accused him of inciting Benno to the attack. He told them of the scene

outside Mr Gladman's shop, of the fight in the police station and how Benno had made

his escape

''Oh, you poor thing,'' said Amy. ''I wish I'd been there, I would have given them a

piece of my mind.''

Sir Thomas seemed amused. ''I wish I'd been there too, I would have enjoyed that,

especially the brawl in the police station,I haven't seen a decent brawl in years, not

since I was last in Hong Kong.

Mrs Taylor was wondering if they should drop their acquaintance with Sir Thomas

Black He would encourage criminal behaviour by regarding it as amusing, and he

could well have a bad influence on Mr Fox.

They all stopped talking because of the noise of an argument on the stairs near the

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common room. Such things happened from time to time but Mrs Byers was there and

they could hear her raised voice remonstrating sternly with some unknown person.

The listeners paid little attention to what was going on. Mrs Byers was equal to any

situation involving troublesome lodgers. She put them down promptly but this time

the altercation, now in the passage, was not easily resolved. Her pained voice was

heard getting louder as she cross examined some unseen person, but the replies were

unheard. A very brisk double rap on their door followed. It was opened to reveal Mrs

Byers who stood outside with an appearance of suspicion and concern.

"Mr Fox," she said accusingly. "I have just met an individual on my stairs who claims

he was looking for you but did not know what room you were in. Perhaps you could

reassure me that he is a friend of yours as he claims."

Benno was outside the door with her, his hat pulled well down over his eyes, which

were badly bloodshot, and with his coat collar turned up. He appeared to have

difficulty in standing upright even though his back was against the wall opposite. It

was not surprising Mrs Byers had challenged him on the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Byers," Gabriel said, and would have ground his teeth with rage if he

had been a more demonstrative person.

"That's 'im," said Benno, brightening up at the sight of his friend. "I told you he was

me mate, missus, but you wouldn't believe me. 'Ow,s it goin' Gabby?" he enquired

cheerfully, "Haven't seen you for a while." He screwed up his face and winked to

indicate this was to put Mrs Byers off the scent in case she had heard of the events of

the afternoon."

Mrs Byers noticed both the grimace and the wink. She said, in a frosty tone. "You

understand, Mr Fox, it is my duty to keep my lodgers from being molested by persons

wandering in off the street. My boarding house has always been noted for its

quietness and respectability, and I am sure you will agree with my desire not to admit

undesirable visitors. Mr and Mrs Taylor came with the highest references and have

been model lodgers in the few weeks they have been in my house. It would be a

matter of great regret if we had to part company through any complaints from other

lodgers."

"He's not a friend of mine, Mrs Byers, and he won't be here long, and he won't be back

again. You need not worry, he can come in for a few minutes and then I will see him

safely downstairs and out into the street."

Mrs Byers nodded, sniffed, and turned away She was a small woman, but formidable,

and walked quickly down the stairs absentmindedly rubbing the stair rail with a

polishing rag as she went.

Fox grabbed Benno by the arm and hauled him into the room just as the sound of the

dressing gong echoed through the house. "What the hell are you playing at?" He

demanded fiercely. "Haven't you done enough for one day what with smashing

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Gladman's window and getting me into trouble with the police?"

"Gimme a drink," demanded Benno. "I haven't had a drop all day." He slumped into

an armchair and seemed to be about to go to sleep.

He was shaken awake. "You can't sleep here, what do you want?"

Benno leered up at him. "I'm dead sick of being sober; I want a drink. There's Amy,

she's a mate of mine; she'll get me a drink."

"You've been drinking all day," said Fox "Look at you!" He indicated Benno's

bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and air of collapse as he lay awkwardly in the chair.

"Not a drop," was the indignant response. "All I've had was a bit of medicine to keep

me goin'. You don't know how crook I been and I got some of Doctor Smith's Miracle

Cure and its fixed me up a treat. I wouldn't have been able to get through the day

without it. You'n Amy can have a swig if you like. There's some left in the bottle and

it'll make you feel better."

With uncertain fingers he groped in his pocket and at last pulled out a half emptied

bottle of the colonial elixir. It was about to smash on the floor when Fox took it away.

"How many did you buy?" asked Fox, sniffing distastefully at the bottle he held in his

hand.

"Five," answered Benno after struggling with memory for a minute, "and that's the

last one. You'll have to give me money for more. I'm not cured yet."

"Tip this out," ordered Fox, handing the bottle to Mrs Taylor, who looked as though

she was being ordered to dispose of a snake.

''I'll do it,'' said Amy, and took the bottle from her mother's cringing hand. I'll take it

down to the kitchen and get rid of it.''

If Mrs Byers is not around ask the girls for a cup of coffee. Hot and strong and maybe a

bit of sugar.''

''Oh, that's alright, Mrs Byers likes me. She'll give me coffee if I ask for it.''

Gabriel looked down on the afflicted man. "He'll poison himself if he keeps on

drinking the stuff. Five bottles at 1/6 that's, seven and sixpence,.half a day's wages

thrown away on this dangerous rubbish. It's no wonder you broke Gladman's

windows. You were mad drunk; don't you realise it must be stronger than rum?

''I like Melbourne,'' said Sir Thomas cheerfully. ''There's always something happening

here. This has made my evening, and it's not over yet. I know exactly what we can do

with your friend and at the same time save our friends from having to look for new

lodgings.

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's good stuff. It's gunna restore me to health; Gabbby, y'say it's gunna kill me. Well, so

do the hospitals. They'll kill you off quicker than Doctor Smith's medicine's gunna

do."

''Shut your mouth, my man!'' said Sir Thomas. I've been dealing with drunken sailors

all me working life.and I'm treating you as just another one only this time it's a bit

more complicated. I've never had a tough boarding housekeeper'' standing over me

before.''

''We're not going to leave him here,'' said Sir Thomas. ''If Mrs Byers finds that he

spent the night in her house she'll ask you to leave tomorrow morning

Benno was sprawled even lower in the arm chair and now lay with his head tilted

uncomfortably over the back of the chair and his mouth open. He was starting to

snore very loudly when they shook him awake."Come on, you can't sleep here."

"Gotta sleep somewhere. They chucked me stuff out of me room on to the footpath

and changed the locks," he mumbled. "They said I haven't been payin' the rent. Now I

got nowhere to go. You and Amy'll have to take me in an' I'll get another place in the

mornin', if the traps don't catch me first."

Gabriel could imagine that Benno would be thrown out again in the morning if he was

found on the premises by Mrs Byers, and they would go with him. The landlady would

not have a low, wharf labouring type character like Benno in her house no matter

what the circumstances, nor would she listen kindly to any excuses Fox might dream

up.

When Amy returned with a cup of coffee the dinner gong had sounded and they could

hear doors opening and shutting and footsteps on the stairs as the lodgers went down

to the dining room.

Holding the coffee under Benno's nose had no effect. He was now snoring loudly and

Gabriel was glad their neighbours had gone to eat else they would have been tapping

on the door and complaining of the noise.

They got the coffee into him after a while in spite of his grimaces and complaints.

"You're not staying here; don't think that!'' Said Sir Thomas We're going now

to the sixpenny rooms and you can just sleep off your medicine, and don't come back

tomorrow. we'll come round and see you. What time do they turn you out in the

morning?"

"Ar pas' seven, Gabby, and y' can't do this t'me. I thought you was me mate. Why can't

I sleep here? I can doss down on the floor and I won't be a nuisance to anyone. Jus'

gimme a go will ya? I don' wanna sleep in the sixpenny place; they turn you out in the

morning without no breakfast."

"I'll give you money for breakfast but I won't give you a penny tonight because you'll

go straight down to the pubs with it, and you won't get any if you come here for it, not

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a penny. I don't want to see you anywhere near here again."

''What's the sixpenny place?'' asked Amy.'' It sounds very cheap, is it nice?'

''No it's not my girl. And you can't come with us three because it's for men only. When

your father loses all his money and can't borrow from anyone you and your mother

will have to go to the women's sixpenny. I won't be here but I'm sure Gabriel will give

you six pence each every night so you don't have to sleep on the streets.''

''You're horrible, I hope your ship sinks and you have to sail home on a raft.''

''Amy, '' cried her mother, ''What a dreadful thing to say, now apologise to Sir Thomas

immediately.''

''It''s alright Ivy, Amy and I understand each other.I'll get my own back one of these

days.

''What form will your revenge take?''asked.Gabriel.

Sir Thomas said, ''I was thinking of kidnapping the girl, taking her on a ship, and when

it sank, and we we were on the raft together I would cut down her rations of food and

water until she begged for mercy.

''Well, you'd better not fall asleep. The moment you start snoring I'll roll you off the

edge of the raft, and leave you to the sharks.''

''This conversation is most unseemly,'' said Mrs Taylor. We do not want hear about

possible criminal acts being discussed so lightly.When the men go, Amy, we, and your

father will have a little talk about the duties of a lady in society.''

''Amy pulled a face at Gabriel. She knew very well who would do most of the talking

for the next half hour or so.

In spite of Benno's bitter complaints and pleas for mercy on account of it being

Christmas they got him out of the chair and with an arm each over their shoulders

they proceeded clumsily down the stairs. Their progress was enlivened by Benno's

loud conversation and complaints as they attempted to sneak quietly by the dining

room door. Benno wanted to go in and have a confrontation with Mrs Byers but they

got past safely and no one challenged them.

The sixpenny doss-house was not far from their lodgings. ''We'll make him walk the

rest of the way,''said Sir Thomas. 'Exercise is better for him than hanging on to us,

besides, he pongs a bit, doesn't he?''

''How did you find this place?'' asked Gabriel.

''Walking, As an officer on a ship I don't get much exercise so when I'm ashore I like to

get around and see as much as possible. So far I've seen a kangaroo and a platypus.

And I've been to a corroboree. I must tell you that the best way to learn about a city is

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to walk the streets and talk to the people. That's how I found the doss house. It's in

King Street, between Little Collins and Bourke, I was passing so I stuck my head in the

door and had a good look around''

They made Benno walk ahead, not wanting to be seen in the company of a

staggering, inebriated wharf labourer who shouted abuse over his shoulder

now and again followed by pleas and invitations to come into the next pub

and have a drink. They kept a strict distance behind him. Apart from any

other consideration th separation might give them time to disappear if

Benno was accosted by an alert policeman.

Gabriel knew they had arrived when a shabby man in the remains of a military

red coat with the frogs torn or missing asked for a shilling, enough to buy him a bed

for the night and breakfast in the morning.

Sir Thomas gave the the man his shilling, and received a smart military salute in

return. The man shuffled off at once, not to the lodging house but down the street

towards the nearest hotel.