Mike Dixon

CHAPTER 37
Bogong moths
T
he roses needed pruning. Humphrey decided to
leave them alone. He had no confidence in his gardening
skills. Gardening didn‟t interest him and he was no
good at it. He‟d mowed the lawn and trimmed the edges.
He hoped that would create the right „first impressions‟
which the real estate agents had talked about. He was do-
ing some weeding when he heard a bicycle enter the yard.
A dark-skinned girl, wearing a university T-shirt, had
stopped and was staring at his bulky form, bent over in the
bushes.
„You‟ll be Humphrey. I recognised you at once.‟
He peered over his spectacles wondering if he should
know the young woman. She came closer and held out a
hand.
you.‟
„I‟m Rebecca. David sent me.‟
„David?‟
„That‟s right. David Paget. He asked me to come and see
A shiver ran down Humphrey‟s spine.
„David‟s had an accident. Didn‟t you know?‟
Humphrey nodded.
„He told me all about it,‟ she said.
Beads of perspiration ran down Humphrey‟s forehead.
His spectacles misted over and he removed them.
„We rescued David,‟ the girl explained. „We were camp-
ing on the beach when he was washed up …‟
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