Scott Comes Back.
by Peter Clarke
One day Tom announced that Scott would be there soon and would swap with Tom, who would go back to their Melbourne property over winter. Scott would take his place for a few months. Many of the miners had gone back to Melbourne, believing the days too short and too cold to make for effective digging. It was only those who had nowhere else to go, or were zealous about working claims in spite of the miserable conditions, who stayed. William didn’t know how Scott’s being there would affect him or his job, nor did he know how to ask Tom. He decided he’d just have to wait and see.
Scott didn’t come until a few weeks later. It was an awkward goodbye with Tom. They’d been together for several months and there was no doubt that Tom would be back, so it wasn’t really goodbye forever, like William had done before. Still, William was more worried about saying welcome to Scott than he was saying goodbye to Tom.
He needn’t have worried. Scott was clearly looking forward to his time in the goldfields and threw himself into the shop, the cards and the prospecting. Some of the card players had already gone back to Melbourne, so there were fewer players, but no less fun. The days were shorter and much colder, but it didn’t stop Scott taking time off to prospect. They’d often borrow horses from Joe to speed things up. Joe obviously liked Scott and would often come around for supper or a whisky. He never argued about minding the store, or lending Scott the horses. After a few weeks, William decided that Scott was as good a companion as Tom, if not better. He wasn’t as good at finding the gold but riding the horses made the task much easier, and William loved the animals. William was stiff and sore at first but, under Scott’s direction, he quickly improved as a horseman.
It surprised William that the store continued to thrive despite the fact that so many of the diggers had gone to Melbourne for the winter.
“Always be grateful for the hardy souls,” Scott had said once. “We’d be lost without them.”
They were sitting in front of the fire one night after a long, hard day in the store, enjoying a whisky and companionable silence. Scott had fashioned some comfortable chairs from wood and canvas and they would sit in them most evenings. The wind howled outside and the canvas tent flapped and groaned, making conversation difficult. The pipe was a regular companion now and it would usually come out after supper. Scott had one too, and smoking was normally at his suggestion. He would fetch one of the good brands of tobacco from the shelves. He was more prone than Tom to using the store’s merchandise.
“Storm’s bad,” said Scott, speaking louder than usual to be heard over the storm.
“I think there might be some rain in the wind.”
“Might be snow later, too. Feels about right for it.”
Scott leant back in his chair, then turned it sideways so he looked directly at William.
“So, what do you think, Bill? Do you like it here?”
William was surprised at the question and unsure how to answer.
Scott laughed.
“All right. I should have given you some warning, I suppose. It’s nearly time for me to go back to Melbourne. I’ll only be here another month or so. I thought I’d ask how it’s going. You’ve been here about six months. Probably more. We agreed you’d stay for a month or two and we’re long past that. Have you made any plans?”
William was still silent. It wasn’t the question. He just hadn’t thought about it.
No harm in telling Scott.
“I haven’t thought about it. I like it here. I think I work well with Tom. I hope I work well with you.”
“You were keen to dig for gold once. There’ll be men returning from Melbourne soon who’ll want a fresh start, some local knowledge and a good, strong pair of hands to help. I thought you might be keen to talk to them. I know they’ll be keen to talk to you.”
“You’re talking like you have someone in mind.”
“I do. Several of the fellers have asked me about it.”
“Why’d they ask you?”
“They know you work with us. Wanted to be sure I was all right with it. They know good people are hard to find.”
“What did you say?”
“I said Bill’s his own man – whatever he does it all right with me.”
William was embarrassed. No one had ever said such a thing to him. Scott topped up his whisky. How his life had changed. Here he was talking about his future with a man that he didn’t know until just a few months ago, in a country he knew nothing about a year ago.
“Think on it, Bill. Tom and I would like you to stay on. You work well with both of us. The store is easier to manage with two and your company makes it easier to pass the time. We all have to make our way in this world. You have to do what you think best and like I said, whatever you choose is right with me and with Tom.”
William just nodded his agreement. He didn’t trust himself to speak, feeling overwhelmed by Scott’s kind words and friendship.
The wind continued to howl outside, bashing the canvas, straining the ropes and poles.