I keep this in mind when I look at the map of the bore and start to recognise the features. Match them up to what me seeing. A circle mean the entrance to a shaft. A square is where the water come out to be collected. A circle with the X on it is a dead end, a good place to hide things.

I discover the bore is bout two and a half miles long when, one day, I manage to leave the other convicts behind, make it all the way to end. When I get there, I can’t believe me eyes. The water coming from a huge open swamp, no guards stationed anywhere, and everywhere I look is bush, bush and more bush. Lachlan Swamps, backra call it. Is a good place to get lost in.

After we been working on the bore for a few weeks, one of the men fall sick. Him no longer able to work down there so the overseer need to assign a new man. It turn out to be Richard Holt. At first having him round make me edgy with him surly ways, but he turn out to be a good worker. Strong, tough, don’t seem to mind tight spaces. In the barracks he carve out a place of silence so nobody bother him. Is something I understand and come to respect. So it surprise me when he pull me aside when we down in the bore, while the other convicts working up ahead.

‘What you up to, Buchanan?’ Holt ask.

‘What you mean?’

‘Don’t act the fool. I’ve seen what you’re up to.’

I try to walk away, but him grab onto me arm. I feel the strength behind his grasp.

‘See the guards up top. You. Me. We not going anywhere.’

Holt look at me hard like the way Calla used to, and I see danger behind him eyes.

‘Tell me bout the map.’

I say nothing. Try to hide the fact that me surprised.

‘The map you copy and hide.’

I still say nothing. Me mind working fast. What if him or another convict saw me roll it up, hide it in one of the dead-end corners.

‘The one you been putting marks on,’ and him move in close, tower over me. ‘The one you and Smith going use to escape.’

I shove him out of the way. Stand me ground. Say something I know he not going like. ‘So, you been spying on us. Spying for backra.’

Holt just chuckle. See the play of it. Then him move quick as lightning. Pin me up against the wall, him arm cross me chest. Grab me by the neck with the other. ‘I can kill you right here. Pretend like it’s an accident.’ And to prove it, him squeeze me throat till I start to choke.

‘Let me loose,’ I gasp. ‘And we going talk.’