Farm Boy Read Online Free PDF Page A

came after all. I hoped she would. Whats she up to. And there was Mother walking round Harry Medlicotts tractor, having a good look. Then she was coming across the plough towards us.

     
    Farmer Northley says you got ten minutes til you start again she says. You all right. Hows the leg.
    Itll do Father says. Glad you came Maisie. Horses are ploughing well. They may be old but theyre as good as ever. And then I saw Father was limping as he walked away and Joey was nuzzling his neckhair like he did.
    At noon Farmer Northley waved his flag again.
    On you go Joey, Father calls out. Theres a good girl Zoey. And they took the strain and off they went up the field the plough cutting clean. I can mind how I stood there and watched him my heart full of pride for him and I breathed in the smell of the earth. Nothing like the smell of new turned earth. A cold metal smell it is, but clean and good like the first breath of life.

     
    Harry Medlicott was spitting on his hands and rubbing them. Still laughing and joking with his friends he was. He turned the starting handle over once twice three times.
    Nothing happened. He tried again again again. All it did was cough and splutter. Father had done a whole furrow by now and was turning. Still the tractor wasnt starting. Then all Harry Medlicotts friends were running over to give a hand pulling this pushing that and they was arguing too. There was lots of shaking heads and shouting going on. A little light of hope lit up inside me. I could hear Harry Medlicott shouting that they should get out of the way and stand back. He was hopping mad and I liked that. I liked that a lot. He spat on his hands and tried again. Didnt work. The Fordson wouldnt work, it wouldnt start. Someone else tried the handle then someone else. No one could start him up and Father had ploughed another furrow.
    A couple of hours later and the tractor engine was in bits and Harry Medlicott was bending over, his head inside the tractor his great fat bottom in the air and I was happy as a lark. Father was plodding on behind the horses and I was counting every furrow.

     
    He had done thirty five furrows by now but I could see he was tiring with every one. Mother and me stood side by side and cheered him at every turn till our throats were raw with it. I knew and she knew and everyone knew that maybe just maybe a miracle might happen. Father knew it too.
     
     
    He could see well enough for himself what was going on and he was giving Mother and me a bigger smile each time he came back towards us to turn. The sweat was pouring off him and I could see there was pain in his face now too. Time and again he staggered and stumbled to his knees. He had to call the horses to a stop and every time he fell he was slower getting to his feet again. He had done forty eight furrows by now as many as the tractor. All he had to do was keep going.
    We had almost forgotten about the tractor. We shouldnt have. I looked across the field. It was together again. Harry Medlicott was waving everyone back and spitting on his hands. He tried the handle. The beggar started first time. He clambered in and roared off up the field catching Father with every second. When he passed him a great groan went up from all over except for his little band of cronies but I tell you that groan werent nothing compared with the groan inside me. I was sick to my stomach. Harry Medlicott would win now. Nothing could stop him. We were done for and we all knew it.

     

     
    That was when Father went down on his knees in the middle of the field and couldn’t seem to get up. Mother ran to him and I went with her. He was looking up at her trying to catch his breath.
    Legs wont take me no further Maisie he says. And then his eyes were looking straight at me. You finish it for me says he. Let the horses do the work. You just keep em straight. You seen me doing it times havent you. You can do it.
    Thats how I found myself following the plough that afternoon behind Joey and