Jamie Brown Is NOT Rich Read Online Free PDF Page A

trousers.’
    He showed us his phone.

    The other Jeffersons gasped. So did I. How awesome was that phone?
    ‘You mean,’ the sniffy Jefferson said, ‘that our uniforms may become dirty or torn? What would Nanny say?’
    I laughed.
    ‘You have a nanny? Does she change your widdle nappy?’

    ‘No,’ he said, ‘Mother does that … I mean, did that. Grrrr. Let’s play this game. My clothes shall remain clean anyway. No one shall tackle me.’
    I laughed again. That sounded like a challenge! I was from the streets, and I was ready to get down and dirty, which meant Nanny would be busy. They all lined up. I stood 20 metres away.

    The Jeffersons ran. They seriously had spent too long playing games on their phones and toilets and had no idea how to dodge. I lined up Nanny’s boy Jefferson and took him down with a flying tackle.

    He squealed and took a while to get up. I was actually worried I’d hurt him. He stared at me. He stared at the grass stain on his trousers. He stared at me again. Suddenly, his face lit up in a grin.
    ‘ THAT … WAS … SUPERB!!! Righto, chaps, let’s have at it. RUN! ’
    He had the eye of the tiger. He was pumped. The others ran and we tackled a Jefferson each. I gave them some dodging lessons and we played some brilliant games.

    Then a shout cut us short.

    Yep. It was the nasty Jefferson, and his mates were right there with him.
    ‘What on earth are you chaps doing? Gosh, it looks rather like you are playing some sort of peasant game.’
    Nasty Jefferson seemed to be like the kingpin of the school. I noticed my new friends had gone quiet. Not me though. I grinned at him, my confidence returning after some street games.
    ‘Wanna play, Jefferson?’ I asked. ‘It’s good for what ails ya.’
    ‘Nothing ails me, peasant,’ he said.
    ‘Oh yeah? What about that carrot stuck up your butt?’

    The other kids who’d been playing Bulldogs laughed.
    ‘Haw haw haw.’
    Nasty Jefferson cut them off with a glare.
    ‘You chaps should know better than to fraternise with the help, and you should definitely know better than to guffaw at me. You know how powerful my father is.’
    He kept going.
    ‘Mr Farcelly shall hear of this. The only physical activities allowed are croquet, golf, and rowing, and then only under strict supervision.’
    I groaned and rolled my eyes.
    ‘Oh come on, Richie Rich, you aren’t seriously going to dob us in, are you?’
    ‘I most certainly am,’ he said. ‘Come on chaps, let us inform the Headmaster.’
    And off they went, stepping in time with each other like some big nasty sucky spider. I turned back to the others, expecting the worst but seeing …

    ‘Never fear, old chap,’ said Eye of the Tiger Jefferson. ‘We shall back you up. That was by far the most fun we have ever had at this dreary old school.’
    The others nodded and said, ‘Hear, hear.’ I don’t know why they said it twice, some sort of group stutter, I suppose. Still, I liked the support.
    ‘Thanks, Jefferson,’ I said.
    ‘Harmison,’ he said. ‘My name is Harmison.’
    I smiled at him. Harmison. I could remember that. He was my first real new friend, after all.

    NEW FRIEND NUMBER ONE!

    ‘JAMIE BROWN! Report to the office … NOW!’
    The loudspeaker wasn’t my friend. I sighed and trudged off, hoping I didn’t get lost.

CHAPTER 11

MR FARCELLY
    Mr Farcelly was the principal’s name. I wouldn’t forget it now. When he got angry, I noticed two things. First, he used his own name all the time. Second, two comb-over hairs would escape, and he had to keep on brushing them back into place.
    ‘Mr Farcelly is not happy with your first day, Jamie Brown,’ he said. ‘Mr Farcelly has better things to do. Mr Farcelly sees Jamie Brown’s uniform is a mess and has a hole in the knee.’

    Okay, I made that last one up, but you get the idea.
    ‘Look at Jamie Brown’s uniform. It’s disgraceful. Mr Farcelly thinks Jamie Brown should pick up rubbish in the yard during lunch