Whitethorn by Bryce Courtenay Page A

I’d call her name and put two fingers between my lips and whistle. She’d bark with excitement when she heard me coming. This time I called and whistled but nothing. ‘Tinker! Tinker!’ I called again and let go another piercing whistle. Still nothing happened. My heart started to thump in my chest and I scratched my arm quite badly on a whitethorn bush in my haste to get to the big rock, but I didn’t even feel it until after. I rushed around the big rock and there stood Fonnie du Preez and Pissy Vermaak. Fonnie cradled Tinker in his arms and I could see there was a rope around her neck, and he held it in his fist and was pulling slightly at the rope so that Tinker’s head was forced upwards. Tinker was whimpering and shivering with fright and she tried to struggle free when she saw me, but Fonnie was too strong.
    â€˜This your dog, Voetsek ?’
    I nodded, too overwhelmed for words.
    Fonnie laughed. ‘Not any more, man, we going to kill it stone dead, you hear?’
    Pissy grinned. ‘I told you I’d get my own back,’ he said triumphantly.
    I felt the tears well up but I knew that crying wasn’t going to help. I knuckled them back, still unable to speak.
    â€˜Please, Sir . . .’ came out in a whisper because my throat and chest were filled up with a hurt so terrible I thought I was going to split wide open.
    â€˜Watch,’ Fonnie said. He released his arms around Tinker and held onto the rope so that she dangled from his arm, the rope pulling tight like a noose, her back legs kicking and her eyes filled with fear as she yelped frantically.
    â€˜No!’ I screamed and flung myself at Fonnie’s feet and grabbed his ankles. ‘Please! Please don’t kill her, Fonnie!’ I pleaded, holding tightly onto his legs.
    â€˜What will you give me if I don’t?’ he said, ignoring my tears. I could hear Tinker choking and whimpering above my head. I had nothing to give him, even my pencil box belonged to ‘Government Goods Department of Education’.
    â€˜Please, I’ll do anything you want,’ I sobbed, looking up at him through my tears.
    He put Tinker back into his arms, releasing the tension on the rope. ‘First you going to have to say you sorry for throwing Pissy with a stone so he got a fit and nearly died. It could have been murder, man!’ He looked at me sternly. ‘Then they’d put you in gaol and when you old enough hang you by the neck until you stone dead.’ He released his arms, Tinker fell and once again started to strangle in the noose.
    â€˜Sorry, Pissy! Please don’t, Fonnie!’ I cried, reaching out to grab Tinker. Fonnie pulled away and Tinker swung away from my grasp and let out a terrible cry.
    Fonnie grabbed her with his free hand and brought her back to his chest. ‘Throwing a stone at a person is a coward’s way, Voetsek .’ He paused. ‘But then you a rooinek , so what can you expect, you all cowards that murdered Boer women and children.’
    â€˜I didn’t throw him with a stone, I hit him,’ I sobbed, then turned to Pissy. ‘Sorry I hit you in your stomach and you had a fit.’
    Fonnie du Preez gave Pissy an incredulous look. ‘ He hit you ? The rooinek hit you?’
    â€˜No, Fonnie, he’s lying, man,’ Pissy said hastily. ‘Honest to God, he threw me with a stone, a big one.’ Pissy indicated his stomach. ‘It hit me right here so I got a fit.’
    â€˜Show me the mark, a big stone will leave a mark,’ Fonnie said.
    Pissy didn’t pull his shirt up. ‘It’s gone already, Fonnie. Mevrou put some muti on it.’
    â€˜You the one who’s lying now, you hear!’ Fonnie took a step towards Pissy who brought his hands up defensively to ward off the expected blow. Fonnie still held Tinker but he feinted with his left hand and Pissy reeled back. Fonnie took a second step and smacked Pissy with the