Plodfoot leaned back in his chair, smiling to himself. Six months had passed since his promotion to sheriff; there were no outstanding crimes, the new constable George Cacher (known to everyone as Geo) had settled in nicely, and his nemesis, the bushranger, had vanished from Middle Sea County. Life was good, until now...
"Sheriff, the train's been stolen!"
Plodfoot looked up to see the ruddy-faced station master jumping up and down at the door. "Tell me what happened."
"It was the bushranger. He dropped a tree across the tracks, forced everyone off at gunpoint and stole the train."
"You mean robbed it?"
"No, he stole it, drove it away up one of those disused sidings into the mountains."
"But surely you could just follow the track, couldn't you?"
"Not through that country you don't, not with armed bushrangers taking pot shots at you."
"Oh, I see."
"He left this parchment behind but I can't make any sense of it."
"Show me."
Plodfoot scratched his head. "If I'm not mistaken, the one on the left is that overarching Chinaman Koo Lee Wong. An upright chap but thought to steal; I'm told he makes a tidy sum."
"Let me see it," Constable Cacher said, joining them. "I know the middle one - it's the place by the river where hawks are buried. Coloured lanterns mark the spot."
"And the last one is that nocturnal temptress Wanda Byne," the station master said, blushing.
"She makes an even tidier sum according to the lowdown in Mark's survey," Cacher said.
Plodfoot stepped over to the map on the wall. "Cacher, I want you to visit them all and see what you can find, but go to Wanda last as I have a feeling the stash is close to her abode. Once there, follow the track up into the forest before going bush here." He pushed in a thumbtack to mark the spot. "The scrub's pretty thick but the rocky outcrops along the ridge will make it a bit easier for you."
Cacher grabbed his hat. "I'll get him, sir, if it's the last thing I do."
"Find that train, Geo, but if you see the bushranger don't engage him. Leave that evil bastard to me."
Footnotes: Print out the clue sheet and check the train timetables before you leave as there's no mobile reception at WP3. All-stations trains are roughly hourly off-peak and half-hourly during the weekday peak times. For WP3, make sure to advise the guard that you're alighting at Wanda's and travel in the back of the rear carriage. If you want to use the checker before going bush, you should be able to get a mobile signal at the point where you leave the walking track. Alternatively, there's now wifi available at the station.
The cache is well back from the cliff edge, with no need for any heroic climbing.
Congratulations to Lavinian, the first to find the train!
