Elly, a part indigenous 13 year old girl, steps into the black tracker role when her father, Digger, a successful tracker, is away on the long paddock with a mob of cattle.
A seven year old girl has wondered from a picnic party and forty men and women have had no success in finding her.
The night was cold and she in light swimming togs, they turn to Digger for help.
Elly explains her father is away with the cattle and offers to help.
She is her father’s daughter and Dad has taught her “the bush”.
Concern from the picnic party that Elly, so young is of use and might get lost herself. She is just a girl!
She joins the search and soon picks up the tracks of the lost child.
Moving fast she is soon alone. She has to reach the child by nightfall knowing dingos, wild dogs, snakes and the cold might win the race.
The child is found late afternoon, in a bad state. Little bare feet bloody and torn. Insect bites, sunburnt and fearful of her saviour.
They find the creek on nightfall. Elly makes a leaf bed, has fire going, boils water for tea and eucalyptus leaves for oil and rubs child’s feet to sooth pain and keep the many mozzies at bay.
They talk of life in a small country town. Child’s fear becomes infatuation. Sleep
Day break sees Elly light a green fire for a smoke signal. They push on and are found exhausted early afternoon.
Congratulations with respect to Elly. Child searches out Elly in crowd and holds up feet. Elly smiles and give a thumbs up.
Elly driven home. She declines offered reward but will accept a kero fridge for mum. With an inscription!