raua, ki a Hinerau hoki. Ko Miha anake e maharahara ana. Kei te haere te taima ki te iwa karaka, ka patai atu a Hinerau, ‘Ka pehea ta koutou mahi? Akuni koutou ka panaia.’ Ka nohopuku nga tama nei. Ko Peta ka ki, ‘Hei aha, kua ngenge noa iho au i tera mahi. E haere ana au ki te rapu mahi atu.’ ‘Me au. Pehea koe e Miha?’ Ko Whai e korero ana. ‘Aua, kare au e mohio me pehea. I haere mai au ki Poneke ki te mahi moni, kare hoki he mahi i te kainga. Engari e rua nga tau inaianei e mahi ana i konei engari kare tonu aku moni.’ ‘Ha ha, me pehea koe ka whiwhi moni? He pai rawa nga “sheilas” ki a koe.' Ka whakaoti atu a Peta, ‘Me te hoko pia. Ha ha.’ Ka ruru te mahuna o Miha. ‘Pai ke atu taku hoki ki te kainga, ki te awhina i taku koroua. Kare he painga ki konei.’ ‘E hoa. Maroke rawa te kainga inaianei. Pai ke atu a konei. Kore rawa au mo te hoki.’ ‘Ka pehea ta tatau mahi?’ ‘Hei aha. Ka nui nga mahi atu.’ Ka ki atu a Whai, ‘Ae, ka nui nga mahi i te “wharf”.' ‘E hoa he mahi taumaha rawa tena. Ka whati to tuara.’ Ko Peta e korero ana. Ka ki atu a Whai, ‘Kare, kei reira a Henare e mahi ana. I ki a ia, kia uaua mai, ka noho ratau kia mutu rawa te marangai.’ ‘Kati me haere tatau ki reira.’ Ka ki atu a Miha, ‘E haere korua; kare au mo te haere, e noho ana au ki konei.' ‘Mahi atu. Haere mai e Whai, me haere taua.’ Kare tonu e roa kua puta atu nga tokorua nei, kua haere atu ki te hopu i te pahi. Kua timata a Hinerau ki te horoi i nga taputapu. E noho tonu ana a Miha. Nawai ra, ka ki ia, ‘He aha o whakaaro e Hine, me pehea au?’ Kare a Hinerau e korero. E pai ana ki a ia ona whanaunga, engari ko Miha te tino tangata. Na tona tuakana tenei. Ko Whai raua ko Peta he whangai na tona tungane. He taitama pai ratau katoa, he tino hoa ki tana tane, he pai ki a raua tamariki. Engari kua ngenge noa iho ia ki o ratau mahi porangi. E toru nga Hatarei inaianei kua hoki mai ratau ko o ratau hoa me ta ratau kaho pia. He unu pia, he waiata te mahi, po atu, po mai, a, tae noa ki te Ratapu. Kare raua ko tana tane e pirangi korero atu, no te mea kei te pirangi raua ma ratau tonu ratau e whakatikatika. Although they had slept in and missed their bus to work, Whai and Peta were in high spirits, teasing each other and Hinerau. Only Miha seemed concerned. It was approaching nine o'clock when Hinerau asked, ‘What are you going to do about your jobs? You’ll probably get the sack.' The boys said nothing for a while, then Peta said, ‘What the heck, I’m sick of that job anyway. I think I'll go and find something else.' ‘Yeah, me too,’ said Whai. ‘What about you Miha?’ ‘I don’t know,' replied Miha. ‘I came to Wellington to work because there was no work at home, and I thought I was going to make a lot of money, but heck I’ve been here two years now and I still have no money.' ‘Ha ha, how can you expect to have any money. You like the sheilas too much,’ teased Peta. ‘And the beer,’ added Whai laughing. But Miha shook his head and said, ‘Maybe I should go home to give the old man a hand. I’m not much good here.' ‘Gwan man. It's pretty dead at home now. It's great here. I'll not go back home for anything,' said Peta. ‘But what about our jobs?’ emphasised Miha. ‘What about it,’ said Peta. ‘There's lot's of other jobs.' ‘There are plenty of jobs at the wharf,’ added Whai. ‘Those jobs are too heavy,’ said Peta. ‘You will break your back there.’ ‘No fear,’ argued Whai. ‘Henare works there, and he reckons that they sit down and do nothing when it just drizzles, and don’t start to work again until the rain stops.' ‘Eh, well okay then, let's go there,' said Peta. ‘You two can go there,’ said Miha. ‘I’m staying here.' ‘Please yourself,’ said Peta. ‘Come on Whai, let's go.' Shortly afterwards they disappeared down the road to catch a bus into town. Hinerau had started to wash the dishes, but Miha continued to sit where he was, wondering what he should do. Presently he asked, ‘What do you reckon. Hine? What do you think I should do?’ Hinerau did not reply immediately. She was fond of the boys, but Miha was her favourite. He seemed to be more responsible.