FOR THE CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 144, 19 June 1926, Page 26

FOR THE CHILDREN.

AN AFTERNOON'S ADVENTURE.

(By R.F.C.)

At last they had started. What a relief! The four hundred cases of export apples had been picked, sorted, graded, packed, nailed, wired and labelled; and were now loaded on the lorry ready to be taken to the coolstore, some miles away. Parents and children had laboured for over a week from dawn till after dark, to get these apples into the coolstore in time for the Home boat, and they had finished them—at last! The parents went indoors to rest and regain some of their lost sleep, and the four children had their reward by being allowed to spend the afternoon at the Waimea River, bathing. i A whole afternoon to themselves, in which to do what they liked. This was a reward indeed and they prepared to enjoy it with light and happy hearts. This Easter-time holiday afternoon was gloriously hot and sunny, and they too, were hot, when they reached the Waimea Bridge where they left their bicycles. To lose no time in reaching the special swimming place they had decided on, which they called the "Scout's Hole," they cut across the river-lside paddocks, risking, in doing so. meeting the cattle often grazing there. "I'll race you across the Scout's Hole, anyway," said the youngest one, Fred, to his sister, a year and a half older than himself. Marie looked doubtful. "Let's each try it first; it's rather wider than I thought it was," she said. "Right-o, here goes; I'm going first." And he slid off tiie bank into the water. "Go on, Marie," said her two elder brothers. "If Fred can you ought to be able to; you said you could swim better than he could. Now _ your chance to prove it." Still Marie hesitated. Common sense told her not to try, but fearing to appear cowardly, she made up her mind to do it. "Well, you two come with mc in case I can't," she said, seeing that Fred had reached the other side (and let them know it too. I She started off at a fine pace, but very soon got tired, and turned over on her back. When she turned over again, the bank that she was aiming for was further away than she had expected it to be, and her arms began to ache. "Help mc, Terry, quick!" she cried frantically. Terry and Tod hurried to her rescue. Just as they reached her, she disappeared under the water. To her it felt as if a beautifully soft wave passed over her face, aud that was all. But to her brothers' anxious eyes, she was ashen pale, with her head thrown back, and a frightened look in ■ her eyes. When she rose to the surface again the boys caught her under each arm and swam for the bank as quickly as they could with their burden. ■ It seemed miles. . Marie was fully conscious now, and quite aware, of her failure too. "You've beaten mc. Fred, beaten mc hollow" she said, laughingly. "Never mind that, Marie; I'm glad you're safe," said Fred, relieved to see her laugh. "Well I don't think I'll swim back, but you boys had better get all the swim in you can, and I'll walk round down there where it's shallow. Go on Terry, don't look so sad.'' "Gorry, you frightened us, Marie," said Tod as he dived in again. Terry soon followed him, and all was jolly again. After they had had all the swim that they wanted, they dressed themselves and ate some apples, which they had taken with them. Then Fred and Marie went round the shallow part again, where the river separated and flowed out of the deep channel, where they had been bathing, over the stones, making the course wide and shallow. Here they crossed to the opposite side to have a look at the place where the Sea Scouts had had their annual camp, about a week before. As they crossed they noticed the water suddenly lurch against a log lying on the stones, just as if the river was tidal.

However, they didn't take much notice of that —thought it must be the wind or something. But they found their mistake, when, about half an hour later, having explored the camping grounds to their hearts' content, they went to cross back again. To their amazement, instead of being shallow and rippling, the crossing place was a swirling mass of*muddy water, quite a foot deeper than before—above their knees—wnat were they to do? They gripped each other by the hand and looked across at the deep, now muddy pool, where they had been swimming "not more than an hour ago. The roar of the angry waters was deafening. "What shall we do?" they yelled to Terry and Tod on the other side. "Try and cross there, and we'll come and meet you," they yelled back. Marie and Fred ran to do as they were told, dragging off their shoes as they went. Then —oh, horrors I —when they were nearly across Marie dropped a shoe into the water. She turned and saw it floating down with the current, and in. a few minutes it would have been carried away out of sight. Suddenly, she let go her dress and darted after it; her only thought was to regain that shoe! She was nearer to it already— nearer —ah-h—she grabbed it, and held it tight. She stopped, and felt the current, which was becoming stronger every minute, sweeping the stones from under her feet, and ehe plunged towards the bank, about a yard away. How she did it she never knew, but in another minute she was running over the stones to her brothers. It was some way down the river before they could cross the second branch, but they did it, somehow. It was not three o'clock yet, but they thought they must return, as the river was etill rising, and it was possible that it would flood the road, over which they had to pass. Marie's dress was dripping I wet, but that was of no account, so they gathered up their belongings and started homeward. The Waimea Bridge was about a mile up the river, and they knew that they j were more likely now to meet the cattle. And so they did; for on turning a sharp corner, they came face to face with a fierce-looking bull! There were some cows standing near him, and ac he saw the four children, who had stopped short, he tossed his shaggy head and took a step towards them. The children turned and ran; not far away was a hawthorn hedge with myriads of small thin willows growing with it; through this they scrambled, tearing clothes and flesh in the process. They were safe, and that was the chief thing. Often they had heard of people being* gored to death, and so they did the wisest thing. . Now they found themselves in a wide stubble field, and the way was clear. No one was- in siglit, but in the distance they could hear the hum of the chaff cutting- machine. On they ran. jumping ditches, climbing fences, and scrambling through buehes until they reached the road and the bridge. They didn't .meet any other vehicles, than the old metal cart, for being so dirty and untidy they took the sidexoads home. "We were silly!" exclaimed Tod suddenly. "Didn't you hear Mr. Long say to Dad this morningj that it had been teejning with- ra,in up. in the ; Wai-iti Valley last night?" > "Oh, yes;' and that's : why-;thc flood came dowji. so suddenly. Gee, I- never thought .$£ that!•*'- said Terry." "Yes. ;&hd -we saw the storm'fcTbude over there last night, and wondered why they didn't come here." said Marie. "So we didi" said Fred. And they all laughed.