SOME OF THE WINNERS' WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1927, Page 18

SOME OF THE WINNERS' WORK.

NO. 1 5 COMPETITION

IN SEARCH OF THE DOCTOR.

(First. Roma Dali , . Wilson St.. Ellorslie age 11'.)

Jack Howard and Harold Long were chums from Fairhaven Boarding-school. Now that the term holidays had come •lack and Harold had conic to stay at Mr. Lon'g'"s holiday cottage on the border of Warnely village. The boys had come straight from school and Mr. and Mrs. Long were to arrive the following day. The two had retired at about ten o'clock and had been sleeping for about two hours when Jack w,as awakened by the sound of a chair being knocked over. He hastily aroused Harold and the pair ran down the stairs, after donning their coats. As they passed the dining-room they saw that it had been ransacked. Rushing to the door the lioys had a fleeting glance of a man's face, before he was hidden among the trees. "We'd better dressed and follow him," said Harold. "If we •;■» around the back paddock it will save time and we'll probably meet him coming out of the woods."

In five minutes Jack and Harold were again slipping out, and noiselessly locking the door, Harold pocketed the key. Then they ran toward the spot where the wood path came on to the road. Jack was a short distance in front when he heard a gasp, and turning he saw Harold lying on the ground with his foot twisted painfully under him. "Tripped on a stone," he explained. "I think my- leg's broken. Do you think you could carry me back to the house T" Luckily Jack was a bigger boy than Harold and was able to»earry back his chum quite easily. He laid the injured boy on the sofa in the ransacked diningroom, propped him up with cushions and asked Harold the way to the doctor's house. Harold told him the direction to take and Jack set off. It was very dark a Ion;, the road except for an occasional light from the moon, which most of the time was hidden behind the clouds. Jack had been hurrying along for quite half an hour, and he had not yet passed the big oak which Harold had told him to take as a landmark, it being about one hundred yards from Dr. Graham's home. Jack began to feel uneasy, wondering if he had missed the way, but he shook the feeling from him and hastened on his way. As a cloud passed away from the moon he found that the road was becoming rougher and the surrounding country was very desolate. The road ended in a clump of trees a few yards away.

Jack was sure now that he hud lost. his way but he decided to climb one of the trees to tind out his whereabouts. He moved towards a large tree when he heard a voice, and turning he beheld among the trees the shadowy form of a -man. At that moment the moon came out again. In the moonlight Jack caught a momentary glimpse of the rough-looking stranger and decided that he must be a tramp. Then the country was plunged again into darkness as a flying cloud scudded across the face of the moon. "Say, mister," the'voice whined on, "cant yer let a feller 'ave a cigarette or a piece of terbacca?" . ■ • ' "Haven't any with me," was the reply, "but I'll give you half a crown to buy some for yourself if you'll show me the way to Eastern Road. I want Dr. Graham quickly, for a friend of mine with a broken leg. and as I'm new to the district I've already been lost for nearly an hour." "All right. 1 know the house you want. I can take you there in ten minutfes." With that he moved and Jack followed his slouching figure into the darkness. Jack's mind was working rapidly. He had just recognised his "tramp" as the man who had been fleeing from him and his chum a couple of hours before, and Jack had not a doubt that the thief had hidden the stolen goods somewhere hereabouts. Jack resolved to hand the man over to the doctor and ask him to ring up the police. By this time they were in the village and in a few minutes Jack was sipping coffee in the doctor's drawing room, while the "tramp" much against his will, was on his way to the lock-up. When Mr. and Mrs. Long arrived they found a cheerful and excited son, and his equally excited companion ready to relate the way in which the latter had trapped their midnight visitor. (Second. Agnes White. 703. Manukau Road. Kojal Oak, Oneliungu. l(j years.) Night was closing over the lonely countryside. A few stars twinkled in the cloudless patches of sky. It was bttterly cold, and the wind whistled and moaned across the bleak expanse of open country. Jack Smith- shivered and drew Jv«, coat closer around him as he stunrbVd blindly along the road. If ouly the ! moon would coine out from behind those clouds. Ah! here it was, that was better. Gracious! though, wherever was Eastern Eoad? He didn't seem to be any further advanced than before How ong had he been? Jack pulled out liis watcJi.. Searl;- an hour, anjj^ttyre

\v;-s pi lor .1 i iii l\ inu wiili si broken leg. waiting while he fetched the doctor. Jack was a stranger in those parls. He was spending a few days with liis chum Jim JSrown in Jim's lonely hoiiic in the country. About twenty minutes I walk from Jim's place were scattered here and there a few modern houses and shops, the beginning of a small township. It Was to the house of Dr. Graham, in Ka>tern IJoad, that the old housekeeper hail dispatched Jack in hot haste, when .Jim had fallen through a trap-door and broken his leg. Jack hoped the moon would not lie blotted out again, but even as he hoped an immense cloud sailed majestically

over it. It was then that he was startled by a drawling, whining voice in the darkness, "Hullo, mister, beastly rotten night, ain't it?" Then the cloud passed and the moon was once again clearly discernible. In the moonlight, .lack caught a momentary glimpse of the rough-looking stranger, and decided that he must be a tramp, l'hcn the country was plunged

"That's allright," smiled Jack. "Good night and thanks." •"Xjght," grinned the tramp. "Hooray." With tliat he once more slouched otT into the night, and Jack walked briskly up the path leading to the doctors house and rang the beli. It was not long before both he and the doctor wore speeding in the doctor's motor back to Join.

THE YOUNG FOLKS , BUDGET "PETER PAN CLUB." 1 am a reader of the Budget, and with to join the PETER PAN CLUB. Full Name Full Address Date of Birth (Month and Year) Present Age Signature -

again into darkness as a living cloud scudded across the face of the niouu. "Say mister," the voice whined on, "can't yer let a feller 'a\e a cigarette or a piece of terbacea?" "Haven't any with me." was the reply; "but I'll give von half a crown to get some for yourself if you'll show me the way to Eastern Road. I want Dr. Graham quickly, for a friend of mine with a broken leg. and as I'm new to the district l'\e already been lost for nearly an hour."' "All right. 1 know the liou.-c von want. I can take you there in ten minutes." With dial lie iiiowml ell', m>l -lack followed his touching figure into tlie darkness. Whither he knew not. but lie felt he was being led aright. The tramp touched on in front, and from time to time muttered to himself, and gave vent to Mich grunt* that Jack began to wonder if his guide was in liis right mind. At last the tramp spoke aloud to .Jack. '"We're nearly there. See that 'on- , on the. end there. That'* llic one yer want." "Thank y-ni," -aid Jack, and fumbled for his purse. "Here you arc." "Say. mister, you're a sent." muttered the tramp appreciatively, as- his I dirty hands clapped a ton-shilling note.