HOB GOBLIN GOES VISITING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 241, 11 October 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOB GOBLIN GOES VISITING.

(Br A. IT. IVERACH.)

"We're going visiting," said tlie goblins one evening. "It's your turn to stay and mind, the house, Hob. See that nobody steals our money-box with the silver sixpence in it." And off they went. 1 Hob looked through the window and ■watched them go, skipping and dancing out of eight. Then he jumped up and put on his green cap. "The house can look after itself," said he. "I shall go visiting too'" He trim-' med the lamp, drew the blinds, and slipped out, closing the door behind him. 'Til look in and see old Gobbo the Gnome," thought he. "He is cross and grumpy, it is true, but still he is better than nobody at all. Besides, I" might be able to take one of his precious gems while he isn't looking!" He 6et off, running as fast as he could. No sooner was he gone than a mischievous pixie, who' had been hiding round the corner of the house, opened the door, and, seizing the goblins' money-box from the mantelpiece, ran away in the opposite direction. However, since Hob knew nothing about this he went happily on his way. Presently he came to the old pine tree beneath which, deep in the earth, lived Gobbo the Gnome. The entrance was a crack in the ground beside one of the pine tree's spreading roots, and through this Hob squeezed his round little body and followed the narrow, .winding passage till he came to a door with a notice pinned on it. It was not B, very inviting notice, for there, in Gobbo's black, scrawly writing we're the words "Keep out." - Hob frowned as io read it. t '■"Bother!" he said to himself. "Fancy anybody putting up a notice like that when folk take the trouble to pay a friendly call! I wonder what's on the iother side." He turned it over and, 10, in sphe same crooked writing, were the ifords "Come in." "Ah, that's 'better!" said Hob, and, without so much as knocking, he marched boldly in. Now, Gobbo the Gnome, as you may guess, had no wish to see visitors tonight, and that was why he had put the notice on his door. When you have been busy all day digging and delving for gold and jewels, it is pleasant to spend the evening quietly alone. That, at least, was what Gobbo thought, and, besides, he was busy to-night "counting his treasure bags. There were rows and rows of them propped against the walls, some filled with gold, some with silver, some with shining gems. In one corner, standing by itself, was the biggest bag of all. Only Gobbo knew what was in that bag, which was carefully tied at the top. -When he looked up and saw Hob Goblin standing in his room, Gobbo was furious. _ "Didn't you see the notice outside. he shouted. 1 "Of course I did." answered Hob. "Then wliv didn't you keep, out:" demanded Gobbo, tying the mouth of a sack of diamonds.

"Because," said Hob with a sly grin, "the notice said 'Come in.'" "What!" cried Gobbo, and he got up and went to the door to see for himself. At the same time, however, he kept one eye on his visitor, for he trusted no one, least of all a goblin. Gobbo's ugly, twisted face grew uglier still as he looked at the notice. "Someone has turned it over," he growled, and, although he knew very well who had done so, he said no more, but went on with his counting. "Perhaps I can help you to couut your bags, Gobbo," said Hob pleasantly. "Xo thank you," replied Gobbo hastily, "I can count them myself!" "What a lot there are!" remarked the goblin, eyeing them greedily with his bright green eyes. "Well, I will give you one for yourself," said Gobbo, "if "you will go away and leave me in peace!" Hob was astonished, for Gobbo had never been known to give away anything in his life before. "I will go at once, Gobbo!" he cried. "Which bag may I have?" "Whichever you like," replied Gobbo, who knew very well that the greedy goblin would choose the largest. "But don't untie it till you get home, or you may be robbed." "No, indeed!" cried Hob, and. he quickly chose the large sack in the corner'lest the gnome should change his mind. Gobbo, however, seemed quite pleased over the bargain. "You may find it rather heavy,"®he said. "Perhaps you would rather have a smaller one." "Oh, no,'no!" cried Hob in haste. "I can carry it easily!" Off he went, without so much as saying "Thank you." Gobbo smiled and went- on with his work again. The bag was terribly heavy. "It must, ■be filled with gold!" thought Hob, as he staugered along", bent almost double beneath the load. He came at last to the goblins' house. A noise of banging and 'shouting came from within. "Ah," thought Hob, "they are home before me. Well, they will be pleased enough when they see what I have brought!" And he opened the door. "Here he is!" shouted all the goblins, rushing at him. "Where have you been, you scamp V Someone has stolen our money-box with the silver sixpence in it!" "Who wants silver sixpences?" said Hob proudly. "I've brought home a whole bag full o : f gold!" "Gold!" cried the goblins, crowding round him. "Open, quick, and let us *566!" Hastily Hob untied the "string. A shout of anger, came froin the.others when they saw what was inside. Hod stared and stared. So this _ was what he had carried home on his back —a sack of heavy stones! "Tine gold this is!" shouted the angry "•oblius, and they set to work to beat oreedy Hob till he was black and _ blue. But beneath the pine tree, in his underground home, Gobbo the Gnome chuckfed and rubbed his hands as he thought of the trick Hob Goblin had played on him, and the trick he had plavcd on Hob Goblin!