ADVENTURE AT COVE HILL SCHOOL

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 16

ADVENTURE AT COVE HILL SCHOOL

CHAPTER XXI.

Farnar Barge Again.

Below the brow of Cove Hill cliff, about 30ft down, there occurred a number of gaping fissure*—wide yawning slits in the soil, known as the Earthquakes. Local fisherfolk, in fact, declared that these queer crackings had been made by earthquake shock, many long years agone, and it need not matter to us whether this was fact or merely fancy. ,

The cracks, anyhow, were there, hav' ing been noted by our five adventurers a« presenting rather a fit sort of shelter for their final- "dump" of tinstone. Had we beeft lingering near the spot on a certain wintry afternoon, we might have seen them emerge in force through Fiddler's Gap.

Spot came popping out first with a coil of stout rope round his shoulders, •nd, noting a clear coast, he turned to signs! the fact. The others then ventured forth, Kick trundling the wheelbarrow in which was packed the laat lot of ore.

"This," said Spot, pointing, "is the place where I thought I could get down. Oh, you needn't fret—l shan't lose my head and slip. Still, if it's likely to be a comfort to you, I'll have that lassoo fastened tc my waist, so that you others can hang on."

This was done, and Spot, feeling much like some elpine hero, put over a leg, beginning cautiously to lower himself from hummock to ledge, and from ledge to pit.

About 20ft down he encountered the first of the Earthquakes, but decided to try lower yet, owing to the absence of a really firm station for himself, whereon he could rest safely and so be independent of the line. This he found at last.

"Right!" shouted he, slacking off the loop from his body. "I'm fairly landed now, and there's a prime lair here for depositing our goods. Lower away!" Tho«e aloft made the noose fast about their bulky bin and started to edge it over, taking the weight by degrees. Soon the bin was suspended and spinning gently, going down inch by inch. The strain wm enormous, and but for Rick's sturdy shoulders the burden would have proved much more than they could manage.

A« it was, the operation soon began to lose its steadiness, and .the bin started to descend in spasmodic jigs. "Careful-—careful!" shouted Spot. "Don't let the thing run away from you. Another four or five yards will do it. But be steady or I may not be able to guide it in."

Rick, above, doggedly braced hie muscles, and for a second or go the bin hung stationary, but spinning faster than ever; then, foot by foot, it came on, till Spot, stretching up, was able to touch it with the tips of his fingers. "A bit more!" voiced he, and that "bit" canie with an alarming jerk. Bob, losing his heel-grip on the slippery sward, had fallen suddenly, bumping into Doris and shaking the other two.

Spot, below, struggled to hold up, and shouted, scenting disaster. As the lumpy bin came with a rush, he strove to hold it in, almost succeeding, but not quite. He was borne down. The bin thudded upon the edge of that rocky shelf, wobbled drunkenly—and then was gone! From far below there sounded a muffled' thump.

"Spot—Spot!" panted Jessie's voice. "Oh, are you all right Are you—"

"Yes," was the prompt answer, "I'm all serene, but the bin jolly well isn't!" "C—can you see it?"

"Yes, down on the beach, with the upper part stove in and the tinstone all burst out!"

"Oh! what shall we do?"

"Half a second; I'm coming aloft." The rope, of course, had gone with the tinstone, so Spot had to make his ascent unaided. He arrived in good spirits and with a pat suggestion. "Bad luck!" observed, he. "But we'll have to make the best of it. There's only one way out: we must bury the bin just where it lies. Fortunately we've brought a shovel. No time to lose either; let's buck along!" Within twelve minutes they were upon the shingle and grouped round the wreckage. Tht upper hoop of the bin and a whole lot of its rivets had been wrenched out, while the ore had dribbled through a ragged abrasion.

Tilting the bin upright, they forced back some of its staves, and were just salving the treasure when a gruff voice suddenly broke in on their labours.

"Ullo—'ullo! What's this?"

They all jumped to their feet. To encounter Farmer, Burge in Trevanion Woods was always a. dread possibility, but one never expected to meet him down here by the sea. Which in itself is plain proof that the unexpected frequently happens. For it was Mr. Burge who had just spoken. Of all afternoons in the year, he had chosen this one for a stroll on the beach. "What's this?" repeated he; and then, with a clumsy pounce, he picked up one of the sparkling fragments. He seemed amazed. His sour, yet lively, glance darted from one to the other. "Is this what the bin contains?" snapped he. "Yes."

"Do you know what it is, eh?" "It's tinstone." "Correct! And where did you unearth it? Don't try to deceive me now! Where was this mineral dug from?" "Trevanion Woods." Burge, owing to his abrupt arrival and the confusion of the moment, had our disadvantage. They were unable, somehow, to balk his. blunt inquiries. In a few short minutes he had wormed out all the facts.

Burge's features were a study; his face betrayed all sorts of emotions. Then, in a muttering kind of voice he said:

"I wouldn't be in your shoes for worlds; d'you hear? Not for worlds!''

"What do you mean i" flashed Rick. "We've done nothing wrong. It's only because we're so keen on helping the captain that we've kept this so careful a secret. We've worked hard for months

in order to make sure that a big quantity of the stuff could be found there. We didn't want to raise any false hopes "

"You've done wrong. I say—you've done wrong!" ejaculated Burge. "Let me tell you what the law says. The law o' this land says that no man shall shift so much as a pound o' soil from one spot to another. Yet look what you young pickles liev done! It isn't just common earth you've shifted, but pounds upon poonds of very vallyable ore! Why, if 1 was to go to the nearest magistrate an' tell what I know, you— well, I daren't guess what would happen to you! There—that's the truth, my fine young friends —the simple truth!"

Our friends glanced at each other, and their glances were very disturbed.

"What's to become of this?" asked Farmer Burge, pointing to the shattered bin.

"Well, I—as a matter of fact, we thought we'd bury it here, right in the shingle."

"And a very good plan, too. If you accept my advice, you will bury it there —and then hev nothing more to do wi' this matter. As I've, told you before, I mean to look arter Trevanion Woods in the captain's absence. If I did my dooty I should write to 'im to-niglit an' tell every word o' this. But I don't want to be 'ard on you young scatterbrains, who most like didn't know, so if you stop these little capers altogether, an' keep out o' Trevanion Woods. I'll 'old my tongue an' let you go free. Is that all clear?"

"Y—yes," murmured Rick. "Very well, then—see that you don't forget!"

Having said which, the farmer stalked away, leaving the luckless five in a state of preat discomfort.

"Pooli!" exclaimed Bob, trying to laugh. "He's trying to frighten "us— that s just what it is. I dare say it's all rubbish."

"And I dare say it isn't," said Jessie soberly, her cheeks a little pale. "Oh, I do wish now I'd never suggested it." The others saw now the folly of having done so much on no one's responsibility but their own. Their intentions had been excellent, but

"Well, never mind," burst out Doris, "we can tell the pater as soon as we get home. Then everything is bound come rifrht!"

"Yes, that's the ticket!" agreed Spot cheerily. "Oh, come along! Don't let's pull such long faces over nothing at all! Where's the shovel ? Let's bury our spoil and then canter back. Hunter's got

a. football meeting on at five o'clock and you know we promised to be there.'

The unfortunate flour-bin was concealed with all dispatch, after which they made the schoolward journey in double-quick time.

"What I fear," said she to Doris, when the two girls were alone in their play-room, "is that Burge will write to Captain Trevanion and tell his version of the story before we can tell ours. It's a perfect bother our not knowing the captain's address." "If we'd only thought of it, we might have asked Burge." "I dare say he wouldn't have told us —aiul, I can't think of anyone else who is likely to know." "How about Mrs. Su+con?" "Mrs. SuttonV" repe ted Jessie; and then, skipping off from her perch on the window-sent, she clapped lier hands. "Why, of course—Mrs. Sutton would be sure to know! I'll l>e bound she's known -from the first. Why, what donkeys we've been not to think of this before!" Jessie ran across and looked at the clock. "I wonder if I should have time to reach Deep Dillow adn be back before tea?" "I'm sure you couldn't." "Well, I could be back before dark, couldn't I? I tell you, it's so important. If only a letter might be posted to the captain this evening, explaining things, we should certainly go to bed with easier minds. Now, shouldn't we?" "Yes. but " "There's no 'but' about it!" declared the determined Jessie, catching up her tam-o'-shanter. "I'm going. You can explain to pater as soon as he comes in." —(Continued Next Wednesday.)_ l