The PRINCE of VEGA

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

The PRINCE of VEGA

SYNOPSIS. Pater Mutm, Nicholas M«p«, ■an Travara and "Pappar" of Burlington Collage bacama anmaahed In tha myatary of John Smith, a nawcomar to tha collaga; aftar an attampt on John's Ufa ha dlaoloiaa hla raal nama, and why being mada on hla lifa. Whila ha la showing Peter tha precloue pearla, tha drain plpa equeaka, and tha two gat to the window In tima to aaa a dark form laap to tha ground and dleappear. Tha next day tha boya bagin a 20mila trip to Malbourna to vialt Vadl't unola, A fa.

It was a stroke 0 f luck that the day Smith had to go and see his unci" r-hniild fall on the fortnightly half holiday, and so enable the whole quartet to accompany him. Peter Master*, with the prince's |>enimsion, had recounted the story to his pals, and when he had added that he was going to meet the uncle that afternoon they had simply announced their intention of going along, too. Kven a prince, Pepper said, couldn't break up their quartet. A« Smith didn't seem to mind a full contingent, they had nil sought and gained permission, and were now speeding merrily on their way—their merrfment greatly enhanced by Pop'a lumbering automobile that his«ed and kicked as it digested each successive irtile.

It hnrl been the princc himself had said that they nitiwt travel by car. Such were- hi* uncle's orders, he explained. His uncle thought he would be safer travelling in a local vehicle with a local driver than in a crowded train. Considering thnt Burlington boasted only one taxi, used almost solely for the purpose of conveying visitor* to and from the station to the school, and old Pop, owner driver, wa* known throughout the countryside, Peter Masters thought that this was a very wise plan.

".Tu«t as well Burlington 'had least one hire car,'' .Tohli Smith said, showing two rows of white teeth in a fmil#, "when I .«kid we'jl travel by car, I had no idea I was asking for tlie only vehicle of its kind in tr.e place!"

"All I hope," said Peter, "is that the old rattle-trap geU js there— it's riot wed to doing more than one or two mile spurts at a time and, as n rule, Pop gets out and gives it a little pat of encouragement before naking it to climb the hill leading up to the school—don't know how it'll manage a couple of the hills we've got to go over."

"Pop'll ask Pepper to get out ond walk at the first sign of a rise," Ben »aid. "Can't expect Lizzie to strain her heart for Pepper's sake."

Thrilling Serial

By M. Thorpe Clark

reckon this is great!" Nicky changed the subject in a sudden enthusiastic hurst; "going out on a jaunt like this—with a real live prince-—in a jolly old rattle-trap that can do a real shimmy and the Highland Fling at the same time! This k top-hole!" And he thrust out his long lcg s and sighed deeply. Pep|KT immediately bounced off causinrr the shivering vehicle to give an extra lurch. "Say—you ass—you haven't got to kick my shin, nave you! You don't want the ta.xj to yourself, do you?" "Well, you must admit you've »ot your share of it, anyway," N'ick said amiably. "Ise<«idc«, you shoved \ our sliin in the way of my boot yourself." "Oh I did. did I!" bristled Pepper, 'jljike getting ni y shin kicked, do

"Well, it Kemg like it—otherwise I wouldn't have kicked it for you." "Come—come." said Ben, "little children should love one another." "Oh, I'm going out on the seat Inside Pop," Pepper said aggrievedly. "A fellow can't move in here with these long lege in the way." "You can't a«k Pop to stop while vim change over," JVter said quickly. "He mightn't get the old thing to go again if he stops." "I'm not going to ask him to stop," Pepper said. '"I cant get through the sliding window—l know I'm fat,

but it'a the sort of fat that shrinks, concertina-style, if you know what I mean." "Just plain flabbiness," Nick said unkindly; "squashes in and out like a cushion." At the moment the old Ford was panting up one of the hills that Peter had mentioned a short time before, and the reduced sjieed had stopped some of the swaying, so that Pepper \v;ik aide to negotiate the squeeze quite successfully. But, no sooner

had he settled himself comfortably beside the old driver than he started up in alarm. "flosli! That chap's coming straight for iw!" he cried in that absurdly aggressive voice of his. "Watch him, Pop! Watch him! Pop-p!" The urgent demand in the voice beat, in on Pop's consciousness that there was something more important than just getting the old bus over tlie hill. The big two-ton truck that was hurtling down the hill became something more than just another vehicle on the road. It

became a. menace, hulling, hurtling toward them—straight toward them. Pop swore—one large, round oath —as he pulled on his steering-wheel, nearly capsizing the Ford in his frantic efforts to get out of the road if the giant that sought to crush them. For once the old bus answered. With a quick groan her nose forced into the bank with her tail swept into the straight juet as the big truck hurtled over the spot where they had been. They stopped short. Even the impact with the bank didn't shake the occupants more than they had already been shaken on the journey. Her speed up the hill had not been great enough to do damage. Miracle it was that it had been great enough to swing them to safety.

It was the truck that came to grief. Just as the occupants of the Ford were realising that they were still whole tliev heart] a loud «*]>ort like a pistol shot, followed by an angry rumble. "Tyre gone!" Peter cried. "The truck's over!" Nicky gasped. Such was the case. The giant lay on its side in the ditch on the low side of the road, its wheels still spinning. "They may be hurt!" Peter struggled with the taxi door. "We'd better see! The truck may burst into flame—it was being driven like a mad thing!" "There's a man scrambling out of the cabin now!" Ben cried. "Don't go!" John Smith grasped Peter's shoulder. "They're enemies!" "There's another man!" Nicky added. "There were only the two," Pepper put in. "Got a view of them as the truck passed." "They're not hurt," John Smith said. "So let's push on —" "Jove—no!" Peter said. "A couple of fellows aren't going to try and bump me off the road without me knowing the reason why! Come on, boys— let's after them!" "It's 110 good-—they'll be armed!"' the newcomer to Burlington cautioned. But Peter and Nick, with Ben ipiickly following were already on their way. Seeing that they were determined John Smith made haste to keep up with tho leaders, but they hadn't taken a dozen paces forward before a swift patter of bullets hit the du«t about their feet. "I knew it!" the prince cried. "Believe you're rights" Peter snap|K>il. "Back to the car, chaps— those fellows mean business, and we can't fight bullets!" Back into the taxi they piled. Pop still sitting at the wheel ajrape. "Might as well do as you say, John, and push on," Peter said grimly, and with a disappointed note in his voice. "Gosh! I'd like to have socked those two. Off we go, Pop. Those fellows are there for a while yet—they've a long walk to the nearest town for a breakdown car to turn them right side up again, and it's ten chances to one that their works have been thrown out of alignment. Don't, think we need worry about them far a moment." (To be continued.)