A TALE FOR THE TINIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

A TALE FOR THE TINIES.

Cyril and Freda loved playing in the copse that ran from the bottom of their garden to the bank of the river. So one warm Saturday afternoon they pitched a tent —made from three poles and a dupt, sheet—in a clearing near the> river bank. an<l were soon deep in an African jungle game. "lxmk! a eroeodile!" exclaimed Cyril, pointing to a blade of wood that 'was being borne downstream witli great swiftness. " "No. it's a paddle." replied Freda, forgetting the game in the surprise of the discovery. "I wonder— Uefore she could voice her question it was answered, for round a bend came a canoe, in -which sat a boy who was probably a year or two older than Cvril. The canoe was jigging from side to side, and the Ik>v was quite unable to control it without the paddle which had slipped from his hand and had been swept out of his reach. For a second or two, the pair watched the boat anxiously, not knowing how they could help its passenger. "Wo can't get the paddle," Freda was murmuring, when Cyril leapt towards the tent and pulled off the large dust sheet. '•The bridge." lie bawled excitedly. "We must get there before lie does. If he passes that there's nothing to stop him from going on till he crashes into the weir." lie tore the words were out of his mouth he had bundled the sheet into his arms and was tearing through the copse to the open meadow beyond. Puzzled but eager to help in whatever plan lie had formed. Freda slurried alter him and the two made such speed that they clattered up on to the bridge some moments before the drifting canoe reached it. Cyril twirled the stout sheet likf a rope and tossed one end of it over the rail of the bridge. "■Grab it!"' he yelled to the boy, adding to hi* sister: ."Help me to ban" 011 to this end." ~ *reda obeyed, and a second later tliev felt a sharp tug upon the sheat. Coming beneath it, the boy had grasped the life line hung down for hi»'. and with its aid he had pulled himself up out of the canoe and got one foot upon a narrow. sloping edge. Hanging on like grim death to the rope, he pulled the other foot r.p behind him. then, getting one hand on the rail. a he had soon hauled himself up on to it. Then he scrambled over and landed beside his panting but gleeful rescuers,