SEAPLANE TO THE RESCUE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21708, 15 February 1936, Page 4 (Supplement)

SEAPLANE TO THE RESCUE

With a heave and a scurry,' thC tjsvins jauncfaed, their, rowings boat on -the, tossing waters. . s - - '“Gorgeous day for'a-sail” remarked David, as-, they-left the cove. “I can’t-, ihink/Why people-.want to hove, inland the-'momenta winter comes,” said Ina, flinging..a brilliant- yellow ’round her neck. “Why, the. sea!# as 'smdbth- as a pond, and ' the sun is shining. What more. could ,we ■Want?” . f With Swift and easy strokes, David sent the boat cutting through the rippling waters, and before long , rthe’.pak- were scrambling vup - the .'rough steps of a > belt of rock, on .'which, stood the ruins of .an old '..lighthouse. This, place was a fav-

ourite of the twins, and .their . father bad giveii them permission ’to make it a playground. ' the-old. lighthouse,> which; had given -place to a larger, more modem building on land, became the scene of many,a thrilling, game. .. , This afternoon,', having hastily moored the. boat, the two rushed up the. xdpks and were soon- play-Ing-.games of pirates, smugglers, andi Ship-wrecked sailors, .' • Cater, however, after a couple of hqtu£,they ran down to the landing;, stage, a shock awaited them. Theyr boat had slipped her'moorings, and was now being. carried away from «e.rocky islet. The twins looked at each other in scared silence. “That’s done it,” muttered David. •What a silly I was not to fasten her more carefully.” “D-do you think we shall have to stay here all n-night?” asked Ina.

"Someone will look for us, I suppose. Give me that' scarf, and I will wave it.” , But, in .roite of David’s frantic signals, no help 1 came, for the sea shore is not, .as a rule, a popular place late on a wintry afternoon. So it was rather a forlorn pair that presently sat hunched up amongst the fallen stonework of the lighthouse. “Look! Look! A seaplane!” David cried. “Here, give me- that scarf of yourg again?” Ina, however, was already waving frantically. David . climbed carefully =up the crumbling stonework and shouted with all his might, trying to catch the attention of the seaplane’s pilot.

To the enormous delight of both, the seaplane came in answer to their, signals of distress,, swooping like a huge bird across the water. Having glided across to the landing. place, the pilot leaned out to enquire, the trouble. Quickly David told him their plight and begged for a rescue. !• “Take you across? All serene!” 'cried;the pilot, with..a jolly grin. “But you’ll have to send someone else to capture the boat.” "And that's that,” chuckled David later, when they landed at the little harbour and their straying boat had been towed home. 'T!: wager none of the other chaps at school has been.'marooned on an island and saved by a seaplane. So that’s one to us!” —’MATE MOANA (aged 13), Brighton.