THE ADVENTURES OF TUTU

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ADVENTURES OF TUTU

(By J. J. Stroud)

No sooner had Tutu with his crew of -monkeys set- sail in the Giant’s Sandal than it came on to blow like billy-o; so' Tutu- ordered Moko, the first mate, to steer due. sou’ by sou’ and a half sou’, anct soon they picked up the sun on the port quarter and left the land of the three-beaked bird, giants, dwarfs, fairies, and whatnot many leagues abeam. Tutu had three very good officers in Moko,. the first mate, Jabber, the second mate, and Jobber the third mate; and all went merry as a marriage bell until they arrived off the coast of Stewart Island, when, on a real Bluff oyster morning, just as the dawn began to cut up rough, Jibber, who was on duty, spied a barque far out upon his lee: and what should it turn out to be but the Saucy Muttonbird flying the skull and crossbores of Ruapehu, the identical pirate captain who had parked the treasure in the cave on the island Tutu and his merry monks had just left. Talk about a hullabaloo. Jibber jabbered and Jabber jibbered while Moko swung by his tail from , the yardarm and gesticulated, while the rest of the monkeys rushed hither and thither and thither and hither. Tutu awoke from a 40-wink snooze in the toe of the Giant’s Sandal and came on deck to see What all the bobbery was about. And by this time the - Saucy Muttonbird had crept up on the Giant’s Sandal until her bowsprit was almost over the stern rail. It certainly looked like a sure thing for the pirates, and Ruapehu, armed to the molars with knives, swords, cutlasses, and pistols, paced his quarterdeck, grinning with diabolical ferocity—and that’s some grin, if you ask me. Was Tutu peeved? Well, maybe a bit; but, as he said when interviewed by a big bluff reporter on his arrival —but I’ll tell you what Tutu said if I remember later on. Well, there was the Saucy Muttonbird drawing alongside of the Giant’s Sandal, and Tutu’s merry monks hadn’t even a bodkin to fight with. There was all the pirates’ treasure carefully stowed in the toe of the ship, and Ruapehu with all his dreadful pirates armed to their wisdom teeth ready to board. “Pass the word to prepare to receive boarders,” roared- Tutu to Moko; and immediately the monkeys formed a long line on the starboard side, where the bloodthirsty pirates stood ready to hurl themselves down on- to the deck of the Giant’s Sandal. And as Ruapehu roared in good old piratical tones. “Board, my hearties. Yo ho!” Tutu .swung his right: arm.-to. port, and immediately the long line of monkeysswung across the deck and heaved the Giant’s Sandal over so far that Ruapehu’s pirates fell into the sea, and only one managed to seramble. aboard. He was promptly deprived of his knives, cutlasses, and pistols, and promised his life if he joined the Giant Sandal !s crew. Now, when-Ruapehu realised how he had lost the first trick to Tutu he veered away on, the port tack and manoeuvred to bring the Saucy Muttonbird on to Tutu’s port side; and when he was ready, to'board again, shiver my stumps if Tutu uidn t put the same trick the pirate captain again, only this time two fearful-docking desperadoes got aboard the Giant’s Sandal to lose their cutlery and join Tutu’s merry crew." . F 2^Ji tt ?? lpt ?, I did .. Ru SP ehu make to board -the- Giant’s Sandal, and

lost men each time, until, in desperation, he veered away to the nor - west by nor’ and a point nor’.anu was soon hull down on the horizon* So Tutu and his merry crew made the Port of Bluff with all the pirates’ treasure; and if you see some flerce-looking fellows about when next you visit Bluff, have a care, for Tutu’s captured pirates tread the sandy beach betimes. Whaf did Tutu tell the big bluff reporter? Well—if that isn’t toq bad—l’ve clean forgotten, but * might remember to tell you in w® next adventure. r