THE SMUGGLERS' REVENGE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 150, 28 June 1930, Page 20

THE SMUGGLERS' REVENGE

«<TTOOTS, mon, Tarn, but ye no cannal -"• get awa' from this sea, can ye, »c wee bairn?" burbled Sandy M'Call,! flopping about in the warm sea water. | ' "Bagpipes, • but ah kent get awa' from ect Sandy," mimicked Tom Mally, in tie .voice of Sandy. ~"\yhj'i -ye cheeky, red-nosed, poodle faced, ,\pjDp-eycd rat-trap!" spluttered Sandji^and to -show ho meant it ho BcreTped''up' his' nose 'and poked out his tongue- at ,Tom- ' ■ " - "You'll stay like that," grinned Tom, and -"Fad,cd but of the sea to the Foxtou beach,' 'Sandy followed;-ami was told by Tom that it'wastime to dress. "JS'o.thing seems "' to -happen here, Sanely',"' said Tom dismally. '"Nali, thet's-what ah'm thcokiiig," mumbled Sandy. ,C*ack! , A twig' snapped in the bushes, causing the Film Stuntcrs to swing round towards- the sound. They saw a roughlooking man disappoar amongst tho undergrowth. "Never mind," said Tom, and picked up a light film' camera which they had named "Eagle," for it scarcely missed anything. "Are you going home now?" it seemed to say. ' . " 'Sandy started, but, catching sight o± tho merry twinkle in Tom's eyes, he muttered in a Scotch accent; "Ventriloquism." .'He-did not-pronounce the w6rd property; he said "Ventreelerquizom." Tom was very clever at "throwing" his voice, and also good at knife throwing, but that art he seldom used. Sandy was good at playing the bagpipes and also good at ju-jitsu. ' Away tho pals went and headed directly towards a house, for tho town was six or seveu miles away. Prom out of tho-bushes-stepped five masked men, who all carried lifo pre■crvers. Bump! bump! ■' . Two life preservers crashed down on tbo pals' heads and they without- a grtian fell senseless to the ground. "Now for it," said a, hoarse voice. "Yes, chief, the Smugglers' Bcvencc,"isnarled one of, the toughs. - * * » Splash! Sandy'; groaned, opened his eyos to find himcslf swaying to and fro. "Mon, vvo are on a boat," muttered Sandy, and then gazed wildly round in search of his chum. Ah, there ho was by his side; both were securely bound hand and foot, but not gagged. Sandy struggled in Jris bonds just as Tom was coming round. 'fHoots, inon,Tani, but Ah hcv got one arm free," gasped-Sandy excitedly, and waved his free right arm around

his head. Then ho hastily put it back in tho ropes again, for heavy footsteps wcro coming' along. The sound of a key being fitted in the lock made both chums lio back on the \ floor as though they had. not come to. The door opened, and a hard-faced man entered. "Ha," he hissed hi a cruel tone. "So thoy have not recovered yet, hey? Well, tho sea is all ready for them." Then he had the surpriso of his life, for the Scotch lad sat up suddenly and gripped tho man's wrist in a vice-like grip. "Move, and ah woel: break your arm," said Sandy quietly, for ho had the man in a ju-jitsu hold, in which the latter was powerless. v "Now," said Sandy, "untie my pal, or eef you don't weel " he finished off with a shrug and the jerk of his arm brought an agonised cry to tho lips of the smuggler. j Tho man cut Tom's bonds and Sandy's too. , "Tie him up, Tom, while Ah geet "Eagle" out of its cover. This film of the smugglers will bo' great," Sandy said. When all was ready, both pals climbed up the hatchway and gazed out. All | was darkness. Suddenly a 'flickering | light revealed a cave on the shore. Then the camera' clicked on. Smuggled goods were being rowed ashore, and put ia the cave. Whon the smuggle/s were aboard again Tom j acted. • - i "Help! Help!"-came a cry from the hold, and," taken in, the smugglers went jumping one by one down tho dark hold. Then the door over the hole wan slammed down by Tom, who was really responsible for the voice. "That's trapped,.'cm!" cheered Tom, "and," he added, "a'nice iilin for us." An hour later brought tho pals in the police station. "Why did they kidnap you?" asked an amazed policeman. "Well," replied Tom, "up in Auckland wo captured some smugglers there, and these," ho indicated the sullen band of 'men in chains, "arc their pals, who were planning revenge on us for getting 'the others in gaol." , "Here's £20 reward," said the police,man.. With mouths ; agape, the astonished pals walked out of the station. Sandy pulled out of his pocket some toy bagpipes and started to jig down! tho road playing "The Cat's got the! Measles." ' | "It hasn't, though," chuckled Tom, following. "It's us who got the smugglers that time!", And off they, tvent.' CAVELL NICOL. City.