THE QUESR OF THE GOLDEN KAKA.

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 47, 23 August 1930, Page 20

THE QUESR OF THE GOLDEN KAKA.

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■ Chapter IV. ripiHEjSr at length George halted bell side the grotesquely-carved whare. From tho shadow of the wall on one side they looked towards the opening for any sign of a guard; they could see none. "I'll stay outside," Giant whispered to George. "Get the treasure and be quick.'' The ranger felt his way in, and made, as far as he could make out, in the direction of tho niche in which tho kaka had boon imprisoned. Giant had given him a box of matches, and ho struck one. He was near to the kaka, which was blinking in the light, and on the match going out he fumbled round its ue-ck to undo the canvas bag. His one fear was that the bird would cry out, but evidently it was used to being handled by the tohunga. Try as ho could, he couldn't got. the bag free. The Only resource left was to cut the bird free and tako it. Hia knifo soon cut through the parrot's bonds, and holding tho bird securely ho made back to Paddy and Giant. He passed over the Golden Kaka to the bushranger, who, not taking a

firm enough grip on tho bird, let it go. It squawked off into the night. The treasure'had gone with it. "Curse you!" hissed the bushranger, "you've lost that bird, and now tho treasure's gone. ■ Quick, we might get it yet; it mightn't go far; back to tho stockade." "The village is 'roused," exclaimed Paddy, fearfully, pointing to tho faronu of the village, where they could see moving figures. "You two will never escape," exclaimed Giant violently. He pulled his revolver from its holster, and pointing it at George, pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. With a curso ho flung it to tho ground, as George landed him a blow that knocked his head against the sido of tho whare. • "Come," said George, pulling ' Paddy violently, "there's a chaneo that wo might bo ablo to climb over the stockado by getting on to tho roof of the wharc." The carvings and jutting-out pieces mado it easier than they expected. By now tho wholo village was in an uproar. As yet the two rangers had not been seen, and the Maoris were .gathered at the far end by the gates.

Then into tho very night rang out a terrible war-cry-, and a blaze shot up. The village was attacked by a raiding tribe, who had fired tho village with flaming brands of aka thrown on spears into the raupo thatch. The rangers-dropped over the stockado and left behind them a village of fli:o and strife. They had taken tho riile and the 'other revolver of the dead bushranger-'s, so they now intended to make their way back to evilisation, and start on the search for the Golden Kaka once more. Next morning found George and Paddy traversing a rocky, gulch down which a swiftly-flowing stream ran. Finding a suitable spot for camp, they made a ftrc and looked a wild duck which Paddy had shot, which they started on with relish. It was Paddy who first heard the rustle in some scraggy bushes farther up tho valley. "What's that, to bo sure?" he asked uneasily. "Listen to that rustling sound." Georgo stood up and grabbed his revolver. "Come on,V he-exclaimed, "I'm going to seo."

Both tho rangers went up to tho bushes, which suddenly parted; and the Golden Kaka came flying out and alighted near them. The bag was still around its neck. George gave a grab. "Caught you," he said, and his hand closed round tho leg of the parrot. In doing so he stumbled slightly, and one of tho small shrubs to which ho was holding Same out by the roots. "Bo goi'ra,' me bhoy," cried Paddy, "pointing at tho hole, where the root had been. "Gold! You've struck it by accident!" Ho was right. The sun glittered on little veins of gold streaking this way and that. A fortune, perhaps. "And what's tho treasuro round the kaka's neck?" George- spoke excitedly. Paddy handed him a knife, and the bag was cut free. The top was slit open .. . inside .. . was ... a stone! A plain ordinary. stoirts! Thcro was something else, too, a piece of paper yellow with age; it ran: — ~ "Pearls were '.'originally in .this bag till I emptied it. , A SOUTH SEA PEARLER." (The End.)