THE STORM

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 50, 28 February 1931, Page 18

THE STORM

( » , THE sun was high in "the heavens -when the ship Happy Thought sailed out from the harbour. The sky above .was an azure blue, dotted here and there with feathery clouds, The sea was bluey-green flecked with silvery ■ foam. Down through the transparent waves gay-coloured fishes daTted in and out the waving reeds, searching for some harmless' insect that had by chance fallen into the'deep sea. Lower.the sun sank into the .west; the horizon was drenched with rosy light. Lower and still lower it sank, until, with a last burst of colour, it disappeared behind the distant hills. The sky was a starry vault, the pale moon casting a silvery reflection on to the darkened sea. Jack, .Ted, and Gordon stood leaning over the railing deep in thought, while the moon's beams shono ou them, clrcnching them wilh a ghostly light, Suddenly Ted awoke from his deep reverie and oxclaimed to Jack: "Well, Jack, old chap, are you glad you consented to come with us?" ' "Eh! What did you say?" replied Jack with a start. .. ' Ted repeated his question. , "Too right I am, Ted. I wouldn't have missed this trip for a^thing," Jack replied enthusiastically. Gordon continued to gaze into the Tod's'bu dark sea with unseeing eyes. - ' "Gordon's in a brown study," said Ted, laughingly. "How goes it, Gordon?" ■ Gordon slowly answered in a dreary voice: "I wonder if wo will have any excitement on this voyage. It'll be a wash-out if we don't," ho added in a more wide-awake tone. ■ ' "Let's hope so," agreed the other two, simultaneously. ' "Well/how about turning in? I'm sure I feel as if I could do with a bit of sleep," Gordon said, stifling a yawn. "O.K. I feel dead tired, and I'm positive Ted doesn't feel any too wideawake either, eh,- Tedf" said Jack, stretching himself languidly. , After tho usual good-night, the three boys fell asleep, and while they wero asleep a wonderful change took place, The wind sprang up, as if by magic, whipping t'lo unlin s°;l LU'O ;l seething, bubbling muss of foam. The sky vv;is black with imminent clouds. The Happy Thought was pitched and tossed about on'the soa as if it were a bit of cork. Mountainous waves dashed ovor the ship, wnshing away everything within

th*ir reach, then falling'back, only to be succeeded by waves as high as the former ones.During the terrible' scene Gordon awoko. Just then a loud-peal of thunder, followed by a vivid flash of lightning, made him aware that here, was some excitement at last, "With uncertain footsteps Gordoa. crossed over to Ted and ihook him roughly by the shoulder. • "What's up?" asked Ted, drowsily; but ho know the next minute, when he was flung, without ceremony, out of his bunk and on to the cold floor, "Owl" he exclaimed, when with great alertness he had stumbled to his feet, only to be thrown' violently down «gain> reaching the floor with no gentle bump. By this time Jack was awake, too, an( j was laughing at the comical expassion on Ted's face. "Well, you wished for some excitement, and you've got it," Ted growled, B iiu feeling somewhat sore from his contact with tho hard floor. "Well, woll! How about getting some warm clothes on? It's no use standing hero shivering," said Jack between chattering teeth, g O on the three boys wore fully dressed and wide awake, and sat ou nkl listening to the storm outside. ' The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, the wind howled about the ship with an unearthly wail, and massive wa ves dronched tho ship with bubbling f oa m. «j wonder if we will ever see New Zealand again?" said .Jack, thoughtfully. "Of course we will," retorted Ted, but he looked doubtful. , Tho ship forged ahead, rolling from gia e to side, After a while the storm had spent itself, and tho three boys went back to bod. ■ j n the morning the blazing sun mall its glory camo up from behind the eastern hills, shedding its golden rays ovor the now calm and tranquil sea. So peaceful was the sea and sky that no one would have thought a raging storm ]y,\(\ taken place. "Well, did you onjoy your wish?"| suid Ted to Gordon. »j_ thought it was 'whoopee!'" lie repliod, but his looks belied his words, "wtttt<! ttawatt m _ ~_ BIiTJH HAWAJU -i»ooivjy;n.