THE SNOW-BALL OF DOOM

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 38, 13 August 1932, Page 20

THE SNOW-BALL OF DOOM

T HE 1 wi na m°ailea mournfully through a group of waving pines, as two lads, trudged" wearily along the snow- covered road. Spatters of wind-driven snow dropped daintily on their turned up coat collars, and one of them gasped as, an fey particle trickled down his neck :"Ow!" ho gasped "Owt" '••■..- . ' , - ' .. Peter Boss, his companion, grinned and cried cheerfully: 'f Cheer-up Bill. We can't be far from' home now." ... •> , ,i "Thank- Heavens for that," 'said''Bill Foster, fervently "Look!" ejaculated' Peter. "The barn! Let's go there to shelter for a. while." ...•■■.- "But what about the farmer?" queued &U dubiously. "You remember I stole one of his apples;"' ' '. ' ' ' ■ ' ■■■-.: . • ' "Come on, fat-head. I'm cola," retorted Peter. ' ' The two broke into a'run, and it was only the work of a few moments to got to the barn. The door -opened1 easily, enough, and the smell of sweet hay greeted; them. ■■:■■■/-. ' "How snug iv here," whispered BUI, ■ "Let's lie down over there" 1 eter struck a match, and as the- wax flared up, the boys were ablo to imd a-cosy place* .-,.-■ ~ ■•',"■ ' _ They had ■ haririy, settled down when a noi'so at the door sent each of thorn diving .pell-mell into the pilo of hay. A, raucous voice cut the stillness of the barn. ■ ■ ■ . . . . "is it 0.X.,. Jefl!3"."Yeah! No one's out on a night like this," growled "Jeff " "Show; a glim," commanded the first speaker, and the'scrape of a match canio_ to the breathless pals. . "Wot time does the express go by?" came Jeff's voice. In alf an hour's time," replied Joff's companion. "Got everything ready?" asked Jeff again. "Course I 'aye," growled the other. "See! We make a enow-ball and put a time- bomb m it. We roll the snow-ball down on to the line and the train ::woiy!t: stop jus' for a little snow-ball." The man leered. "They will : .go on. Tlifcfry he made a gesture with one hand, "—then there will be one :big, bang!';'.•'■' .;■■, Peter.-lifted up part of the hay which concealed him, and saw two villain-ous-looking- men squatting in front of a bottle with a stump of candle in its neck. "C'mon," growled Jeff. "We must be clearing off." They rose to leave,, and after extinguishing the stump, Jeff slammed tho door. •:.: i.::.:v> . . .;v-"*-:-"' ' ■ ' ■ ■ '■ . ' '.■■■' • ■ ■ "Gosh!" gasped Peter. "All those passengers will probably be killed!" "We must stop them," came Bill's horrified voice. "I'll go for the police i an^ you follow them and sco where they go. "We'll find your foot-prints." '

(Original, by OaveU Nichols aged 16, for the rairy King)

Peter dashed out of the barn, while Bill inado off towards tho distant police-station. . . : Peter gazed wildly about, him, then dropped flat on tie snow. Two shadowy forms were distinguishable in the pines, and cautiously Peter raised himself. Following swiftly, Peter had reached the pines, when lie got the shock of his life. A sack was thrown roughly over his head and a hoarse voieo growled viciously in his ear. 'Spying, huh? We'll see what's to be done with a spy!" Peter's heart sank to his boots as he realised that he was in the hands of the train-wreckers. He was pushed roughly along while a whispered conversation took place out of earshot. Poter felt, himself stumble over several blocks of wood which he rightly guessed were the sleepers on the railway lines. "Here we are," snarled Jeff. "Listen, you: I know you'd like to see the explosion, so 1711 satisfy your wish." "You rotters!" gasped Peter through the 6aek. But the words were like water on a duck's back to Jeif and his mate. The sack was whisked from his head, and a filthy hand clapped over his mouth to prevent him from shouting; His hands were tied securely behind his back, and an oily piece of rag was forced between his teeth, as a gag. He.found that he was among trees with/a full moon shining on the glistening rails of a railway track. His captors bound him to a tree trunk, then left him to himself. Petor struggled fiercely at his bonds, but his hands were cold and numb and refused to work very quickly. Perhaps half-an-hour later, the men returned, rolling a small snow-ball. Thisj they rolled on to the line and a distant whistle proclaimed that the express was not far off. Peter would have to work iolly quickly if ho wanted to savo it. One of the men ran up to him and pointed, with a sneering laugh at a pin-prick of light; . . ' "Watch that grand train!" he jeered, then faded into the bushes to await the finish of the dastardly plot. Then things happened. A shrill whistle echoed about Uim, then there was a rush of feet. It wasn't the train whistle, though, but a policeman's. ■ Dark forms burst from the trees to surround the two crooks who were hiding in a hole in an oak tree. Peter saw another dark figure dart to the snow-ball on the track and pull it away. The express rushed past them a'few moments' later—safe. The policeman ana a few of the townsmen gathered round Peter who was quickly cut free and tho gag removed. ' ' : "What was their motive!" was Peter's first question. "You didn't know there was bullion oa that train, did tou?' j renlied a man, as they walked off. - l