THE SECRET OF THE CAVE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 7

THE SECRET OF THE CAVE

(By "Fairy Silver," aged 12.)

• •y-^OME quickl Look what I've discovered!" Pamela's voice echoe* **I and re-echoed through the trees. Flavia looked up from picking bluebells, and ran towards her twin sister. "Why, it's a cave* sh« cxcltiimcclt ' ■ - f "Isn't it lovely!" said Pamela as she looked at the maidenhair fern and pretty climbing ferns that mantled the mouth of tho cave. "Shall •we go in?" asked Flavia. . ' " . Jt "'. ' . "All right, com© on,".replied Pamela, brushing away the curtjam of foliage and entering. "It's frightfully dark. I can't see anything in fjront of me" She groped her way down the cave till at length she came' to a standstill. "I thought I heard music. Sh-sh-ss.. Listen again." jFlavia, who was on the opposite side of the cave, stumbled on something, and after feeling about her, she knew it was a box, so she sat on it. ~„,. But crash! The lid of the-box fell in, and she went with it! "There a a piece of paper in here. I'll put it in my cardigan pocket till we get!in some light. There may,be writing on it," said Flavia, as she got up to her feet The two girls made, their way out of the cave, and looked at the piece of paper. On it was written the, following:— . To anyone-finding this:—Take three paces from the box and raise the trapdoors Follow, tho•: passage (ill you oome to a golden door with the words "Banquet Hall "engraved on it. Tha.door will be locked, but give.three gentle taps on the door and it will bo opened.—A Merry Elf. "&o there's elves in this cave," said Pamela in an amazed tone. "It seems so ridiculous!", '~''. "Let's sco if it is true. Come on ! " AVilh Cunt; thoy rc-eufcrod the cave. Flavia took three paces, and then" going down on her hands and knees, she felt about for the trapdoor. Having found it, slie raised it and beheld a ilio-ht of stone steps leading down to the,floor of a vory. badly lit passage. a When they came to-tho door of the hall they knocked, but to their surprise'they found no living creature within, but only a. largo table set for pome festival. Gold dishes with jellies, cream,.fruit, trifles, and many other, delicacies "were standing amongst the rich bowls of flowers and tall candles. A large cake with candles on it stood in the vory centre.- Then all of -a sudden, from behind all-the decorations, elves and fairies danced. "Now we can commence the banquet. We are.celebrating the anniversary; of the Fairy King, as we cannot get to Wellington in timo for the celebrations there. Come on, here's to Fairiel," an elf piped as he held up his glass of nectar. T ing-a-ling, ting-a.-ling. ; . Pamela rubbed her eyes. "So it's only a dream!" exclaimed, she, ai she realised she was only a St. Margaret's school girl instead of a fairy. She sat up iii bed and said to herself, "Ah, it's a half-holiday today, so I Ml go to see Fairiel this af ternoon.t" - — Then she started to dress, as. rising-bell had just rung.