HOW HENRY CAME BACK

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 20

HOW HENRY CAME BACK

(Written for the Hint by a Grown-up Elf.) ' .. np HE afternoon was hot and the small schoolhousc stuffy, , the ~yourtg II teacher was almost at the end of her patience. "Wiri! That is the third time you have given me a, foolish janswer. Come here! The rest of you may' go." ' ' ' ' < Ten children made a hasty and noisy departure, and the- eleventh, a brown-faced, bare-legged Maori lad, came slowly to the front. A perplexed frown wrinkled the teacher's brow. Wiri's behaviour was unusual. Throughout the day he had appeared pre-occupied, inattentive, and dull. She* was regarding him speculatively, when, suddenly, he , looked up , and said huskily: " 'Enery's lorst 'imself, Miss." His brown eye's grew misty., Rona- remembered. Henry was the shaggy, unkempt dog .that hung; about the school door daily. He was the best companion Wiri had ever had, and now he had "lorst 'imself." y "How long has he'been lost, Wiri?" she questioned. "Two day," was the doleful reply. "Have none of the other children seen him?" ' ■ Wiri shook his head. When she entered the living-room, John and Peter Stevens were albnt there, and so absorbed in a discussion that they did not notice her entry. "I tell you, Pete, we've got to get it from him today or find another place. Dad will find out if ." The rest of the sentence was inaudible. Peter, turning and seeing her, made no reply, but gave a toneless "Morning, Miss Meredith," as he slid into his seat. ~ ' Just before leaving' for school Rona remembered that she needed a large glass jar for an experiment. Mrs. Stevens paused in her hurrying to explain. "Do you mind getting it, Miss Meredith? The boys have left for school and I haven't a minute—it's in the little shed down the bush-path where the boys keep their things." "Of course I'll go ." She ran down the path that twisted through the thick bush, and at length came to the little wooden shed. The door was secured on the outside by a slip bolt. She pushed the door open and entered, only to start back suddenly as something moved towards her out of the gloom.. The "something" came out into the bright sunlight and blinked bloodshot, watery eyes. "Henry!" Rona cried as the dog's dusty body brushed against 'her. Her face grew serious. The scrap of conversation between Peter and John flashed into her mind, and also a sudden remembrance of the wailing in the night. "I'll find out about this. Come, Henryi" The dog, overjoyed at its freedom,' ran mad circles around her and leapt to lick her hands with an eager red tongue. At a short distance from the school she dismounted and secured the dog to the fence by a long lead. His eyes followed her with a hurt expression as she rode on. ■ . • ' "Only for a little while, Henry, old boy," She called. The children followed her into school; the' two little Johnson girls, with shining pink faces and tight pigtails, they came every morning on the early service car and had to wait an hour before school began; the mischievous sons of the dietrictdoctor, who were the envy of the rest of the school, when they arrived daily in the "doctor's smart little grey car; the school lined up regularly to watch the event, and Wiri, looking more alert and cheerful than of late. Rona wondered. She went on with the usual morning's routine and keeping a watchful.eye on Peter and John, noticed that the latter's attention was engaged in something below the lid of his desk. "Stand up, John. What have you there?" John flushed guiltily. "Just this, Miss Meredith." He brought into view a neatly-wound fishing line. "Well, bring it here! I'll have to put it in my cupboard, as you cannot keep your attention on the lesson." - ' Peter stood up quickly. "But it's Wiri's, Miss Meredith." Wiri looked puzzled. "No, Miss.' Tffive it' to 'im. *E find my 'Enery soon. 'E tell me." *Then Roria understood. John and Peter paled as she looked from one to the other., , • "You will find Henry tied to the fence of the horse-paddock, Wiri. You may go and find him now. Here's your fishing : line!" .. -> / Wiri's eyes shone. ' . » Two'minutes later, at play interval, he came back to' the schoolroom, followed by Henry, whose tail .wagged vigorously. Wiri murmured in Maori, caressingly. Miss Meredith was talking earnestly to Peter and John, who stood with lowered heads, but Wiri did not connect this fact with the return of 'Enery. "No, I'm not going to tell your father," the teacher was saying. The boys looked at each other incredulously. "But you must promise never to do such a mean thing again." - "We promise." they said together. There was admiration in their eyes. "You're a sport, Miss Meredith." As they left the schoolroom Henry left Wiri's side and advanced with a threatening growl in their wake. Peter ran, and the dog bounded after him. The children watched with delight as the boy and the dog circled the play* ground. Henry leapt and, burying his teeth in Peter's pants, retired with a large piece of material in his jaws. Peter was not to go unpunished after all, thought Rona, with a sympathetic thought for busy little Mrs. Stevens. That gap would be difficult to explain.