"A TIMELY AWAKENING"

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 22, 25 July 1936, Page 20

"A TIMELY AWAKENING"

(Written for the King by "FWA," 15, Kelburn)

a sinking heart I surveyed the pirates, seeking among that God--1 ' forsaken crew some sign of friendliness in vain. Only Satanic masks of personified evil returned my gaze. To my distorted imagination they appeared to be devils incarnate rather than human, beings. Their foul imprecations, the black thoughts that flitted across their faces, and the deliberate manner in which they angered their knives, all convinced me that I was in a sorrowful plight, -A stream of scatter-brained ideas flowed through my head only to be rejected at birth as their utter impracticability struck me Despite anything I could say, do, or think, one fact remained dominant Escape was impossible.

Suddenly a heavy footstep sounded behind me. Like a teetotum I spun around. A great giant of a man towered like a small mountain above me That I was confronted by the pirate chief himself I had no doubt. The very manner in which the crew cringed before him coupled with his swaggering air of authority certainly proclaimed it. He was one of the most colossal men I have yet seen. He wore a red cloak which reached to his great sea boots. A large sword dangled from his waist, while a gleaming gold ring hung from each of his ears. Perched on his head was a black, tri-cornered hat. When I scanned his face a chill as of an Arctic wind swept through me. It was a cruel, relentless face, utterly devoid of mercy; a face which plainly indicated that he didn't worry a tinker's cuss whether Judgment Day^ caught him half-away through his next crime or not. "What ho, my young cockerel," he boomed unexpectedly. "Have you said your prayers? You have but a minute to live. See, the plank awaits you." He moved aside. Disclosed to my view was a large board protruding several feet over the edge of the ship. It was then that I knew the end ■was imminent, and the floodgates which had hitherto held back the waters of my penMip emotions, broke. Holding my head in my hands I wept bitterly. Unmoved by my passionate outburst the pirates grinned malignantly and at a nod from the captain two of them propelled me out on to the plank A pikestaff jabbed me in the back. In a daze I stumbled along the board amid a storm of ironical cheers from my callous audience. Ages seemed to pass I Pondered if I should ever come to the end. Abruptly my feet encountered thin air. Like a plummet I went hurtling down, down, down. A green blur Bee-tied to rise up and meet me. And then A spark shot out of the smouldering embers in the fireplace'and ricocheting on the fireside shovel sent it clattering into the hearth. I started violently ■and as my book "Treasure Island" by R. L. Stevenson slid from my lap I 'lesay.ed a haphazard grab at it. "Gosh, what a dream!" I murmured.