"ADVENTURE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 112, 14 May 1938, Page 20

"ADVENTURE"

■ If (Written for the Kin* by ; "Aute," 14, of Island Bay.) BARBARA looked out through the mosquito-netting at the moon's face, Scarred by'thecnarrow leaves of a coconut palifi'. The fronds shone silver, rivalling the soft glow of the Milky Way. The night was ■till and very heavy. Far away she. could hear the dull boom of the breakers on the reef, and nearer the slap, slap of the small waves on the coarse'beach. , , As she watched the moon it seemed to beckon: "There's a spirit of adventure outside." Fronv ; down in the villaga close by came a soft song and the tinkling of a guitar. Barbara glaficed over the slanting moonbeam It- Bgryl's bed, Beryl,, her friend, was staying with Barbara* for the holidays at 'the seaside house; "Are you awake, Beryl?" she-whispered. "Yes, I'm awake. I can't go to sleep—it's so hot." "Let's go for a walk," suggested- Barbara;' " Soon" they were dressed, and went out- to call Lavaia, the Samoan housegirl, to go with them. They found $er,s in her room, embroidering a j)illow-slip with the green and red of the hibiscus flower.. . . r ' Lavaia was only too-willing. The three girls strolled down to the village, where by moonlight figures were dancing on a green facing the sea. Most of the villagers were singing, but at intervals some would step in front to dance. Barbara, Beryl, and Lavaia stood watching in the edge of the semi-circle. The rhythm of the pesas (songs) was accentuated by the clapping of the "singers. Sometinfes ~on£ of " the younger men would stand in front and perform queer actions which were greeted with laughter. A friend of the girls invited them to do the siva (dance). Beryl was shy, but Barbara did not mind, especially when several Samoan girls offered to dance with her. - Barbara's wrists were as suppled as- tliose of the accomplished dancers. Since she was a tiny child-she had been accustorted to playing and dancing with the native children, and now. .as she 1 swayed in time with the music she seemed like a South Sea Islander. Suddenly into the midst of the revelry ran a man highly excited. He hid Just paddled in from the rough look-out tower built of slender stripped trunks, half-way between the reef and the shore. A shoal of fish had been sighted heading for their nets. Wire-netting had been staked in a wide arc lacing the west. In the middle of the arc was a small outlet, which-lea into another closer circle .of netting. Once the fish swam inta-the second circle they had little chance of escaping. .'•• When they heard the news, all the men. dragged the canoes into the water and set off as fast as jpossible for the traps, taking burning torches of coconut leaves with them. . Feeling adventurous, Beryl and Barbara launched their canoe, which had been pulled UP on the beach in front of the cottage. They paddled in the direction of the flares that were reflected m the water. Half of the men had gone by the back of the nets to the side farthest from the shore, but the girls joined those on the other end. '• Soon Beryl and Barbara could see in the moonlight dark shadows darting through the water. , Before long the shoal was passing into the nets, and when the flsh had all swum into the prison, the natives blocked^ the entrance ■with their canoes. The mullet were forced into the inner net. Here the men speared them, loading their boats. . . . Beryl leaned over the water to watch the flsh, and "the canoe overturned, the outrigger described a large arc in the air. Both were good .swimmers, so while they were treading water they righted the light canoe. As Barbara was the slighter of the two, Beryl .said: "You get, aboard while I hold it, then you can.bail out as much water as you can. 11l float for awhile. Barbara set to work with an empty coconut 'shell for a* bailer; ■ The craft soon was much lighter,'so Barbara called to Beryl, who. was enjoying her unexpected swim: "Come on, it'll hold us both ..now.'' - • "That's good. It Is a bit spooky swimming at night. You can never tell what is down below." . With'that Beryl began the yards m good time. " . Suddenly she stopped short as a horrified scream came from Barbara. A triangular fin was cutting the water halfway between theiswimmer and the canoe. Beryl stared fascinated at the she knew to be _a shark. Although it could not be very big, since only small sharks can pass the intricate coral reef at that point, it would be able to do severe damage. Not knowing whether to stay there or swim for the shore, she decided on the former course, for help might come.. She lay on lier back kicking as hard as she could. In the meantime Barbara, with presence.of mind, called^ to the nearest native* In one word she conveyed, everything: Shark! With swift, smooth strokes the two, sent their canoe towards Beryl. The splashing for a time kept: the shark off, but it became bolder soon. It made a sudden attack for her legs; Even as she tried to tuck her legs up she saw her enemy twist with a spear quivering in its white side. Two pair of hands pulled her up into a steady fishing craft to safety. The Samoan who hid saved BeryTs life by throwing so acculately was named MUlia. He wis-very glad that; he had been given the opportunity, for Befyl's father, who was a clever doctor, had saved Mulias B ° a no other adventure to equal that, even though their holidays were eventful.