RICHARD AND TED SOLVE THE MYSTERY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 31 May 1930, Page 13

RICHARD AND TED SOLVE THE MYSTERY

Ted and Richard were completely mystified. It seemed to them that their tiip to Fairyland had taken several "days, and yet they had only heen away from home for an hour.. They went into the sittingroom to discuss the matter. "I"can't explain it," said Ted. "Well!" said Richard, "we've got to find the reason somehow." ."Yes!" answered Ted, "but how?" • "I've got an idea!" Richard exclaimed at last. ■'..-. ■■

:>' ■:•:?:;■',;■■'; \ : . —— J idea for the explanation of the problem was quite a simple one. He suggested that they should go to the forest and that Ted should summon -one-of the Fairies to explain things to them. Ted agreed to do his share, and, as it was quite a.long way to the glade, Richard got his bicycle and gave Ted aride in the trailer. In that way they reached the woods very quickly.

: ••' The road only took them to the outskirts'Of; the forest, so they left the bicycle -hidden- in the undergrowth', .cliinbed up the steep bank, and set put on foot'for/the'Tairy they very nearly got lost on the way. At last, however, Ted recognised spot, and"gave the call that all fairies know and. answer. Immediately a strange little fellow appeared. . (

The .little fellow wa's one of the King's messengers. Of course he knew Ted at once. "Hullo! Hullo!" he cried. "What can I do for you, Ted? Surely you don't want to pay another visit to Fairyland so soon?" "No!" said Ted. "I Don't! But can you tell us why, when we saw Jack and the Beanstalk, we seemed to be away from home for days and days, and yet were absent, only for about an hour?" When Ted asked that question, the little fellow fell back and laughed until tears ; came into his eyes. , (.

I,• J ' The explanation the little man gave Ted and Richard was quite satisfactory, so far as they were concerned. In fact, they could not help laughing themselves. "But," Richard pointed out, "if we tell that to Gwen and Polly, they certainly will not believe us, so what can we do?" In the end, the little man agreed to go back with them, and explain the matter personally. It was a tight fit for the two in the trailer, but Richard rode gently, and neither of them fell out ,

Polly and Gwen were surprised to see the little man, but they were quite interested when Richard explained why he had come. "You cannot understand," said the visitor, "why, although Ted and Richard were only away for an hour, they were able to witness all the adventures of Jack the Giantkiller in Fairyland?" "Well, you see," the little fellow went on, "when you visit Fairyland, time just stands still, so that actually you are away no time at all." "But that's magic," Polly exclaimed. "Of course it is. Everything is magic in Fairyland." With that, the visitor disappeared.