FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13707, 25 March 1908, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE HOBGOBLINS AND THREE SQUIRRELS.

BY MARGARET s,TRArC<JE

A long time ago there stood in the cornef of a field an old tree with a great big hole in it. At the bottom of the hole lived three Hobgoblins, and at the top. just where the branches began, there lived three squirrels. The Hobgoblins* names were Scrumpyface, Browntoes, and Pinkietip. Now, poor Scrumpyface was very ugly, but he was quite the nicest of the three, for though Pinkietip was pretty, he was a little bit conceited, and Browntoes was only nice when he wasn't cross, and that was not often! They were all three dressed in little leafy-green jackets, and had funny twisty brown legs, their legs were twisty on purpose, so that they could dim!) in and out among the branches quite safely. , Browntoes had a big round mark on each foot, and that was how he got his name; poor Scrumpyface had a face crumpled up just like a withered brown leaf, and that was how he got . ids name. No one knew how Pinkietip got his name, unless it was because he had a funny small pink nose in the middle of his brown face, but Hobgoblins don't have mothers, so there was no one who could, tell him. '

They made friends with the squirrels who lived upstairs, and sometimes, for a great treat, they went up to tea. But the squirrels would never come down to see the Hobgoblins. They told Scrumpyface one day that it was because it was so dark down there it made them think of cagea and traps and all the horrible things that squirrels don't like. They themselves had three cosy nests up in the daylight, but the Hobgoblins each had a dark nook anionthe knotty roots of the tree. The squirrel? names were Rustyred, Busheybrown, and twotails In the autumn they were verv busy collecting nuts for the Winter, which they hid away in secret hidy-holes, so that when the cold weather came and there was nothing else to eat, they had a good 'store 01 food. ..:--; -

One morning Twotails came home looking ' very puzzled. He told the other squirrels - that he was sure some of the nuts in his Judy-hole had gone. Rustyred and Busheybrown both looked very serious at this, and they all sat down to think what they should do. "I know," said Rustvred. ""One of u<» must hide near the hole to-night and watch to see if anyone comes. I suppose, as it is your hidy-hole, Twotails, that you had better watch." But Twotails said he would be afraid, and Busheybrown said he would be cold, so Rustyred decided that thev had better all watch together. When bedtime came the three little squirrels crept out verv quietly to Twotails' hidy-hole, thev hid themselves carefully, and began to watch. No one spoke* and thev waited and waited. At last someone yawned, just a little yawn, but they all heard it. Then someone else sighed, and then Busheybrown said in a whisper. "I wish they'd come quicklv, I am so tired" "Hush," said both " the others. So they waited and waited, until Busheybrown said a little louder than before, 'I do wish they would come, I am so sleepy." "Lazybones!" said both the others. "" —. .V . - ,11. Busheybrown didn't like to be calleA names, so he said quite loud: "That's all very well, Twotails, but they are vour nuts not mine, and I'm tired of waiting"; besides', I don't believe anyone is coming at all." After this, of course, it was no use waiting any more, as everyone must have heard them, so they crept back very sleepily to bed. Next morning Twotails got up early and went to his hidy-hole. He came backlooking more serious than ever. " Nearly all my nuts have gone," he said, and sat down and cried. Rustyred. tried to cheer him up. and Busheybrown promised not to get cross and talk loud if they watched again the next night. So at bedtime they crept out again to the hidy-hole, and hid themselves carefully, and began to watch. They waited and waited and waited; Busheybrown dropped off to sleep and snored just a little. After a long time they heard a tiny noise, like a crackly leaf stirriii"- it got louder and they saw something moving very slowly towards them. It was too dark to see what it was yet, but as it got. nearer Twotails whispered to Rusty-, red, "It's that horrid little Pinkietip!" They waited until he reached the hidyhole, and got his hands full of Twotails' nuts, then the three squirrels jumped out upon him and held him fast. Pinkietip was so frightened that lie dropped all the nuts and fell on his knees, screaming, " Please don't kill me : oh ! please don't kill me! I will be good; I won't ever steal any more, nuts: please, please let me go." Rustyred shook him and made him stand up. "He quiet and don't be so silly: of course, we are not going to kill you, but we are going to take you prisoner, and then you will have to go to Queen Fairy's "Court to-be judged." The squirrels tied Pinkietip's hands together, and then went a little way off to talk over what to do with him. Pinkietip was crying so bitterly thai Twotails felt quite sorry for him. and said, to the others: "Well, they were my nuts he stole, but he looks so sad and ashamed that I am sure he won't do it again. Let's forgive him and let him go." Rustyred and Busheybrown did not think this a good plan at all, but Twotails coaxed and persuaded them until at last the" agreed. They went back to poor naughty Pinkietip, who was still crying, and told him they would forgive him' and let him go if he promised faithfully never to steal again. Pinkietip promised at once, and thanked them so nicely that the squirrels felt quite glad that they had let him off. And then, being all very sleepy, they went home to bed. Pinkietip was* so late next morning that Rcrumpvfaeo came and peeped into his nook to see if he was quite well, but Pinkietip was sound asleep. When he did wake up later on Scrumpyface said : " Why were you so sleepy this morning, and-— Why, what's tho matter? You look as though you had been crying in the night. Had you got toothache, poor Pinkie':" But Pinkietip only rumpled up his little pink nose and said nothing. " That afternoon, when the Hobgoblins were having tea together in the bottom of (he tree. Scrumpy face said to Browntoes," " Poor Pinkietip'wasn't happy last night, but he won't tell me what was the matter. You ask hint; perhaps lie will tell you." But Pinkietip would not say anything to . Browntoes either. (To bo concluded on Wednesday neit.)