FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13796, 8 July 1908, Page 10

FOR THE CHILDREN.

BILLY AND BEN. "Op course I'm going to invite Ben," d*. dared Billy, stoutly. " Ben's all right" You ' fellows don't know him." 'J* "That's not our fault. He's'o queer wo 3an'£ get : to know him," Frank objected, ariolil Gus, who was pitching ,a ball against the II schoolhouse doo-/ and catching it skilfully in the rebound, spoke his mind bluntly. ' "Oh, let £ ° Bon. He makes me tired. He'll spoil ail our fun; he's nothing butT £~ Won't play any games, can ? skate ioemt know a tennis racquet from a hockey tick! I've got no use for a feW thai sticks his .nose ma; book all day lone ' a«WtO Sets on the Roll of Honor every monTh!»W« Whereupon loyal Billy, turning very red sputtered threateningly : h y rea ' "Because you can't get on the Roll 0 ' " Honour , yourself you needn't guy-:atfS^S hat c a „ Ben - 8 aII right," finding this conclusive phrase the S « pression of his feeling. P ' ex ' Billy's liking for Ben had lone been * puzze to his other friends. Strange tha?W should take a fancy to Ben, who wL » JL5* corner in their midst, a tali, tikToy «Z ing glasses, peering at things /in » gnftSMi spei ßi2 c ' » w , ■*\r W^ oSlll speak but oh, so astounding^ quick £> IH learn I It wasn't natural for a bVtoTnW work as mU ch as Ben seemed to! W Iherelore Frank and; Gus were -i liin» „ noyed to find that they couldn f tßhakfifei"' determination to include Ben in .3" y S Drate,the occasion bv taking" ' " ■< - on an all-day trip m a brand SSI parly^l g^jssywsc;Si wTth their h?T *i *Tf , to »*«rf«J way or anSher. C **>' «"»* *»• wem m n^ hty P 3 ng a , nd throbbing, and thev •fi—i i • °'- . P en - *** motion less. It,»»« * ii«lt»Ha wondcrfu i workin^ At the back the three boy \ Were in »™i of merrimont- t..it c uu J f >' were m a gale rCS?^ nd I' b™™*«*reamS^s^ "P™ a came rushing down7mm *l £% powers, away in the motor waTa-baJS fin §°*!&$H with, fcioe-andntuffed Sp? i.-'- ""redgffi g^*.*^<£.2?ss , 3-.-u A '\9° m ® .^ 0 boys," cried Billy "I'll He and.h i3 °qS through thickets? and crashmi • bank .where *al slender -* »>; r„u" ? " 1'• lfiS«i^S teeing' a foolS "Don't BnLf ddl w cataracte. wont, Billy!. Wait till you see if ;t'« secure!" called Uncle Hugh's warning voice But he was too late. Retskless Bifl J already pranced out on th?periWcroS ing, balancing « stick in his hES? and £E lifted- airly before the oV-'r. led r»-* ' STow footing and caught wildly a £S,t dutch and BilK and tree went down to . : ™t!*i. ' • ,Uy and tre o went, drwn to st£r«"£„?£ Btr ? am ' *<xM«»d tangle W»!?V^ br - 0 % 8 ' anma and a brown head J,ft,n 8 ltSf out of the water" ■ " With a cry Uncle Hugh swunir - Sow 6 K; Fortu » at P' hnt -R^f re "" - no fe,ir of drowning, witfa P tTa SS y f„ Wa i? i ? ned dOWn HW •rL L ree ***!*'■{*"»* across his breast, lesslv fw? *4 e l ank matched breathW 7 ;* V DC n e^- Hugh was a strong man, but ,t °° all has strength to lift the treSl which was>.caught: among i the 1-roots''":S» stones to. pull Billy out and drag him baefc^i wet, bruised, '"? shaking, to dl " £d Marvel of marvels, he appeared to be mhurt, except for some severe, cute and ' bruises. It was Uncle Hugh. who>gave|sS groan ; and turned white; about the lip? when Jie ( tried to move his right hand. . Its d, sprain, boys, and * bad «*° h * ' " sasd. briefly. ' . They looked at one another in silence. -':. /fitowjßhould ■; taey ever 5 get home? I wast thl W thought!that occurred to all. No, not to all. Ben was thinking only « ot the immediate necessity; :- In less than ; a moment he was ; over the i bank ; and back again, bringing his tin cup full of cold water. _Here, sp,let me tie it up," he said, and the boys looked on m wonder as he bathed sß& the swollen hand and dexterously bound it ; with his handkerchief. - '^f^ •jTM a regular surgeon, man!" . said Uncle Hugh approvingly, and the boys stared at the words. ' They were a subdued little party as they : ' , retraced their. way to the road where theyififi had left the .car.- Billy was stiff and sore and limped badly, but there, were no bones ■.' broken. "Better ; luck than ' you deserve!" grumbled Uncle Hugh, conscious of his own aching wrist. , Then they all stood gazing at the car, wondering what next! Uncle Hugh studied . each boy in turn—Billy, in the toiineauritt- OS his: ; absurd '> wrappings, mischievous Frank, impulsive Gus, and sober /Ben,/ and Uncle Hugh, had s his inspiration. He laid his .hand on • Ben's ; shoulder. "You have nerve and a level head," he'?isi said. "Will you get us home, Ben 1"' .' ". The boy's face fit. 1 "I'll try, sir. . ll?f%] watched ■ carefully." ••'V"-1 know you did; that's the reason I trust you. So they climbed into the car, and Ben, • the spoilsport,, was given the chauffeur's place. To the other boys it seemed almost too great a thing to be real. It was their turn to be silent. For there was Ben, * their despised companion, pulling on ; Uncle ; Hugh'? /gloves,' opening and shutting ' valves, hisx'iM hand on the steering wheel, his foot on the brake. Uncle /Hugh watched and was satisfied. Ben was;safe;'he thought of nothing but his task; he would; not be "; distracted, and, best of all, he listened to directions and was ready to obey instantly. So they ran homeward, steadily, surely, safely. Ben kept his eye on the speedometer, for he had no ambition to make * record and was content with - moderate speed. And when, at dusk, he deposited Unole Hugh and Billy at the doctors door, they all joined: in a rousing cheer for the boy who had saved the situation proved himself to be the manliest; among them* - ■ -:■■■;'.'■ •:.-".■' :-.' ; ;■•-.'''.' ■'- , '.'::: : <; : l.--.;~.V''--'',',, .■» iW ■'^ZZA'CfiWi* .' ' — ,■■,■ - ■ _ "• '/£ , • :— mm