SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 9

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS.

BOYS ON THE BEACH.

; BOARDING A GALLEON.

SCRUBBING FOR YACHTSMEN.

• Young Auckland is well into its holiday stride, and is thoroughly on joying', itself. It lias had < a .wonderful 'week of sunshine and •opportunity for really satisfactory exploits. . During'' the first few days it seemed that the boys in particular were somewhat intoxicated.with the.' joy of freedom. With their unerring instinct for forbidden fruit they ranged far and wide, promoted fights/organised some mischief, and generally displayed a superb contempt for the possibilities of father's slipper. '■■'". Naturally the beaches called to many of these fortunate, children, and the bands of boys have had a busy time exploring their possibilities. As the boats are now "up" for their overhaul, the pirate game has flourished, with dire effects upon paint and any rigging within reach. [Never have tillers been • operated o with such splendid ' disregard for the wind and weather.

' The scene in one quiet bay was'nothing less than the Spanish "Tho boarding party had no grappling irons, but a tamelooking step-ladder filled the bill. It was a ea*e of "cut cutlasses and away!" The imaginary crew of the imaginary galleon went over the other side ignoininiously, and the paint spoilers could not,help grinding the sand into the; decking. The stern stood high, and it soon, became necessary for one' pirate and another- to descend. Their gymnastic, ability, was obvious. Each hung .by one arm from' the counter long enough to dislocate the sockets of most arms before dropping into the pirate boat below. • .'•.."'; The Interfering Adult. , Here it became necessary to create fire, the object being either to stage a volcano in eruption or the smoke cloud of a tre mendous broadside. At this moment an interfering adult had to enter the Spanish Main— perhaps by this time it was sea sailed by : the.Flying- Dutchman deliver what the hoys regarded as a very unnecessary, lecture on the. danger of fire in (ho vicinity of boats. One is quite sure that the community of boys would vote for the comp'-to restraint of all adults during holidays. ' The .same individual also took it upon himself to suggest that a battle with stones between a party on' a cliff and another.below'was the sort of thing that gave work for the ambulance. His real object was to safeguard a small party of younger children who were industriously engaged in. the no-man's land of the war, in making a castle with a moat in the sand. The builders reminded one of the ostrich that nuts its head in tho sand so that it might banish danger. . Tho war was no affair of theirs, and hence they refused to consider the possibility of a missile coming their way . They were having a delightful wrangle. Each was determined to build according to bis own plans, and when the work,of, his neighbour came in the wav he followed the line of direct action. He simply demolished it. The neighbour then demolished his portion of the structure, and there was a debate. The small boy who preferred to supervise and direct rather than build a Bit himself denounced tho ideas of everyone, and eventually, persuaded tho party to begin afresh in a new place, but he did not attempt to fashion the sand himself. He continued to look on and instruct- He • should have 'a great future, that small boy. Too Many Attractions.

Beside a boat sat an interesting trio, two' small bovs and a small girl. They discussed endlessly what, they should do next. They were afflicted with the restlessness of' the age. A whole day was nearly gone and'they had not yet been to the rocks, nor to the next bay, nor round the cliff. The small girl was ready to go to any of the places, but neither boy. was willing to allow the, other to command—a characteristic of the "worthier (render" when' there is a girl ready to fo'lpw the lead of the dominant male. ; "Yes, we'll go round the rocks," said one boy. "Yes, round the rocks," echoed the small girl. "No, we'll sit hero for a while," said the other small, boy. What's' the good, of sittin'.. h.ere," said the first bov. "Well, we'll go up the cliff," said the second. "No,, we won't,", said number one. And so" on. endlessly. . . > 'When a move somewhere' seemed imminent one boy became tremendously interested in' a .newspaper he had pulled out of the sand. "Wait till I read the paner," he'said. . "By' golly, .this is the : tcber page." He affected to be profoundly interested in the "pitchers" that were shown a month ago. " Well," said the other boy, "I'm poin' for a drink," and off he departed'. Returning, he remarked casuallv, "Why don't vou go for "a drink, you silly ?','-T-rho used the great Austral'.vi term of endearment in' a most' friendly way. 'Very shocking lammage, no doubt, but most of '.us'.can recall in our youth boys who indulged in strongish language but grew 'to be' men ' without a sign ' of depravity. ....■'■ •'