THE GREENSTONE MERE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20137, 24 December 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GREENSTONE MERE.

By LOUIS MCCARTHY. I'rimxsa Mary Hospital (age J3 years). It \v:is just three days before Christmas, when Jim Cooper ami Bob Weston had a. stroke of luck that they were not likely to forget for a good many years. You see, Jim and Bob, had been trying to think out some scheme by which they could get a few pounds so that they could have a good time at Christmas." So far, they had not been able to think of anything which might prove successful. and as they were both tired of the arguments which kept cropping up over this subject, they agreed to say no more about it for a while, but to go and scale the rugged cliffs and explore the cave which they had often seen from the beach below. . So they started off carrying only a strong electric torch, some lighi rope and a small supply of food. They soon arat the bottom of the cliffs, where they stopped to tie the ends of the rope around their waists, so that if one missed his footing and fell, the other could help him, as they had to climb to a height of irbotit thirty feet to reach the cave. However, after a hard climb they reached the cave without mishap and proceeded to explore it. They had gone in some distance, when, oil turning a corner they saw in front of them a small pit about twelve feet deep. Bob (lashed the beam of his torch down the pit, and. seeing something in the bottom of the hole which glittered in the torch-light, he decided to see what it was. lie tied one end of the rope to his waist arid descended into the hole, where, to the surprise and unspeakable delight of both, he found that the glittering thing that had <iroused their curiosity, was a splendid gieenslone mere, which had probably been dropped there by a Maori chief, when attempting to escape from his enemies. You may be sure that Jim and Bob made for home as quickly as possible, and showed their treasure to Jim's father who told them that they were very lucky indeed, and that the mere was 'worth I'ortv pounds at the least! The next day they took it to a shopman in Auckland who bought it from them for fifty three pounds. Then thev spent the rest of the day in buying tuck for a great feast to be held the next day. which was Christmas day. All their friends were invited to the feast while Bob and Jim bought a splendid bicycle each, and all they could taty* about was the finding of the greenstone mere.