Ambergris.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20757, 27 December 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

Ambergris.

(Consolation Prize, Original, Story Contest.) Dy DOIUS DROWN, Fenton St., Stratford (acre 16). " Wouldn't it be simply wonderful if we found a piece of ambergris?" said Betty in a rapt voice. " Wonderful ? " Dick took her up, "It woud be so wonderful it would make Rotorua look silly. In fact, winning an art union would be commonplace beside it." " Oh, don't be silly, Dick. Just think, if we did find a piece, we'd be able to have a new bicycle each, or perhaps a motorbike would be better, and we'd be able to pay Alan's and Dorothy's fares so that they could come and spend the holidays hero, too. Just think of all the Christmas presents we could buy! " " Oh, yos," mocked Dick, taking shots at a limpet, " wouldn't it be simply gorgeous ! We'd be able to buy aeroplanes for the whole family and act Santa Claus to the district round about. How perfectly sweet! " Ho put his head on one side and simpered. " You girls make me tired. If you had any gonse you'd understand that it's not one person in a thousand who finds a piece of ambergris; and it's not one in ten thousand who would recognise it if ho did." Then, feeling ho had said something rather good, he put his hands in his pockets and sauntered off. Betty called after him. "Wait a moment, Dick; coming round to Butterfish Hole ? The tide should bo in, so wo can fish."

" Righto," agreed her brother. "Come here, Mike, boy! " Mike, their little terrier, came reluctantly from a pile of seaweed and dead fish to trot obediently before them. " Not bad," said Dick, surveying a fine rock-cod with pardonable pVide. "How are you getting on, Bet ? Fish biting ?" " No," said Betty, absently, " Look, I'm going over to that rock there. There's something black floating near it. She ran off over the slippery rocks. Dick looked after her and shrugged, then turned his attention to stringing the fish on to a pieco of flax. He looked tip presently, aroused by a wild call from Betty. She was waving to him excitedly. He tied his line to a l'ock in a loisuroly manner, and put the fish on top out of danger. With Miko barking oxcitedly at his heels, he hastened toward Betty. " Look, Dick, look! " sho gasped. "Sco this stuff here. I'm sure it's ambergris." She was clutching hold of a greyish-col-oured, evil-smelling mass. "It must be worth thousands."

"By jove! It looks like it. Let's tako it home quickly and show dad. What luck, Bet, it's a wonderful find." Together they scampered homo bearing the ambergris, quite forgetful of the fish or Mike. Breathless and excited, Dick and Betty burst in on the family at lunch. " Look what we've found! Ambergris! It must be worth thousands, and we'rp going to buy new bicycles, and—and " Everyone crowded round excitedly, admiring and congratulating. Suddenly Betty noticed that her father did not seem as pleased as the others. " What's the matter, dad ? " she ventured at last.

" Well, kiddie, I'm sorry, I hate to disappoint you, but it isn't real ambergris at all. Look, real ambergris burns. See." He took out a match, lit it and applied it to the "ambergris." Nothing happened. The match fizzled and went out. " I'm afraid, kiddie, it's only shark-flesh." A very dejected pair took tho shark's flesh outside.

" Come and have your dinner, dears," said their mother gemly. " No, not yet, mum. I left some fish down at Butterfish Hole, and I think Miko must bo guarding them," said Dick unemotionally. " I'd better go and bring them up." " I'll come, too," said Betty. She was trying her best not to cry. But it had been a great disappointment and all her castles in the air were in ruins. Together they went down the cliff-path. " Here's Mike," said Dick at last. "On guard, as I thought. Hullo, Mike, good dog! Down boy! Down, sir, I said." He picked up the fish and pulled in (he line. It had a small cod on it. He took it off and threw the fish to Mike as a reward. They went up the cliff-path again, Dick carrying his fish. "Well, if that dog isn't a little wretch," said Betty peevishly. " He's gone now. Whistlo for him, Dick." Dick whistled accordingly and Mike scampered into view round the cliff. Ho was carrying something black in his mouth. " Your hat, Dick, I suppose," commented Betty. " What a good little dog he is." They went insirlo the house, where tho family was just finishing lunch. "Hullo!" sairl their father jovially. " Fine haul of fish you have there, Dick." They sat down to lunch. In trotted Miko with a black piece of wood in his mouth. He laid it tenderly at Dick's feet. " Down, good dog," said Dick, throwing the wood outside. " Down, boy." Mike scampered off and returned with the black stuff again. Ho laid it at Dick's feet. " Here, let me see that," said their father as Dick mado a movement to rise. Ho took tho " wood " and examined it. " Look, it's soft." He smelt and held it to the light. "Do you know what you were going to throw awny. Dick ? " " Ambergris," breathed Dotty. " Yes. The real thing this time. Somewhere about £SO worth, I should say."

Dick looked up from his plato and laughed. " Lucky you took it, dad. I wasn't going to throw it away a second time —I was going to burn it."