PURSUED BY FIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20762, 3 January 1931, Page 4 (Supplement)

PURSUED BY FIRE.

By KEITH PERCY STONE, fiß, Owens Road, Epaom. (Aged 17). Tho plane swooped downwards through space. For an hour Captain Charles Hanley had flown his two cousins, Vera and Leonard, in his monoplane, a thousand feet above the hush, with tho engine running as sweetly as lie could wish. Both children wcro enjoying immensely their first oruiso in a plane, when suddenly the engino spluttered and then stopped. Tho captain had glided tho plane as best ho could; hut she nose-dived and next moment was whirling downwards, gaining speed as she did so. The pilot now flattened her out a few times, thus reducing her speed; hut the earth still rushed up to meet them at a terrific rate. As the propeller refused (o start, the captain scanned the landscape for a landing place. Bush—bush everywhere below him. " Good !" This word escaped his lips as through his goggles lie sighted a dricd-up riverbed. The captain pulled sharply on the joystick. The plane shot upwards, looped the loop, nose-dived, then glided gracefully down to make a perfect landing on tho river-bed. " A near shave, children," said Captain Charles, alighting from the plane. The fliers found they were in tho heart of bushland. On either side of the river-bed kingly kauri trees towered as though to meet the blue sky. The beautiful scarlet flowers of the pohutukawa stood out in a blaze of colour against tho green of the bush. Tho captain soon righted tho trouble in his machine; then, taking out his watch, he said: " Why! It's only two o'clock." " As we aro now in the bush, I suggest going for a walk," said Vera. " Agreed to," answered her companions in chorus. Before entering the dense bush, however, tho three adventurers took off their flying gear and cleared away the large pebbles that lay in front of the plane, so as to bo ready to take off when they wished. Upon entering the bush they gazed in delight at tlie thick moss that lay like a carpet at tho foot of many trees. But progressing further on, they noticed that tho leaves on tree and scrub were crinkled up and almost dead. " This heat wave we are having is tho cause of that," said Leonard. " It was lucky for us it dried up the liver-bed. It has only just dried up because bushes on both banks look perfectly healthy," added the captain. On and on they went, taking care to notice the way they came, until suddenly Leonard stopped and said. " I'm sure I smell smoke." Before his friends could reply there sounded a tremendous crackling noise about fifty yards ahead of them. The bush seemed to melt away and in its place there appeared a great shret of flame. "A bush fire!" cried the captain seizing a hand of each cousin anil fleeing before tho oncoming flames.

To make matters worso a breeze sprang up. "On! On!" shouted the captain. As lie uttered these words his foot caught in a puriri root and lie fell heavily to the ground, his head striking a stone. He did not attempt to rise, but lay stretched out, a senseless figure. However, Leonard was a boy of action. " Take hold of bis feet, Vi, and I'll lift his shoulders," lie said. Vera quickly obeyed, and soon both children were struggling bravely forward with their burden. Hut, now the flames, fanned by the wind had grown much fiercer: and venturing to look round, Len saw that the fire was gradually gaining on them. "Would they never reach the river-bed? By now both sister and brother, detained by their heavy burden, were halfsuffocated by fumes, and only terror lent wings to their feet. Hurrah! 'There before their smarting eyes at last ran the river-bed and nearest lii« far side stood tho graceful monoplane. The children tottered over to the plane, where they sank exhausted lo the ground. After a rest, however, Leonard procured a thermos flask from the plane and applying it to tho captain's lips lie gave him a good drink of warm tea. The captain's eyes flickered and then slowly opened. He looked bewildered until he caught sight of the fire, which was by now burning itself out, and muttered: " The bush—the fire and that rootYes ! I remember now. Why! You must have carried me back here." Ho sprang to his feet and gripped the hand of each cousin. " Thanks for saving my life," he said. " Well, you saved ours," added Vera. " Then, are we not ' quits?' " said Leonard brightly.