The Lost Echo

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Lost Echo

(Fart H)

The little man wrinkled up his face. " Don't you know? Oil, dear! " he exclaimed." He wandered away from the cave this morning, Marju the Magician forgot to cast a spell over him to keep him in the cave, and now he may be tost. He's got to be back before nightfall. or Mariu: will he so angry and punish, us ail. I feel so sad,"' he sijtked. " You don't look it," said BaroaraAnne., '• Don't look it I " exclaimed the little man, " That's good! "' and the cave roi-ksd with. laughter again. " If you will please tell ua who ia lost, we may he able to find him," said. Michael. " An Echo, of course! " anawered another littie man, " Have you seen him? " Na,'' answered Michael,. " But we'll go and look for him, if you like." " Do!. Do! " shouted all the Echoes together. " And be quick ! " shouted the little man in green. The car,* hecame dark again. "Why, they have all gone! " exclaimed Barbara-Anne. "Quick, " said Michael, " let.''a see if we can find the lost What ran ! " They hurried out of the cave and into the treats air an.ce mare- " The sun ia going down ! " exclaimed Bar-bara-Anne. We must have been in there for

ages! 1 " " Remember what the little man said about finding the Echo before dark." said Michael. " Where shall we Look? " asked BarbaraAnne.

" Let's look around those big rocks over there."

But though they looked around every rock, and searched up and down the beach, they could not find the lost Echo.

The sun had set. now, and the air was becoming chilly.

" I'm going home," said BarbaraAnne. She picked up her bucket and spade off the castle. " I suppose we'd better," Michael said mournfully, " What a shame we can't find the Echo. Those little men will be punished now." But Barbara-Anne was not listening. She was looking with wide open eyes at her sand-castle, which was rocking from side to side, as if in an earthquake.. '' Let me out!. Let me out!" cried a muifled- voice. " Oh! exclaimed Barbara-Anne, but 3he began to push the sand away with her spade, and out of the tap ar the castle pooped a little man dressed in bright red.. " Phew ! " he said, and brushed the sand off his fat and very red. face. I'm hot! " " Oh! " exclaimed Michael. " Are—are you the Lost Echo? "

Written by NELLIE DONOVAN (Wellington), and illuatrated by DOROTHY CIBB (Wellington

" I'm an Echo, certainly," said the little man,. " But I'm not lost, now, am I ? I'm found! " and his tat little face screwed up tight as he burst out laughing. '• How did you. get in my castle? " asked Barbara-Anne. " Get in your castle! " exclaimed the little man, " I'd. like to know why you imprisoned me in it! Here waa I just sitting down, and suddenly a great big lump of sand fed on mo, then more and more, until I could hardly breathe. It was horrible! " " I —l didn't see yon," Barbara-Anne said in confusion, "Tni sorry," _ " jSta l" exclaimed 3lichael indignantly,. "Babs didn't see you, and anyway, you shouldn't be out of your cave. The little man in. green told us so." " Did he? " " Yes." continued 3lichael. " and he also said that they would _ all be punished hy Marju the Magician, if you didn't return by nightfall."

You'd better hurry,." said BarbaraAnne.

" So. I'd better! " exclaimed the little man, and he jumped aif the top of the castle, and ran along the beach, in the direction of the cave, his funny little legs whirling along at a furious rate.. Then he stopped half-way,. " Thank you for letting me out of the castle," he shouted, then a little arm, he ran on again and disappeared inside the cave.' " Look!" " exclaimed Barbara-Anne, as they climbed up the path to the road, " The tide is coming in. and waahing all my caafcle away.' ; "■ And it would have washed the poor little Echo away,, if we hadn't found him," 3aid Michael. " Yes."' said Barbara-Anne. " I like those funny little people, don't you ? " " Rather! " exclaimed Michael, " Let's go and see them, again, soon, shall we ? " "Let's go to-morrow," said Bar-bara-Anne.. "• Yes! Let's! " exclaimed MichaelIt was much more fun than playing ' pretending games.' wasn't it, Babs-? " Michael said as they trudged homewards aicng the road. " Or looking at dull old picturebooks," added Barbara-An no.