FOR THE CHILDREN

Opunake Times, 2 December 1930, Page 4

FOR THE CHILDREN

- - THE YOUNG TREASURE FINDERS | %

THE STORY SO FAR: Betty Silvci ton with her company of Indians were visiting one of the mysteries of Silverton's vast ruins, as Mr Silverton puts it. limy find fresh clues to the treasuio and Betty is bullied by the Bandits whom they have locked in the Towers. Ilex, however, comes to Betty’s rescue, and drives the Bandits out. Now read on. CHAPTER X. ‘•ANOTHER CLUE.”

“Now, they’ve gone,” said Betty, “let’s get on with our search.” She led the way to other art gallery and walked quickly towards the firegrate. , “I’ll leave you,” said Mr. Silverton. “See that you are home by halfpast five.” “Right oh, grandpa,” answered Betty. Rex thumped his fist down on the mantel-shelf. “Now ” he began, but he stopped in amazement. He had hit a spring, and something moved, slowly but surely. Betty switched her toich on, and saw, not another tunnel as she had expected, but a cupboard. In it was lying a piece of paper with her grandfather’s writing on it. “Second clue. Post tunnel. Near bend.” “Rex! You are a real darling,” cried Betty. “Now you’ve found the second duel” “Only by accident, though,” said Rex, blushing. “If you hadn’t hit your fist on the shelf ” “And if the shelf wasn’t there I wouldn’t have hit it,” finished Rex. “No, but you have hit somewhere else, and you would, for sure, have hit a spring. It’s no use arguing, young man you’ve done your duty today.” “Well, let’s find the third clue.” “I’ll tell you a secret,” answered Betty. “When we were racing through the post tunnel, I saw what grandpa’s referring to; so we’ll go now and probably we’ll find the third clue without a hunt.” She lead the way, through the tunnel to the ait gallery, behind the tapestry, and down into the post tunnel. They raced on until they came to a bend. “The very place!” cried Betty. “Look!” she pointed above their heads to a dark patch. “There's a ladder here somewhere. Oh, there it is.” She brought the ladder and at once began to climb it. “Say, mates, it’s a wooden affair. Ah! That’s got it. You just have to give it a shove and it opens. Oh-o-o-oh! Here’s a note.” “This is third clue. Go through until you come to an iron door. Messages.” “Well, isn’t it lovely? Grandpa said there's six clues, the seventh tells where the treasure is.” The Indians all climbed the ladder after her, and, closing the door behind them, found themselves in another tunnel. “1 wonder how many tunnels there are in this old place,” murmured Rex. “Four,” said Betty. “I only know three until now. I’ll show you the other one another ” She broke off, for, in the faint glimmer the torches cast, she could see a form. She pointed it out to the others, and stealthily, Rex crept towards it. The person swung round on seeing him and then he saw that it was Cecil Fairfax. Rex gripped the boy by the shoulders. “You again, eh?” he said. “You'll be arrested for this, old man.” Betty and the rest of the Indians raced towards Cecil and Rex. Betty stared at Cecil. “You?” she cried. “Who else would it be, Betty ” asked Rex. “No one,” answered Betty dryly. “Kindly show me the way you came in, Fairfax,” said Rex. “Oh, indeed. Am I to be ordered about by a Scotch aristocrat?” Rex burst out laughing. “Sure you know the meaning of aristocrat? Anyhow, I’m not Scotch.” “Silly motherless, fatherless, homeless ” “Go on! Finish it!” cried Rex. “All right. Homeless castaway. Sponge on other people ” “Keep it up!” Rex was losing his temper now, “Certainly. If you ever found your own people they wouldn't claim you. Betty Silverton's as bail! Fancy taking you ” Smack! Rex’s hand came full across Cocil’k U'nce leaving a red mark. “Didn’t I say next time you insult Betty you’d have me to deal with ? Show me the way you came in, you great coward!” Cecil lost all his bravado, but he did not budge, “Fancy, twenty-one people on to one! It’s all very well to call mo a coward 1” “Hie girls aren’t doing anything. Are you going to show us the way out?” Cecil hesitated, and then moved on with Rex’s hand on his shoulder. Suddenly he stopped. “See there?” he said. pointing above their heads. “That's the way out. Here’s a rope.” He clambered up the rope, followed bv Rex.

“You girls stay here,” lie called. “I’ll just see this young Bandit on his wav liomc.”

“Bight! Hurry!” called Betty. After the boys bad gone Betty said “I’m just going up to see where we are. You don’t mind me leaving you for half a mo, do you?” “No. not a scrap.”

Betty climbed the rope as Cecil and Bex had done, and, on reaching the top, was dazzled by the bright sun-

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light. She looked around, her cheeks paling, and she staggered back. She slid down the rope again quickly. “Girls!” she gasped. “1-1- What do you think?” “What's happened? You’re pale!” cried Norma. ■*Am I? lint look .here! Do jou know where we are? We re five paces to the left of the big tower!” “What? Oh my, whatever next?” “And to think 1 actually told them! Well, 1 suppose it can't be helped. Ah, here’s Rex.” Rex slid down the iojkj. “Oh, 1 say,” ho gasped. “I’ve had

a “Yes, L know all about it. I went up and 1 saw,” answered Betty. “But Betty, fancy telling them the very place,” protested Rex. “Yes, 1 know. But, honestly, I didn’t know it would lead to this,” said Betty miserably, “Oh, I don’t mean that; but you see. we’re not exactly five paces to the left, we’re a kind of north-east.” Of course, they would have nosed round a bit, and eventually stumbled into this trap. I noticed Cecil had a fair sized lump on his top-knot, so he must have fallen right. Anyhow, I hope it teaches him to mind his own business.” “I don't know so much,” said Betty. “If he falls into everything, he’ll probably find every secret passage we’ve got in the place.” “Quite possible,” but Hex grinned. “He won’t come here again in a hurry. I gave him what fbr. His horse, too. Just touched the beast, and away it went with young Fairfax slithering and sliding all over the place.” “Oh, Rex, he might come to grief,” protested Betty, “Not likely,” he said. “I saw him draw the horse in as they went around the corner.” “Grandpa said in his note ‘Go on until you reach iron door.’ We have not done so.” “No, let’s move on.” They walked on until they came to a low barrier. Rex peered over. “This goes on forever and aye.” Betty sighed. “I’m hungry. Wish wo could find that iron door.” “Look. That’s it over this wall I It’s moving! Lie low.” Slowly a white head protruded round the door, and a person stumbled on as if he were blind. “It’s grandpa,” whispered Betty. “Something’s wrong with him.” Rex leapt over the wall, steadied Mr Silverton by the shoulders, and lead him to a rock. The old man had his eyes shut, and he did not see the rest of the Indians that followed Rox. “It’s Rex, isn’t it?” he asked, feeling the boy's head. “Yes, Mr. Silverton.” “Rex, Betty’s father, my son, is still- alive! I—saw—him—i n ’ ’ “Grandpa,” cried Betty, springing to his side. “Surely-whcre-oh, grandpa. where is he?” “Betty, darling, I didn’t know you were here. He was dressed like an Indian, and when he saw me he put a black mask ” “Whati? Dressed as an Indian! With a mask! Girls! Rex! It’s the I Unknown Indian.” “Of course! Oh, Bubs, what luck for you.” “Betty,” said Mr. Silverton. “Drop the subject. It—it pains me. I-l’ll give you a clue now. Travel on in this tunnel. You'll find an opening, a message on a rock. Never mind now though, you must conic home for tea. The message on the rock tells where the treasure is, and instead of giving you seven clues to find, we’ll only make it four. Don’t mention your father at home or in front of your mother. And the rest of you, keep a still tongue in your heads, even to your parents, because the man might not have been my son. Mind you, I trust everyone of you not to say a word.” “Right, sir, we’ll not tell,” assured Vivienne Ashley. “And so say all of us!” cried the rest of the Indians. End of Chapter X. Read next week.— Chapter XI. “UNKNOWN NO LONGER.”