OUR LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2205, 4 June 1896, Page 51

OUR LITTLE FOLKS.

Bi Dot.

■ Dot iriU be pleased to receive short letters from juvenile oorre(pondents on any matters of interest to themselves— short stories of pet animals, descriptions of their favourite toys, their parties, •niusraents, &a. The letters to be written by the ohildren them■elves and addressed " Dot, core of tbe Editor," and to bo pubiibed in the pa*o devoted to " Our Little Folks."

AFTER WILD PIGS : BEING THE ADVENTURES OF TWO BOYS. By Murrat Aston. Chapter I, , Harry and Frank were the sons of Colonel Beymour, formerly of the British army, but now retired on half pay. The lads were aged respectively 14 and 12 years. Their mother was no more, but their father's sister looked after the house and loved the boys nearly as well as their own dear mother had done during her lifetime. Their father for many years had been stationed in Canada, where his adventures while hunting and his frontier experiences with Indians formed a never-ending theme for anecdote to hie children. Consequently they grew up with a love for sport, and now that they had come to reside in Otago on a station not far from Palmerston they found great delight in all outdoor exeiclse, such as riding, for each boy possessed a pony of his own. Shooting also had an irresistible charm for them, and with light gun in hand, accompanied by their dogs Turk and Snap, they had joyous times, and they would often retuvn home laden with the spoils of the chase, in the form of several rabbits and now and then a wild duck or two. Once, indeed, Harry shot „ a pukaki or swamp turkey, of which the colonel partook at dinner, pronouncing it excellent eating, not unlike the British grouse ' in flavour, and he moreover commended Harry for his good shooting, at which that youag man felt uncommonly proud. One . night the father had been relating his experiences of deer stalking to the boys as they sat round a bright fire. It was the time of their midwinter holidays. They were both attending the High School in Dunedin, where they were boarders. •'Father, are there no deer in' New Zealand ?" asked Harry. "Yes, my boy; on the high ground near here they are often to be Been. Pretty creatures, originally brought from India; they call them fallow deer, I think," replied the colonel. " Oh.father," exclaimed Harry, " can't we go after them 1 " "I thiuk not," replied their father. "In the first place, a license is necessary, to which expense lam not inclined. Then you would require a rifle, which would be more than you could manage. I, however, think I can give you an even greater treat, in which you would-be able to take Turk and Snap, and which would entail quite an expedition of not less than two or three days' duration, right away in those mountains yonder,"~said the colonel, pointing in the. north-west direction. "Then," he continued, "over there there are wild cattle and pigs. You boys could ride your ponies, and I could have a mount on my oob Saracen. You would have to get a spear each and a big knife, and we would take a tent and camp out for a night — perhaps two." On hearing this grand promise both Harry and Frank clapped their hands in high glee, and gave' such a shout of joy that they had to be called to order by their indulgent parent. "Come, come, you noisy boys, order, order, or you'll break the drum of my ear I " said their father. "Bs off to bed now, and to-morrow we'll see if the blacksmith can fix us up a spear each ; and when we've made all our preparations we can make an early start the day after to-morrow for oar hunting ground." Tbe lads went off to bed at once, but not to sleep— their minds were far too full for that. "Am I to have a spear, do you think, Hairy 1 " inquired Frank. "Yes, for father said we were to have one eacb," replied his elder brother. "Is there any danger 1 " aeked Frank. " " I think so, for wild boars are terribly fierce I have heard father say," was the answer. " I think I'd rather climb up a tree," said the prudent Frank. At which Harry laughed and declared that be was "a little funk," which imputation Frank ind^iaantly repudiated. At last they fell asleep, but before it was fully daylight on the next morning both boys were up and dressed and discussing in eager tones their coming expedition. It seemed an age to breakfast time, and the lads thought they had never known their father on any former occasion linger so long over a meal. At last they made a start for the blacksmith's shop, where orders were duly given by the colonel for the forgiDg of three good spearheads; then a handy man on the station received instructions as to their handles; the groom was told to give the nags an extra feed of corn each ; the guns received a thorough overhaul, the tent was carefully examined, and Autit Soymour smilingly received instructions as to tho food that would be required during their absence from home. {To he continued.)