DAD AND THE BURGLAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 787, 18 August 1916, Page 9

DAD AND THE BURGLAR.

A MOONLIGHT SORTIE. •LstsLnJfiht u r&sidcjnt of suburbia reposed in virjutms and '.dieamlcs* sslarabar, ofolivkms : ?jolh <sf -the rattling of windpws pecasiooed by winds i,hat aougiied mournfully round the tiouse, and the ticking of the big cloclc tliai Tegistcretl Jhe passing of drowsy hours. Oblivious, too,--was Uc ;to the light patter of unclad f«et fliat jn the small hours tripped fllpng the passage to his room, and the nervous summons whispered by a white-robed foi m. "Dad, quick! Hurry! They're at the fowls!" Thrice was the whisper repeated ere it pierced the mists of sleep. Then dad woke up. Slowly the neighbourhood story of burglars and stolen fowls took form in his mind, while he groped for matches and candles. Those elusive articles dodged him in the dark, and went clattering to the itoor to the accompaniment of smothered curses as the seeker crawled out to pursue them. "Hush, dad! Don't make a noise! They'll hear you. You don't want a light!" Then came a search in the dark for clothes, but the job was accomplished and a move made to the scene of the disturbance. Willi shoulders crunched and head bent forward, "dad," armed with a walk-ing-stick, sallied forlh inlo the moonlight. Cold blew the wind, and Ihc clarion call of a rooster rent the air as though chanticleer were possessed of seven devils. Behind the avenger, armed with the kitchen poker, came "mother," whispering "There he is." Cautiously the expedition proceeded; the slick was raised, but a moment later was lowered; the crouching burglar was only an oil drum. "He musl be next door!" whispered mother. Over the fence went dad, with due caution be it confessed. Soon the mystery was solved, j Crouched in front of a defiant roost-j er was a snarling cat. Slung by a sense of outraged dignity, angered J by the disturbance of his dreamless; sleep, "dad's" slick shot oul with a mighty thrust that would surely have' killed the largest cal that ever mew-: cd. Ere the slick reached him, Tommy Cal had cleared three fences. "Dad" sneaked back lo bed.