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Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1929, Page 25 (Supplement)

It was lucky for Richard that there was a nice pond for him to fall ini when iSjsiESs'iS’Bssset out to find his chum.

wp left noor Gwen hanging by her costume from the branch of a tree. ’’"’"“Can't you see I'm tad to the tree?” sho howled. “Don’t atk silly questions, but help me down." “But how did you get there?" asked Richard. “Oh! shut up,” shouted Gwen. “Do something.

Getting Gwen down proved no easy thing to do. She hung so far over the pond that .Richard could not even reach her, and he sat down on the bank to think Of some way out of the difficulty. This did not please Gwen, who considered he was only wasting time. She got more and more angry, until at last Richard tried to reach her by leaning on a stick stuck in the mud. “I can nearly touch you,” he said, leaning forward, Swing a bit. “How can I swing a bit?” screamed Gwon. “You must lean further over.

Richard did lean further over on the stick and was just going to catch Gwen’s tostume when there was a sharp snap—and the stick broke. He made one frantic grab at Gwen, and then they both disappeared into the pond together. It wasn’t very deep, but it was very muddy, and when they managed to scramble out Gwen’s costume was too dirty to wear. Also she was more angry than ever, and blamed Richard for making a mess of things. -

Considering that Richard had done his best and got himself into a second mud "bath that night, Gwen might have been more thankful than she was. But, to tell the truth, she was very annoyed at missing the King’s party, and did not intend to be pleased about anything. Richard set off to try to find the way home, and Gwen followed, grumbling all the time. •‘You ought to have helped me down without being so clumsy,” she announced. “I wish I’d left you there,” wailed Richard. “Do come on. We are not out of the wood yet.”

Now Richard spoke very truly when he said they were not out of) the wood, .heir adventures for that evening had not finished by a long way. They wandered on, hoping they were getting near home, when all the time they were ge ting deeper and deeper into the wood. Gwen, of course, continued to complain. Sudden'y they received a great shock —from behind a big tree popped a lot or little forest gnomes. • „ “Hey! Mortals,” cried one. “How dare you invade the enchanted glade. .“Who are you talking to?” shouted Gwen, who was still angry.