ADVENTURES OF THE CHUMS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1933, Page 17 (Supplement)

ADVENTURES OF THE CHUMS

Once the wicked Uncle had arranged with the two bad men to lead the babes into the wood and lose them, he was not long in putting the scheme into practice. One mOrning, when the two children were gathering flowers at the edge of the wood, he pointed them out to the two bad men. , * . “There they are,” he said, “You had better take them straight away.” My! wasn’t Gwen angry!. § • .. -

•The-fact that the two children were; searching for flowers made the task of the ; two; bad mep quite easy. One of them went to them with a flower. ..'“Therms, a lovely flower,” he said. “Wduld, you like some like that?” “We should,'indeed,” said Tom. . . J . . “WO11,” said-the bad man, "if. you will come a little way into the wood with us, we-will-show? yb.u a place where there are thousands of them.”

The two bad nien were so kind to the babes that they had no fear of them, ahd willingly accompanied them into the wood to gather flowers. Of course, once they got deep into the wood the further they went, because the spot where the flowers were said to grow was always “a little further on.” But they did not see the elf following them, dodging from tree to tree.

It was when the two bad men had disappeared, and left the babes to their fate, that the elf came along. He was one they knew already! They told him they were lost and wished to go back to their Uncle, but the elf said they could not possibly do that, as he was a very wicked man. “Come to the Queen of the Fairies,” he said. “I’ll take you, and we’ll ask her advice.” .

With their friend the elf, the two babes trotted along quite happily. On the way, they told him that their parents were far away over the sea,, and that they would very much like to go back to them.' “Oh!” said the elf, “I expect the Queen of ths Fairies will be able to manage that! She can do the most wonderful things. Don’t worry any more. We shall soon be there.”

Strangely enough, the Queen of the Fairies did not have to be told the babes’ story.- She knew all about it, and was expecting them. ; “I've been looking after you all along,” she said. “That is why I sent the elf. Now sit still on those mushrooms, and you will be with your parents in a flash.” •Sure enough, the Ijgbes were! Gwen was very satisfied with the happy ending. “Myl but I would like to give that Uncle something,” she growled.

f ' . THE TWO CARS. Gilbert, or Gipp, as his daddy called' huh, took a great 1 interest in motorcars. He had clockwork vans and cars, and he made cars with- his Meccano and models, from cardboard. So you can imagine his delight when he; was given a little pedal motor-car for. his birthday.. He’ could sit in it and rattle along the lane and sound his horn; there were even little headlamps in front. Gipp knew all the tradesmen’s vans ’ and the cars of the neighbours. And if one was kind enough to break down, and he could see the driver tinkering with the engine, he was delighted. But of all the cars round about he liked best tlie long grey car of the gentleman who lived at the big Manor House. It glittered so beautifully in the sun and moved so smoothly that, at the first sound of its horn, Gipp was away out of the cottage down by the gate to watch it i>o by. “When I’m. grown up I’m going to have a gfiy car like that,” Gipp told his mother. “Then you’ll have to be very rich, darling, for those cars cost -a lot of money.” “Well, I must have a lovely big one, Mummy,” said Gipp. “I wish we knew the gentleman at the Manor House., then perhaps he’d take inc for a. ride.■ 4. One morning Gipp had been allowed

to go all the way down the hill to the village in his pedal-car, and to come back by the short cut across the common. As he came to the gate which shut it off from the lane the big grey car drew up behind him, and the gentleman got out to open the gate.

Gipp drove through the gap bn the path; but pulled up beyond to watch his beloved car start. “There are great advantages in a light car like yours,” said the gentleman, smiling at him. “You don’t have to get out to open gates.” “No,” said Gipp seriously, “but it’s much more tiring to drive. You don’t have to pedal yours, do you?” The gentleman agreed that he did not. “So,” he said, “if you. won’t take it as an insult to your car, may I give you both a lift? I think I could get yours into the back of mine.” Gipp’s eyes glowed with pleasure.

“Oh, I’d love a ride in your big car!” he cried; and as the big motor carried him and his ear to the cottage gate the two agreed that motor-cars were delightful things.