THE GREAT ADVENTURE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18849, 11 April 1931, Page 20

THE GREAT ADVENTURE

When at last Wilfred had recovered from the shock of finding the hut where they were sleeping moving, and had got used to the rolling about, h? j stood up to try and find out what was I the matter. As for Herbert, he had again rolled himself into a ball, and all the answer Wilfred could get from him, when he asked how he was, was something like this, “Mmmph!” So Wilfred struggled out from the covered part of the hut into the pale light of early dawn, and what do you think he found? What they had thought in the darkness was a hut, was nothing else than a boat! Above Wilfred’s head flapped a huge white sail, and beside him lay a pile of fish-ing-nets. and all round about there jumped and flashed and rolled the great waves of the open sea! In the back part of the boat sat a man, who was steering it and singing a fishing song as he got ready to cast his nets.

At first Wilfred was awfully scared, and he crouched down in the bottom of the boat very nearly crying, and wondering what ever was going to become of him. But when he had crouched there a long time and nothing happened, he began to think that perhaps it wasn’t so bad after all, and perhaps even it was rather fun to sail on the sea. He had always wanted to sail on the sea when he was a Prince. [ but the King and Queen had always been too scared he would be drowned: but here he was sailing after all! What fun! He must run and tell Herbert about it. Herbert was sure to be pleased to have some fun sailing on the sea too. So he ran back to the covered part (which he found out was really a barrel lying on its Gide) to find the prickly ball that was Herbert. “Herbert!” said he. “Mmmph!” said Herbert. “Herbert! I say, Herbert!” he called louder. “Mmmmmph!” said Herbert, who sounded Very Scared and a Bit Annoyed. “Herbert! I say, just guess, Hey! Herbert!” yelled Wilfred into the part of the bail where Herbert’s head usually went. “Mmmph. Whatsummatter?” asked Herbert, just showing the Tip of his nose and ready to dive back again any minute. “I say, Herbert! Just guess where we are,” shouted Wilfred dancing to and fro before the little hedgehog in his excitement. “Guess! What’s the good of me trying to guess? You know I’ve got Very Few Brains,” said Herbert in the voice of a Hedgehog who is Just a Little Out-of-sorts. "Of course I dunno, but if you were to ask me—” “Oh, Herbert.” said Wilfred, “it’s really nothing to be Grumpy about. It’s exciting really. We’re on the sea!” j “Sea!” said Herbert, beginning to hide his nose In his ball and then changing his mind, “Did I hear you

say ‘the sea'? Seems like I heard someone say ‘we're on the sea’! Am I right, or am I wrong? Tell me, now!” ‘‘Yes, that’s right. We're on the sea!” and Wilfred, standing up on his hind legs and shading his eyes with one little paw', rolled backw'ards and forwards sailor-fashion, as he exclaimed, "X love to be Upon the sea, The sea, the sea, the flashing sea, The rolling, bowling, dashing sea, The heaving, cleaving, splashing sea, \ The sea, the sea, the sea, the sea.” \

A RIDDLE IN RHYME. , My first is in Richard but not in Dick, My second's in rapid but not in quick, My third is in apple but not in tree, My fourth is in peeping but not in see, My fifth is in inky but not in black, My sixth is in opening but not in crack, My seventh’s in pencil but not in draw, My eighth is in justice but not in law, My ninth is in roadstead but not in bay, My whole is what all of us seek to-day. ! (Answer next week). A CHARADE. Twice name a creature formed for use, Man’s too much slighted friend; Myself I next must introduce, And with my people end. My cruel total then appears, A Ltain on history’s page; Sad source of many a mourner's tears In every clime and age. (Answer next week). FIND THE NUMBER. There is a number which when divided by either two, three, four, five, or six will leave a remainder of ones but when divided by seven leaves nothing. •What is the number? i (Answer next week).

(Written specially for “the Children's Page” by “Kim.”) CHAPTER VII. LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE.

“Huh!" said Herbert in a That’sall - Very-Well - for-Them-that-likes-it sort of a voice. “What’s the matter. Herbert?” asked | Wilfred, looking puzzled. “Aren’t you j enjoying being on the sea?” : “No,” said Herbert, getting ready to ! become a Ball again, “Hedgehogs don’t like water.” “Neither did I when I was a Little Boy,” said Wilfred, "but I liked the ! sea. And now that I’m a weasel I j still like the sea, I think. Weasels like | water, I think.” j“I don’t know what you’re saying.” '] said Herbert, “but hedgehogs don’t i like water.” | “Herbert,” 6aid Wilfred, “are you ! frightened of being sick, or somei thing?” j “Mmmph,” said Herbert, who was a Ball again. “ ’Cos if you are,” went on Wilfred, “I believe it’s alright so long as you eat Tomato Sauce and Don't Look at the Horizon.” But “Mmmph” was all Herbert would reply. So Wilfred went out again, and strode about repeating to himself. “Oh the sea. the sea, the sea. the sea.” But he took good care not to let the fisherman see him in case he didn't like weasels. But after a while the waves got

rougher and the wind became stronger, and it wasn’t so much fun being on the sea as Wilfred had expected; and it wasn’t long before a Very Wet and Miserable little Weasel crawled into the barrel where Herbert lay curled. There a long silence, broken only by the splash of the waves and the roar of the wind .... Then, “Herbert,” said a Very Wet and Miserable little Weasel in a Very Small voice. “Mmmph?” said the Prickly Ball. “Herbert,” said the Very Small Voice. “Weasels don’t like water.” “Hedgehogs don’t like wrater,” said Herbert. There was another long silence . . . And then a longer one . . . Suddenly there w : as a terrible crash, and a yell from the fisherman, and the barrel in w'hich Wilfred and Herbert lay seemed to fly through the air and land again w'ith a Wop! “Goodness!” exclaimed Wilfred, “What’s that?” “ ’Course I dunno,” said Herbert, w r ho had stopped being a Prickly Ball in the excitement, “It’s no use asking me. But if you were to a6k me. I would say,” said he, "that something’s happened.” “I know,” said Wilfred. “We’ve been wrecked!” Herbert made a Groany sort of a noise. “Wrecked,” said Wilfred, “in ie middle of the sea, with nothing eat

j or drink, in a barrel, and a Very Un- ; safe sort of a barrel too,” said he, as ! the waves tossed it about and tossed the two little animals from side to side. “Herbert,” said Wilfred, when he had got a little breath. “Isn’t there some way of not sticking your bristles into me?” “I dunno.” answered Herbert. “I seem to think there is, but I can’t remember it. And it’s no use trying to think,” said he, in my Conj dition,” and he gave three long sniffs j which said, “Nobody loves me and I I wish I was dead!”

“Wrecked,” said Wilfred again, “in the middle of the sea, with no food, in a very unsafe barrel, and with a prickly hedgehog. Oh Gee! I wish l | wasn’t me.” i (To be Continued.)

Bloom Still On. ‘■Eliza.’’ said a friend of the family to the old coloured washer-woman, “have you seen Miss Edith’s fiancee?” “No. ma’am." she answered, “it ain’t been in the wash yet.” Mother: “Tommy, do you think teacher likes you?" Tommy: “Yes, mother. She puts a kiss on all my words.”

LITTLE ARTISTS—WATCH CAREFULLY FOR NEXT WEEK’S COMPETITION.