For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16713, 20 April 1922, Page 2

For the Children

SEALS AND MOONLIGHT. ” Horace, please come in and do your arithmetic now; your canoe can wait,” Barbara said eagerly, as she touched the fresh paint on the bow of her brother’s canoe. te Why look at that, the first coat you started yesterday is nearly dry . Please don’t paint any more now, but come in and finish your problems.” Horace stood back and surveyed his work with satisfaction. ‘‘ Looks pretty good doesn't she, Babs? There won t be a canoe in the water this summer that can boat her. W bat’s all this hurry about my lessons? I can do them this evening.” “ This evening 1” exclaimed Barbara “ Don’t you remember what father told us la-st night? He said if our work was finished before he came home that you could take me near the float down at tbe county clock to see the seals. I have never seen one out of the water, and they come in so seldom I just don't want to miss seeing one : and niy work is well done. I’m ready now.” 4 “Oh. well,” Horace answered, ‘if you want to go so much I’ll hurry but I really had forgotten all about it. Bob Ilacldow and I saw them once last winter, don't you remember ? It is fun to watch the funny things. I’ll hustle along.” Barbara, ran happily into the house. She put her brother’s books and tablet on the table and then, tying her apron as she wont to tlm kitchen, she began at once to help with the supper. Barbara aud Horace lived on an island in Puget Sound in a cottage close to tbe water. As they lived there all the rear they had many interesting and happy tmes. especially after the summer campers had left. There was o-lwaya something out of doors to keep them busy. . Barbara had just finished setting tne table when she hoard th© shrill whistl© from the little boat that arn from the island to the shipyards. “ There's tbe boat. Mother,” she called. “Have you finished, Horace?” she asked, turning to her bother.

■■ Yes, for once T beat you,’ Horace answered. “My problems are all done, every one. Let’s run to meet father.” The children ran out of the house and along the bulkhead to the dock, where they met their father. They went Into supper together and during most or the meal Barbara asked questions of her father about th© seals. He laughed when she told Horace they must start right away. ” You won’t see any if you go now,” he said. 4 'T have never seen them come up on the float until after dark, but it won’t be long.” . , So Barbara and Horace waited until the shadows lengthened and night gently darkened the water and the island. Soon the moon came up. making it light enough for them to see without their lantern. Suddenly their father looked up from his lx>ok and said: “ Listen —do you hear that bark? Get ready now, for that sounds like the old fellow I saw last night? ” Horace and Barbara put their caps and sweaters on and hurried out. They skipped across to th© bulkhead and raced the short distance to the dock. Soon a. big dark brown seal crawled up and sprawled on the float. They could see the heads of two others swimming near him. The big seal must have told them he had found a comfortable place, for soon they crawled up and lay beside him. “ Just look. Horace.” Barbara said ” there are three of them now Don” they look shinv in the moonlight ? T wish wo could go closer, blit I suppose that would chase them away.”

“ Yes. we "had better stay here.” Horace answered. ‘‘Father says there are no animals more interesting to watch. They are so smart, and when trained can do all kinds of tricks. See that old fellow, he’s the leader—tbe two black ones do everything he does. There, he goes, back in again, kerflop* aud tbe black ones after him ; perhaps they heard us talking.” ” Oh, I wish they had stayed cut longer!” Barbara exclaimed. “ but T an glad we saw them in the moonlight.” HOW TIM STOLE THE APPLES. The Tirabletoes loved apples better than anything else in the world. And just next door in old Mr Whiskerkingarden grew th© most scrumptious apple tree, covered with apples. Sad to say, old Mr AV hiskerkins didn't like boys, and he never gave any of his apples away. However, one day Tim raw that the gardener had loft a ladder against the apple tree. Nobody was about, and it was so near the garden fence that Tim could not resist it.

H© ©limbed over th© fence, and up the ladder he swarmed.

Joy of joys! He found an empty ■basket had been left at the top of the ladder, and he filled it with apples. Then he happened to look round, and saw old Mr Wbiskerkina, carrying a big stick, coming along. I>own hurried Tim from the ladder, and over the fence he climbed, old Mr Whiskerkins calling oot as he ran after him, Stop thief! Stop thief! And. stop Tim had to. for his coat caught on a spike, and there he htme. dropping all the apples. There he hung, too, whilst old Mr Wlriskerkiris let him Tiafe a. taste of the stick, and such a talking to. that when at last poor Tim Timbletoes crept home, feeling very sore all over, lie had made op his mind that he wasn t so very fond of apples after all. TAKTXG THEM HOME Tbe summer time is over, they say! T must pack mv trunk and go away: Oh. how T should like to take with mo A bit of tbe fields and the woods and the sea ! I would cut. a wee slice from off the shore , Where the spray leaps high and the billows roar: A block of cliffs and a stretch of sard With a drop of the sea and a scrap of the land. 1 would take a piece of the forest green. With its cool, dark shadows and silver sheen ; A leafv mound and some mossy ground Where ferns and flowers grow around. I should havo to bring a bit of the sky, With fleecy cloudlets floating by; A mountain top in light and shadow; A slops of the lull and a patch of meadow. Some hinds and squirrels I would rake; A curve of a brook and a strip of tbe lake; . , Tbo moon on tbe water shining bright; The wind in the trees and the sky at night! Oh. bow I would like te pack and fold them Fnto my trunk, if twould only hold them ! For the summer time is over, they say. 1 must leave them all and go away!