JUNGLE JINKS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 16 June 1900, Page 1150

JUNGLE JINKS.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE BICYCLE CLUB.

1. "Hi! hi! hi! Clear the road there!" shouted the boys of the Jungle School, who were bicycling together one ,Saturday afternoon. “Put your feet up. boys, going down this hill!" cried Rhino. "Don’t take any notice of that board. I don’t believe this hill is dangerous: anyway, that is onlv meant for kids who can’t ride. I’m going to put up my trotters, and trust to luck. All the rest imitated Rhino’s example, of course.

2. Away they went at breakneck speed, for all the world like a lot of mo-tor-cars. “I say. it is steep!" muttered Rhino, after they had gone a little way. "I wish 1 hadn’t taken the brake off my machine.” But there was no help for it now: the boys had to go on whether they liked it or no. Down, down they went, and at last came to a sudden turn in the road. "Look out!" bellowed Jumbo, as he flew round the corner: “there is a river at the bottom of this hill, and we shall all fall in if we don’t stop!”

3. But it was too late now to check their flving pedals, and the whole lot of them went head-over-heels into the river. First Rhino, then Hare and Jumbo, and the rest in rapid succession. Luckily Doctor Lion had taught them all to swim, and they escaped with only a bath and damaged machines. But it is hoped the shock they had will be a warning to them in the future. "1 say. you chaps." said Jumbo afterwards. “1 think we got out of that serape rather well, don't you? Suppose there had been a brick wall in the place of the river!" “Don’t!” exclaimed Rhino, with a shudder; “you make my blood turn cold when you talk like that. I mean to walk down all hills in future." —From “The Plavbox.”