Boys Own Paper 7th December 1912

8/9/2019 Boys Own Paper 7th December 1912

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NO. 1 0 , NEW V O L U ME .]

(VOL. XXXV.)S A T U R D A Y , D E C E M B E R 7, 1 91 2. Price One Penny.

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.]

R Committee of

Inquiry. A Xmas Piece by PAUL BLAKB.

Characters :

BENSON aged 15.]

DOYLE „ 14.

KNOTT „ 16.

NICHOLLS ,, 14.

Scene : A classroom : door at the back:

window on the right. The usual

furniture.

Time : After afternoon school.{Enter BENSON, followed by KNOTT ani

NICHOLLS. They steal in cautiously.]

B. Here we are ! all serene.

K. Yes, but why

B. I'll tell you in a minute.

N. But this is old Masefield's private

class-room, and if he catches us in here

we shall get into trouble and no mistake.

B. Ho fear of that: I heard him say

he was going to the station to meet the 5.40,

so we've heaps of time.

K. Now then, Benson, (ire away. What' s

the moaning of this mysterious note you

sent me to come here after school ? If

you're playing any game on us I'll—•—• B. 'Tisn't a ga me: it's jolly serious.

It's about the Doctor's grapes.

N. Hang his wretched grapes! Here

we're going to lose a half-holiday because

somebody's helped himself to a bunch or

two.

K. I don't believe 'twas one of the

fellows at all : more likely some tradesman's

boy nipped into the greenhouse when he

was delivering the mutton.

N. But the Doctor said that one of the

maids saw a boy climbing back into the

playground.

B. Exactly, and I believe I know who

it was.K, So that's what this precious meeting's

about ?

B. Ye s: I want your advice : I thought

we three might form a sort of Committee

of Inquiry. When the Doctor asked the

whole school who had taken his grapes no-

T H E " R O U S I N G S T I C K . " (See p. 151:)

'Drawn, fur the "Boy's Own Pa/;er" by J . JELLICOE. )



1 4 6 The Boy's Obun Taper.

body answered. Now, suppose I know who

did it, ought I to sneak ?

K. Of course no t: what you 've got

to do is to tell the chap that unless he

owns up you'll tell the fellows, and then I

shou ldn' t like to be in his shoes !

N. But do you know who it is ?

B. I don't exactly know, but I'm pretty

sure. It's Doyle.

K. Doyle ? He's a decent little beggar :he'd never see the whole school lose a half

holiday to save his own skin.

N. What makes you think that he's

the

B. Because I saw him climbing back just

after the grapes must have been taken.

N. Yes, that looks fishy.

K. But that's no proof. Had he got any

grapes ? Have you seen him eating any 1

B. Of course not, or that would settle it.

Besides, I didn 't know anything had hap

pened : how could I ? The Doctor only told

us this afternoon.

K. Right: we'll soon settle this business.

Go and fetch him, Nicholls. N. But suppose he won't come ?

K. Tell him he's wanted in Masefield's

class-room: he'll think Masefield's sent

for him.

JV. [going). All right.

B. Don't let him guess what's up.

N. I'll be careful. [Exit NICHOLLS.

B. I say : suppose he won' t own up ?

K. I guess he will when he sees we mean

business. If he won't, we'll make him turn

out his desk and play-box, and hunt up the

grapes : he hasn't had time to eat them

because 'twas only just before afternoon

school they were cribbed.

B.He's a greedy young cormoran t: hespends all his money on tuck.

K. But that's a long step from bagging

grapes. Here he is !

[Enter NICHOLLS and DOYLE.]

D. Hello ! who wants me ?

K. We do.

, D. Where 's Masefield ? What are you

fellows doing in his room 1

B. You'll soon know, young man. How

about those grapes ? [seizes him]. ,

. K. Shut up, Benson: that's not the

way to go to work.

D. You let me go ! [struggles to get free].

K. No you do n' t: you'll just stay here

and listen quietly, or I'll take you in hand.Let him go , Benson, (to D.) What were you

doing in the Doc tor 's garden just before

afternoon school ?

D. Who says I was there ?

B. I do : I saw you climbing over the

fence in the corner under the laburnum tree.

K. Do you deny it ?

D. (hesitating). Well, if Benson says

he saw me I don't 'spose it's any good

denying it.

N. What did you go there for ?

D. My cricket bal l: Jackson shied it

over yesterday, and wouldn't go over to get

it back, so I had to.

B. You could have got it back bypaying the fine.

D. I hadn't any money: I thought I'd

chance getting caught.

K. Show us the ball.

D. I couldn't find it.

K. Ah ! that's a pity. [The boys evi

dently grow suspicious.] Of course you

didn't go near the greenhouse.

D. Not very near.

N. Ho w near ?

D. What business is it of yours how near

I went? Do you mean that I took those

grapes ?

K. Well, it looks like it.

D. I did n' t! I never touched them !

2V. What a whopper !K. Shut up, Nicholls !

D.- (to N.). Do you say I'm a liar ?

N. No, I don't say so, but I've got my

own opinion about it, and so will everybody

else.

K. Now listen, Doyle, this is getting

serious for you. You've owned up that yo u

were in the garden near the greenhouse at

the very time the grapes were taken.

D. That's true enough, but I didn't take

them.

K. Do you know who did ?

D. (pause). That's my business.

B. Then you do !

D. (defiantly). Yes, I do know.K. Who was it ?

D. I shan't tell.

N. Won't you though 1 (threateningly).

K. (restraining N.). Why won' t you tell ?

You don't want to get the whole school into

trouble to screen a fellow who ought to

own up like a man.

D. I'd like to tell of course, but I can't .

I gave my word I wouldn't.

K. To whom ?

D. To—No ! You won't catch me that

way.

B. Do you mean to tell us you're going

to shield that chap and let all of us who are

innocent suffer for it ?

D. You don' t want me to break my word,

do you ?

" K. You ought never to have given it.

D. But I have.

N. Then you'll have to break it, that's all.

K. Yo u shut up, Nicholls : you're too

fast. We must talk this over, (to Doyle)

You go and stand over there whilst we settle

what we' re going to go .

D. All right: but I'm not going to break

my promise.

N. We'll see about that. [D. stands

near the window: the others come to

the front and talk in excited whispers.]

K. We're in a bit of a fix. If he's given

his word

B. It's all ro t! I don 't believe a word

he says.

N. Nor do I. He stole the grapes and

thinks he can get out of it by saying another

fellow did it.

K. It looks like it, but I don't believe

he'd tell a direct lie like that.

B. Why not ? Fellows do tell lies some

times. I know what Vd do .

K. What's that ?

B. Make him confess. Just twist his

arm for a bit and he'll

K. I'll twist yours if you don't take

care. Why if I liked to give you a taste

of what I could do I'd make you confess youdid it.

B. Oh, would you !

K. Yes I would, you young brute.

N. Yes, that's all very well, Knott :

but how else are you going to find out ?

K. I've got another way. He savs it

was another boy : now we can go through*

the school, and ask each boy if he was in the>

garden with Doyle.

[During the above dialogue DOYLE has

gradually edged towards the door

quietly and unseen. He takes the key

from thedoor, slips out silently, and'

shuts the door behind him.]

B. A jolly fine suggestion! Why of

course the fellow would deny it, or else-he'd have owned up when the Doctor asked

who'd done it.

N. And he'd be safe because he made

Doyle promise not to split.

K. Well, I don't see what we can do,

except tell Doyle to see the guilty chap and

tell him he'll have to confess, or we'U

tell the Doctor the whole story.

B. All right—Doyle !•—why, where is he ?

N. The beggar's bolted.

K. We'll soon get him again. (Goes U>

door.) Why, it's locked !

B. He's locked us in!

N. Here's a pretty go ! Old Masefield

will be back in a quarter of an hour and theawhere shall we be ?

K. It looks as if we shall be here.

B. Two hundred lines for each of us for

being in his private class-room without

leave !

N. I'll tan that young beggar till he

can't stand.

K. That won't help us much. He' »

sold us finely and no mistake.

B. (opens window). Why, there the

scamp is ! (calls down) Hi! you Doyle !

D. (below). Yes ?

B. You come and let us out this instant

or we'll give you beans.

D. Thanks : I'm more comfortable where*

I am.

K. Look here, Doyle; you come and.

let us out and I'll see nobody touches you.

D. And you won't bully me any more,

about those grapes ?

N. Won't we, though !

D. Then I shan't come.

K. (to N.). Don't be a fool! We can't get

nabbed here by Masefield : we've got to

knuckle down. (to D.) All right: you can

do what yo u like and let the whole school

suffer if you want to.

D. Right you are : I'll come up.

[The boys move away from the window.]

B. I'll take it out of him somehow : yom

see if I don't.

K. You be careful: I've promised him.

we won't interfere if he lets us out.

B. It's~a jolly shame if he can play

tricks like this on us and go scot free.

N. These youngsters are getting too-

cheeky, (to K.) I wonder you big fellows-

put up with it.

K. I can look after myself, thanks.

Why doesn't he let us out ? We shall have

Masefield here in a minute.

N. (going to a window). Well, I'm blest! If"

he isn't down there still, and talking to Jim.-

K. Jim ? the boot-boy ?

JV. Yes. Hi! Doyle!

D. (below). Coming! B. You'd better hurry up or I'll skiiv

you. (to K.) He's coming now, the blighter.

N. And to think we mustn't put a

finger on him ! it's sickening !

[Enter DOYLE.]

K. So here you are, young 'un ! Wh y



A Committee of Inquiry. 1 4 7

didn't you come up when we called

you ?

D. Please, I was talking to Jim.

B. To Jim ? Don't you know you aren't

allowed to talk to the servants ?

D. I wasn't exactly talking to him : he

was talking to me.

JV. So you kept us waiting for a boot boy!

D. 1 didn't think you'd mind.

K. Didn't you! A nice trick you'veplayed on us, youngster.

D. Yes, Knot t. But you've promised

not to lick me.

K. Yes, and I keep my promises, as

you seem to keep yours. Well, we'd better

clear out of this before we're nabbed, (to B.)

A jolly lot of good your precious committee

has been.

B. That's not my fault. At any rate

we know that if Doyle didn't take them

himself he knows who did.

JV. What's the use of that if he won't

tell us his name ?

B. I vote we go to the Do ctor and tell

him the whole story, and I guess he'll findsome way of making Doyle open his mouth.

K. 'Pon my word, I'm inclined to think

that's the best thing to do. It's too bad

that everybody has to suffer because there's

ene chap in the school who's sneak enough

to get us all into trouble.

D. I never said so.

B. Yes, you did : you said you knew the

chap who took the grapes.

D. I never said it was one of the fellows.

K. What ? Ah !—Jim !—'Twas Jim !

D. Yes, it was.

B. And you said you wouldn't tell !

Why couldn't you have said so at the start ?

D. Because I'd promised I wouldn't.'Twas like this. When I was in the garden

after my ball, I saw Jim come out of the

greenhouse with a bunch of grapes. He saw

me and implored me not to split on him :

said he'd get the sack and perhaps go to

prison, and he'd never do it again and all the

rest of it, so I said I wouldn't give him away

as I didn't want him to be jailed for a few

grapes.

K. I don't know but what I'd have done

the same. But you seem to have broken

your promise after all.

D. No, I haven't. Jim's heard that

the school is to lose a holiday if the thief

isn't found, so he's had grit enough to go tothe Doctor and own up. He's just told me.

K. So that's why you were talking with

him. Has he got the sack ?

D. No : the Doctor 's going to " consider

the case " : that means he'll let him off.

K. Good.

JV. (at window). Cave ! Here's old Mase

field !

B. (pulls him away). Don't let him see

you!

D. (peeps out). All right! he's going to

the house.

K. Thank goodness for that! now

then: after me ! It's about time we

adjourned this Committee ![.They all go out cautiously in Indian file

as the curtain falls.]

A NEGLECTED ENGLISH GAME.

D O Y O U K N O W M E R I L L E S , O R N I N E M E N ' S M O R R I S ?

•

By LESTER SMITH.

it a novelenjoyment.

i O you want anew pastime

for spare evenings ?If you are tired of everlastingly playingdraughts and dominoes, and cannotfind anyone sufficiently interested inchess to play you,try a game at Meril-les. You will find

and a fascinating source of Ordinary draughtsmen may

be used for the men, and the diagramcan be easily marked on the back of thedraughts-board.

Merilles, or Nine Men's Morris as it wasoften called, is an old English sport which

was at one time very popular, although it isnot to be found to-day in any of the standardbooks of games. It dates back at least tothe time of Shakespeare, for it is mentionedin the " Midsummer Night's Dream " whereTitania, the Fairy Queen, is upbraiding herlord for the evils which had come upon theland as the consequence of his jealousy :

" The fold stands empty in the drowned field,

And crows are fatted with the murrion fl ock;

The Nine Men's Morris is fill'd up with mad,

And the quaint mazes in the wanton green

For lack of tread are indistinguishable."

1

Naturally he demurred at doing this on theSabbath, but after some persuasion h e

consented to stay just a moment to decidethe problem. Once inside the house, however,he became so interested in the game that heforgot all abou t church and, it is said, arrivedhome so late for dinner that he received agood rating from his irate wife.

The game is played by two persons, eachof whom has nine pieces. The men are notset in position on the board as in chess ordraughts, but are placed on, one at a time,by the players in turn. The object of eachplayer is to get three of his pieces in a row,and to prevent his antagonist from doingthe same. The three men may be on anypart of the board, but they must be eitherhorizonta l or vertical, for they do not countas a set if they are on either of the fourdiagonal lines.

On at last succeeding in get ting a set thus,a player is at liberty to take any one of his opponent's men off the board excep tone of a completed row. The game pro ceeds in this way until all the men areon the board, after which the players takeit in turn to move. The men may be movedalong the line in any direction (one spaceonly at a time), the diagonal lines also beingused, although, as explained above, a setcannot be made diagonally. The endeavourof either player is still to take his opponent's

The game was usually playedon the village green, the diagrambeing cut out of the turf andholes made at each of the angles,

in which the "men " were placed.Each player had nine pieces(whence the name Nine Men'sMorris) and while one would playwith stones, his opponent wouldhave wooden pegs in order todistinguish between their respective sets. When played in thehome the diagram was commonlychalked on the side of' thekitchen bellows or at the back of the family chess-board, andpieces of clay pipe, or anythingelse that was handy, used as men.It is probable that the name wasderived from the word merelles,which was the ancient French

name for the counters whichwere often used as men. Thealternative name which has been 22preserved for us by " th' immortalbard " is variously explained by his com

mentators ; but the general opinion seemsto be that it was suggested by the sortof dance which the counters appeared toperform, being moved backwards and forwards on the board as though executinga morris-dance.

There were many other names by whichthis pastime was known. In Hone 's " Everyday Book" (1828) it is described under thetitle of Ninepenny Marl. The writer relatesa story of an exceedingly pious old gentlemanliving in his neighbourhood, who was a great

adept at the game. A bet was made thathe should be induced to play it on a Sabbathduring church hours. The next Sundaymorning as the old gentleman was on his wayto church as usual, he was aceosted by twoacquaintances and asked to decide a knot typoint on a game which was at that momentbeing played in an adjoining house.

4S 6

/

11

/ /

11

7 8 9

12 13

16 17 18

14

/

; /

7 8 9

12 13

16 17 18

; / \

/ 20

15

23 24

men, and this may be effected both by makingup new sets or by moving out one of the menin a previously formed trio and re-makingthe set by placing it back again with thenext move.

The game becomes most exciting when oneof the players has only three men left on theboard. At this stage he is not confined tomoving along the lines one space at a time,but is at liberty to place his men upon anyvacant point on the board, which of coursegives him an opportunity of hindering hisopponent in the making of further sets.

But he must be wary, for should he lose onemore man he is defeated. It is by no meansimpossible for him, however, even with threemen only to play with, to eventually winthe game.

The following is the record of an actualgame recently played by the writer, whorecommends his readers to work it out on



1 4 8 The *Bojr*j Otvn Paper.

the board for themselves if they wish to geta good insight into the method of playing.

PART I .

Black White

5 22

8 2

7 9

4 6

11 19

12 * 10

16 (tal :es 10) 101 21 »

20 14 (takes 20)

•A good move, as it secures a doubleopportunity of scoring. In the foregoingpart of the game, the Black, in spite of havingthe advantage of the first move, has maderather poor play ; for his men are hemmed

in, only one of them being movable, whileWhite is free to mo ve to all parts of the board.Black, however, has not far to move to makenew sets.

PART II.

Black

16-17

17-16 (takes 19)

16-19 (takes 9)

White

22-23

10-22

A fatal mistake. He should have takenone of the bottom line.

19-10

7-12

8- 9

4- 7

1-2

21-24 (takes 12)24-21 (takes 11)21-24 (takes 12)

2—3

24-21 (takes 9)21-24 (takes 7)

Black is now free to move anywherehe likes, having only three men on theboard.

PART III.

Black White

20-8 (takes S) 14-15

8-3 6-14

3- 8 (takes 15) 14-15

8-21 15-3

21-8 (takes 3) 22-21

8-22 21-85-10 8- 1

2-12 1-11

White's last move was a very bad one, asit loft No. 1 vacant. Black has now onlyto move 12 to 1, and having thus secured aset he takes any of White 's men and winsthe game.

BETWEEN THE TWO:A S T O R Y O F G R A M M A R S C H O O L L I F E .

By SBRCOMBB GRIFFIN,

The Dumb Chief," etc., etc.

Serial Story.

Author of

• The Mad Tatheht," " A Qoorkha's Kookri,

CHAPTER XI .—T HE END OF ONE CHASE, AND THE COMMENCEMENT OF ANOTHER.

' FfEY see US,

cried Armstrong, as heheard the blastof Dawson'shorn. " I wonder if theyguess that wemeant them to

see us. Awaywe go throughthe gap in thehedge, acrossthe middle of the next field.T h e y ' l l bebound to seethe scent."

T o g e t h e rArmstrong andHuniset ranacross the open

field, but the high hedge concealed theirmovements. A stone wall separated themfrom a third field; over this wall theyscrambled and scattered paper freely, thenback they clambered, and laid " sc en t"

up and down under the lee of the wall,all their movements being concealed fromthe distant Hounds. Then they doubledback on their tracks, and turning off atright angles, close to the hedge, but notgoing through, they made straight for thevalley again.

The ruse succeeded perfectly. The leadingHounds, headed by Dawson, came to thegap in the hedge ; they saw the " scent "in plentiful supply, leading across the nextfield; and they dashed on, heedless of theside track which led off at an abrupt anglein the shadow of the hedge.

" Fault! " cried Dawson, puzzled at thedistribution of the paper in the vicinity of the wall. " Scatter and pick up the scent

somehow."Bowney sent Halstead over the wall to

investigate , while he himself followed thetrail leading down, and Andrews the trailleading up. Dawson jumped upon thewall, and explored up and down the top of it. But all the tracks lacked continuity.

From the opposi te side of the valley,Armstrong and Huniset watched the puzzledproceedings of the Hounds.

" Nous avons scored, fairly puzzled thechiens, n'est-ce pas, mon brave ? " exclaimedthe delighted Huniset, who had originatedthe doubling-back scheme which was mystifying the unhappy Hounds.

" Yes, we're getting our wind back,

while they are still using up their's runninghither and thither like a motor-car not surewhich way it's meant to go, " replied Armstrong as ho peered through a screen of twigswhich was affording concealment for thetired Hares ; they had been going hard forthirty minutes.

" The kids are hanging on to the pack pluckily enough, ies braves. I'll guaranteethat black vivace speck coming up the hill,driving four tres fatigues specks before it, isour bon camarade Sneider. There's a goodfifty Hounds still running—and the rest ? Helas J "

" They'll be gathering together a decentpack again," said Armstrong, as he brisklymassaged the calves of his legs. " Thefault in front will give those behind time tocatch up with the leading Hounds."

" Oui, mon ami, you've about describedthe situation. I'll follow your examplere les jambes—hang i t! is that the rightword—and then I shall be game for anotherdemiheure."

" I think it's time to move," said Armstrong, taking another glance at the distantHounds. " I fancy Dawson is dropping toour tactics. And anyway, it's best to get on.You never know what's going to happennext, as the sailor said when he fell overboard on to a whale's back."

" Avoncons ! " cried Huniset.

" Come on, you mellifluous one. We' ll goright on through Jacobs Wood, make a dashacross the open to Fuller's barn, and then

along under the wall on the brow to thepoint where the hill juts out. Once roundthat, we'll sprint for 'The Battle-fields' andthere take a well-earned rest. What d'yousay to that, my Honey ? "

" Let' s ! " said Huniset.

Neither, however, allowed for a little up

raised rootlet of mountain ash. As theyscrambled over the bank on the farther sideof Jacobs Wood, Huniset caught his foot inthe exposed root, and went headlong intethe ditch, where he lay stunned. Not forvery long, however.

" Malheureux, beastly malheureux " •—

Armstrong heard him murmur.It was well the Hares had gained such a

good lead, for the accident detained themsome minutes, while the Hounds rapidlygained on them.

Leaning heavily on Armstrong's shoulder,Huniset insisted on an advance; so Armstrong changed his plans, and went slowlydown into the valley again, in the shelterof Jacobs Wood. It was a trifle risky, forwhile the Hares were proceeding slowly downon one side of the wood, the leading Houndswere toiling up the other side. Still, JacobsWood was a good half-mile in width, andbeing overgrown with short bushes as wellas thick with trees, it afforded an absolutelyimpenetrable screen.

Huniset rapidly recovered, and whenthey reached the depths of the valley again,he and Armstrong bathed their foreheads ina stream that went rippling and tumblingnoisily along its stony bed, between highbanks.

The cold water revived Huniset and evidently set his brain working wily plans, forsuddenly he proposed a scheme wherebythey might deceive the oncoming Hounds.

" The very thing ! " exclaimed Armstrong,and together the two Hares waded downstream, dropping the " scent" as they went,and laughing gleefully as the little bits of paper were swept onward, leaving scarcelya trace behind. It was, confessedly, adodge, but it was not the first time thatsuch a course had been taken, and it wasconsidered legitimate sport.

" Ah!—the old trick again," drawled

Dawson as, coming up with five Hounds,he fathomed the situation. " Scatter alongeach bank up and down—most probably theyhave gone down—and see if you can pick upthe ' sce nt' anywhere."

Dawson himself was almost shaken outof his composure when, after ten minutes'





1 5 0 The 'Boy's Otern Taper.

Cyril proceeded to tell the story of hisfeigned illness, his surreptitious visit to theSchool, his intermixing of cycles and accessories, his escape, his fatal carelessness inleaving his c ap as a clue, and his finding thecap in his locker wth a note from the TudorGhost.

" Of course, the chap who found the capwrote the note," said Cressington, as Cyrilfinished his story. He was not a ltogether

pleased that someone else should share hisknowledge of the Mixed Bicycles.

" But who can the chap be ? " said Cyril." I thought it was you , Rup ert ; then Ithought Peters had done it, but Peters hadn'teven heard the story of the Ghost."

" Then, of course, the Ghost must havewritten it," said Cressington with a laugh.

" Terry says Ghosts walk sometimes, butthey only appear to people who are in awfulperil." ,

" And it's sheer rot to think of you beingin peril," the elder boy added quiokly, asif to reassure himself and Cyril.

" The only danger I'm in now—Brice isnearly well—is of being taken from K.E.S.and sent to the slummy school in Milden

Lane."" Don't worry," said Cressington, putting

his arms affectionately around Cyril's neck." The cycle biz is a dead secret. Armstrongdoesn 't know anything about your part in it,does he ? "

" No fear ! " responded Cyril. " Or hewould have given me no end of a jawing."

" And I expect he would think it his dutyto sneak to Sandy," added Cressington." He's a good straight chap and all that,and he would think, being rather a prig,that he ought to let Sandy know how younearly killed young Brice, and caused thatawful shindy in the cycle store."

" Yes, I suppose I must never let Arm.strong know, " said Cyril reluctantly. " But,

look, here comes Terry ! He mustn't knowwe've been having a chat."So the two boys fell into place again, and

persistently jogged after the disappearingHounds. Cressington soon gave up, butCyril and Terry were determined to earn thetitle of " School Harrier," whioh wasaccorded to all who ran through from startto finish.

Armstrong and Huniset had taken to theshelter of the valley, which afforded plentyof cover. There was a good couple of milesbetween them and Dawson, who still headedthe pack. Taking advantage of the clumpsof bushes, and the stretches of bracken,brown with autumn tints, the Hares trendedto the west where was a bare conioal hill,which they ascended on the side remotefrom the pursuing Hounds.

" Now for a bite of lunch," said Armstrong, as they reached the summit, con

cealed by the clump of trees.Some bars of milk chocolate were pro

duced, and much relished, spite of a certainflabby consistency induced by the method of porterage during the morning.

From their vantage ground on Keston theHares could see the coun try stretching likea map before their eyes.

" We'll give them another hour's run ;and then, Mel—sticky one—we'll sprint forthe car at Westville, just giving old drawlerDawson time to come up and see us goingoff on the car. Heigho , Mel, old man ! thisis something like living to-day ; I almost

missed it. I'v e got that exam, coming off early in February, and I didn't half likemissing the chance of a swot to-day."

" Oh, you're absolutely safe for gettingthat scholarship to Heathco te; I only wishI was as sure of passing my entrance exam,into the Bank next April; c'est tout."

" Mel, you're heaps cleverer than 1 1 "

exclaimed Armstrong, as he tightened hisbelt, and attended to other details preparatory to the final run home.

" Taisez-vous, old Tortoise, " replied Huniset, as he, too, prepared for another start." You're smart enough, and what's moreyou're—good. Do you remember thatterm when I was going a bit wild, andyou "

" Shut up ! or I'll punch your head, you

mellifluous Mel," interrupted Armstrong." And now here's confusion to all our enemies,the Hounds ! " So saying both boys flickedthe last scraps of chocolate into their mouths,and set off down the hill on the farther side.Barring accidents, it was an easy run home.

Even easier than they thought. Theyhad ample time to walk the last quarter-mileto the electric car terminus, take liquid

nourishment and jam sandwiches at anadjacent confectioner's, and quietly get onto the car in time to wave a fond farewellto Dawson and Bowney, who could be seencoming into sight, running for all they wereworth.

So ended the Paper-chase, though therewere several valiant juniors for whomthe chase did not end until a couple of hoursafterwards. Amongst those valiant Hounds

were Cyril Falkland and Terry O'Brien,who thus gained the appellation " School

Harrier," to be theirs henceforth and forever.

For Cyril Falkland one chase was over, butanother was only commencing. He mustlay the Tudor Ghost. He must run It toeaith. Who could It be ? He must run" the Ghost " to earth.

be

Continued.

How WE CAUGHT OUR FIRST PYTHON. By ROBERT J. COLBNSO, M.D.

( " U M N Y A I Z A " ) ,

Author of " Black and White Bays," etc.

WHILST my brother and I were cleaning

our guns one forenoon, a Zuluappeared breathless and exci ted. Salutingme, as the elder of the two, in the usualmanner, " Ink osi ! Baba ! (Sir, Father) "he told us that at about two miles fromour old home he had come upon a large " in-hlatu,"—a python, misnamed, locally, boaconstrictor. Many of the South Africanfauna and flora are similarly miscalled.

My brother, " Gebuza," and I lost notime in loading our guns with an extra largecharge of powder and swan-shot, and, inproceeding to the spot, went along a Kaffirpath through grass which was mostly of theshort red " ins ind e" (buffalo grass), buthere and there interrupted by clumps of lofty " isiqungu " (tambootie), which, wavingtheir red flags in the tepid breeze, gave off a hot and aromatic odour. We had towalk in file, with many a twist and turn,for Kaffir paths, which are trodden out byyears of passing footsteps, admit not twoabreast. Their sinuosities are due to thenatives' habit of invariably avoiding, orcircumventing, any obstacle that may

hurt their unshod feet.It was a very warm day . The sun poured

fervent rays down from the zenith. Quivering undulations of heated air rose streamingupwards from the sultry veldt . Save forthe chirping of grasshoppers, and themewing cry of the " inqomfi " (or long-clawed lark— Maeronyx Amelice) all was

still, and the sky was as an unblemishedsapphire. We had talked eagerly whenwe first set forth, but through the swelteringheat, and a sense that we were approachinga scene of excitement, perhaps of peril, hadlapsed into silence.

Presently our Zulu guide paused with awarning gesture, and began to steal alongslowly and cautiously. At his heels we had just followed him into a thicker patch of tambootie grass, when he shrunk back,and pointing with closed fist^-in whichmanner a native maintains he does not scarethe creature indicated—retired discreetly toour rear. We crept onward, and therebeforo us, lying between two clumps of thereedy grass, saw a solid scale-clad cylindereighteen inches long and nearly a foot inthickness, which was obviously part of thereptile we had come to attack. It wasdark coloured, and marbled, and had apeculiar iridescenco and a bloom upon it,like to that of a well-ripened purple plum.

Our first question was, as to what part of the creature was disclosed before us,at a distance of a few yards only. Our

next, as to which of us two should have thehonour , and the danger, of a first shot. Asto what would happen next wo did notpause to imagine, for we had never met a

boa constrictor " at close quarters before.In after years perhaps we might have beenmore cautious! Strain our eyes as wecould, we were unable to perceive any other



Hotef iate Caught our First "Python. 1 5 1

part of the great snake, which, judgingfrom the sample revealed, was in truth amighty one.

The question as to who should shootfirst was soon settled in the ordinary nativefashion. Breaking off an inch of grass•stalk, I pressed its ends between my fingerand thumb, asking my brother to makehis choice. He chose the wrong end, foron separating my two digits the strawstuck to the finger he had not indicated. So

the die was cast, and without more ado Iloosed off my weapon at the visible lump of reptile.

Instantly, and all around us, everything«eemed to become—snake. Great writhingpurple coils rose, fell, and smote the air,and crashed and swept through the tossingtambootie grass. It was clearly evidentthat we had walked right into the centreof the huge python, as he lay extendedin a curve around the pathway in ambush,awaiting his prey. My brother's shot rangou t closely upon my own, and after abreathless minute we found ourselves•unhurt, though somewhat scared, as thegreat coils sank quivering in death. Wethen discovered that the first shot had

penetrated the python' s neck, almostsevering its spine, and we congratulatedourselves, feeling as important as St. Georgeon slaying his dragon !

We next proceeded to straighten out andmeasure our prize. Its length was exactlytwenty feet, its greatest thickness thirtyinches in circumference. Two other nativeshad followed us at some distance, and nowall five of us took up the long and heavyreptile, and carried it home on our shouldersin Indian file, looking not unlike an ancientEgyptian hieroglyph. There we skinnedits head, and, making this fast to a tree,attempted to drag off the rest of the hide;but this manoeuvre proved a failure—soclosely does a python's skin adhere to its

flesh. We were therefore forced to flay thereptile carefully with knives, from end toend—a job that lasted for hours. Subsequently this skin was tanned, lying forweeks in a tan pit of Australian wattlebark, and eventually it was hung, and stillhangs, on the walls of an Oxford collegeroom.

One of the two natives who followedsis, and helped to carry home the deadpython, had lost an eye in some accident,and had therefore become a follower of jEsculapius. The South African nativehas an innate aversion to a maimed ormutilated person, and the sufferer usuallytakes to the profession of medicine,thereby acquiring greater consideration and

considerable profit. This one-eyed man,named Baimbai (cannon), had followed usfor professional reasons. He needed for hisoharmacopceia bits of the python's anatomy,such as its heart and liver, parts of itsvertebrae, etc., and since the " inhlatu " issomewhat of a sacred and inviolable creatureto the native, he could only obtain thesemedicaments through our aid. The Zuludoctors, the " iziNyanga, " have their ownvegetable and mineral drugs, but portions of the internal organs of any rare or unobtainable creatures are valued by them as charmsor medicines. We used to smile at suchremedies; nowadays, however, since the discoveries made in animal therapeutics, we areinclined to believe that there may have been

something useful in such nostrums.Baimbai, somehow, invariably got wind

of anything out of the common that I hadshot or captured, and would turn up veryshortly to beg for a portion. In after yearsthis doctor had a great practice, and wasmuch sought after and feared. He used topay periodical visits to the sea on foot,

forty miles away, to obtain sea water, cuttlefish bones—which he called " excrementsof the moon "—and other medicaments. Onsuch occasions, he always paid me a call,and we would swap news and drugs.

This python was the first I had seen, andthe largest I have since heard of, or killed.It was hungry and empty, or some part of its body would have been trebled or quadrupled in size by its prey, which is swallowedwhole. This is often quite a large-sized

antelope or other animal, which one wouldthink impossible to be thus devoured. Theprocess of deglutition, however, if slow, isvery sure, and is also very disgusting. Forthe snake's head stretches and stretches,until it is like to split open. The prey isusually seized by a hind leg, and this isreadily swallowed up to the rump. Thencomes a delay, and, without seeing it done,one could not believe that the distended

jaws could open farther.

By virtue, however, of a beautiful mechanism, whereby the mandible is not directlyattached to the skull save through themedium of a long and loosely jointed" quadrate " bone, and because the skullbones themselves are loosely knit together,

they stretch still wider, and the toothedpalate bones continue working and hookingthe carcase in. Then the free leg movesforward until it is closely applied to theanimal's body, and, the rump at last havingpassed the snake's jaws, the remainderfollows easily and quickly travels downto about the middle of its body.

Slow though this process of deglutitionmay be, a snake, if attacked, will disgorgeits prey in a second or two. At least thisis the case with the smaller ones. I oncewatched a South African viper, the " In-Hlangwana " (Cau&us Sp.), chase and seizeand swallow a frog. The latter camehurrying past me towards the water, inlong flying leaps, such as a frog will only

make with a snake at its heels. I knewwhat was terrifying it, and awaited theoutcome. A final desperate leap landedthe frog half in and half out of a streamlet,where it lay motionless. In a second ortwo, as I had expected, down came a snake—the viper—on its track. It came along busilywith its head close to the earth, and itsblack forked tongue flickering every nowand then out of its mouth. It was nowscenting the frog, like a hound runningdown its prey, and must have possessed akeen sense of smell, for the frog's frantichops were at least a yard apart. Baffledby the water for awhile, it began castingaround and beating along the streamlet.Then the poor victim happened to extend

a leg. Instantly the viper seemed to rushitself through the air, and in a flash hadseized the frog by the leg.

I now felt moved to interfere, but seeingthat the frog lay absolutely motionless,came to the conclusion that it had beenkilled instantaneously by the snake'svenom. Without stirring, I waited to seehow it was possible for a snake to swallow acreature that was at least four times asbroad as its own head. In half an hour thiswas steadily accomplished in the mannerabove described. When a huge lump in themiddle of the snake's body showed whereits meal had arrived, I thought it best tokill this very poisonous viper, and struck it a blow on the head with the handle of a

butterfly net I was carrying. To myastonishment, the swallowed frog was instantly ejected, and it quietly hopped away!

The next instant the viper, with a pieceof skin hanging down over one eye, cameat me looking like a demon. No time waslost in despatching it, and then I turned toattend to the frog. It was no longer to be

seen ! It had vanished safely down thestreamlet, after its Jonah-like and temporary sojourn in the belly of the snake !

Until recently, there were supposed tobe in South Africa several species of python,but according to the latest authority,Brulenger, there is but one—" PythonSelice." It has no poison fangs, butcrushes its victim—if large—in its coils,

and swallows it whole. Since it can catch,crush and swallow wholesale a fairly large

and powerful buck, it could probablysim'larly dispose of a human being. I havenever, however , heard any authenticatedaccount of one having done so. Alone of all snakes, it has the rudiments of hindlimbs, in the form of claw-like spines, oneither side of the anal aperture.

XX XX

T H E "EOTJSIBTG STICK."

(See Drawing on p. 145.)

IN former times the question of folk falling asleep during divine service was onethat greatly exercised the minds of churchofficials. E\entual ly, as certain listeners

refused to be stirred up by the discourse, itwas decided to stir them up in another way,and the Beadle was deputed to make theround of the congregation with a " rousingstick," with which he was to enforce attention. Where there was no beadle some onewas specially selected to perform the duty.

This old custom was in vogue in the earlyyears of last century, for there is a record of one, Betty Finch, " a very masculine sort of woman," being given the office at HolyTrinity Church, Warrington. Mistress Finchstalked up and down the aisles during service, armed with a great st ick like a fishing-rod which had a " bob " fastened a t the endof it, and with this she energetically nudgedthe sleepers.

From " Notes and Queries " we learn thatin 1736 "t he Churchwardens of Prestwich,near Manchester, resolved that 13*. per yearbe given to George Grimshaw of Rooden

Lane for ye time being, and a new coat notexceeding 20s. every other year, for histrouble and pains in wakening sleepers in yechurch, w hipping out dogs, keeping childrenquiet and orderly."

JU5T OUT

BHD



1 5 2 The "Boy's Oban Taper.

THE HAPHAZARD VAGABONDS.

By V. R. NENDICK,

Author of " MerHman's Race," etc.

A Complete

Story.

I M O T H Y TAl'P

was a mad sort

of fellow — one

of those chaps

who seem to look

at the World from

a whimsical point

of view. But he

had the knack of

gathering other

fellows around

him. His latestwheeze was to

start a club. He

had dubbed it

the Haphazard Vaga

bonds, and nineteen wild

youths had forthwithsworn allegiance.

The club had no rules.

Nothing was done by

rule ; nothing was deci

ded by debate and vote.

If anything had to be

done, each member was

entitled to hand in a

written proposal. All these proposals

were thrown into a hat, and one was

picked therefrom. Whichever proposal came

out first was adopted ; the rest were thrown

into the fire.

With so simple a method of adjusting

differences, the club was entirely free from

squabbles or disunion.

The successful suggestion at last week'smeeting was as follows :

" Every member to contribute sixpence

to a fund.

"T he names of all members to be put into

the hat.

" The first five names drawn are to spend

the whole fund on an outing next Saturday."

There it was ; and it had to be done. The

successful five proved to be Walford, Ribson,

Tapp, Hedling, and Porter.

The club now wrote out suggestions as to

what form the outing should take, and each

of those who were not in the selected five vied

with the others in suggesting the oddest

scheme. The proposal which first came out

of the fatal hat was: " A picnic on

Toxenden Heath."A picnic ! It had been snowing off and

on for days. It was freezing hard now.

The Heath would be a wilderness of snow,

with a keen north wind in full blast !

But there was no thought of going back.

The hat had spoken. Those who had

triumphed tried hard to feel delighted still.

Those who had failed to got in the magic five

felt consoled.

A further consultation of the hat was

made to decide who should attend to the

provender ; and the choice of the hazard

fell upon Paul Walford.

On the Saturday, therefore, Toxenden

Station was the rendezvous. At 3 P.M.

three boys were on the platform, dancing an

occasional double-shuffle to keep up thecirculation.

'"Porter's late," quavered Ribson,

shivering.

" And what about Walford ? " quoth

Hedling.

" Coming by the next train, no doubt,"

CHAPTER I. THE FORTUNATE FIVE IN TROUBLE.

comforted Tapp . " We can't g o without

Walford, as Walford has the grub ; but if

Porter doesn't show up by the time Walford

comes, we shall have to ask the hat whether

we stay here and freeze, or get a move on."

Tw o minutes later the train rolled in ; and

out jumped Walford, carrying a heavy bag.

" What's in it ? " asked Ribson, poking

the bag roughly.

" Gently ! " warned Walford, " or you'll

mix up the firelighters with the sausage-

rolls and "

" Firelighters ! " chirruped Hedling,

blowing his fingers.

" But fires are not allowed on the Heath,"

observed Ribson wickedly.

" That's where the fun comes in ! "

laughed Walford.

" Where's Porter ? " he inquired, amoment later.

" Not arrived," said Tapp. " I propose

we wait two minutes longer for him."

" I propose four minutes," came from

another.

" I propose we don't wait at all," shivered

a third.

" I say give him five minute s," cried the

fourth.

Each of the Vagabonds wore on his watch-

chain a little silver disc—the insignia of the

club—with his distinctive number on it.

Walford slipped off his insignia and threwit in his ha t; the others did likewise. The

discs were shaken up ; then Tapp picked

out one with his eyes shut.

" We wait four minutes," said the latter,after a glance at what he had drawn.

An unsavoury-looking stranger, lean and

lanky, with a blue muffler round his throat,had been an interested and somewhat

mystified spectator of this little ceremony.

The boys tramped to and fro on the plat

form while the allotted seconds flew by,

watching the clock now and then.

" Time' s up ! " announced Tap p at

length. " Hard luck for Porter. Can't be

helped. The oracle has spoken. Come

along, Walford , bring the "

" It's all very well to say ' br in g' ,"

growled Walford, looking about. " Who's

boned that bag 1 "

A chorus of exclamat ions broke from

all as they looked round wildly. Walford's

bag had disappeared !

As if with one consent, the four bo ys

suddenly looked at each other suspiciously,

and each tried to look as innocent as possible.

Consequently everyone suspected everyone

else of playing a lark.

Then without a word they separated,

prying into every nook and corner near;

but they failed to find any sign of the missing

bag. They came together again, looking

very blank.

" I propose that whoever hid that bag do

own up at once," said Tapp crossly.

" Hear, hear ! " chorused the others.

" Then there is no need to ask the hat,"

remarked Tapp, seeing their unanimity.

" But where on earth has it got to ? "

" What about that lanky fellow who washanging around ? " suddenly asked Ribs on.

had left the precincts of the station. The

boys gradually went farther afield, peering

up and down every turning.

Ribson got well away, and was about to

return, when he caught a glimpse of a tallman hurrying up a side lane, and this man

was carrying a bag! He was after the

fellow like a shot, and soon caught up.

" Not the fellow who was at the station,"

ruminated Ribson, taking stock of the man,

" but that is Walford's bag right enough.

Humph ! he's too big for me to tackle alone.

I'll stalk him until I meet some one ."

For two hundred yards they marched on,

the boy keeping close up. The man he

was following was grey-haired, and walked

with a stoop, his eyes on the ground.

Reaching the corner of Toxenden Heath,

the old man stopped and peered under ahedge intently. He seemed oblivious to

Ribson's presence. Putting down the bag

he attentively examined some plant or other.

Ribson crept stealthily towards the bag,

exclaimed Tapp in

you fellows, and

" My word, yes

anger. " Scout round

hunt him out! "

One flew this way, another ran that. But

the tramp who had been seen loitering about

CHAPTER II. ALL AT CROSS PURPOSES.

WE must return to Toxenden Station.

Hedling, Walford and Tapp, disgusted

at their want of success, and depressed by

the calamity which had happened to their

commissariat, walked back in gloomy silence.

They found Porter waiting for them on

the platform !

" Hullo ! you 've arrived ? " was his

sarcastic greeting." Arrived ! " echoed Hedling. " Why ,

for the last half-hour we've been cooling our.

heels "

" Eh ? " Interrupted Porter. " On a

sultry day like this! I thought I saw you

all dodging round the station. What's up r

You look as though yo u' d all seen "

" The bag ! " suddenly shouted Tapp ,

pointing.

And there, sure enough, was the bag—

on the platform at Porter's feet. And

there was a twinkle in Porter's eye.

" You've had a fine game, Porter,"growled Walford pugnaciously, as he took

possession of his bag. " What do you mean

by leading us all this dance ? "

" That your bag ? " smiled Porter, as

suming his most innocent expression.

" I propose," began Tapp, looking stead-

fastly at Porter, that whoever sneaked

Walford's bag and sent us on a wild-goose

chase, do forthwith own up and have his head

punched."

" And that he carry the bag the rest of the

day," added Walford, putting the bag down.

" I propose that he go on half rations

throughout the picnic," cried Hedling.

" I propose he be complimented on his

cleverness in devising a means of keeping you

all warm," said Porter.

Into Tapp's hat went four little discs,

and Porter was invited to pick his own fate.

To his joy, and to their disgust, he plunged

in his hand and brought out his own disc.

" You've escaped, you bounder!"growled Tapp. " Awfully clever of you

to sneak that bag ! "

" Deserve an ice medal down your back,"

added Hedling.

" Where's Ribson, dear boys ? " asked

Porter, smiling broadly at his stroke of luck.

[" Gone





154 The Boy's Oban Taper.

" Gone flying off after this bag," gruntedWalford. You ought to be——"

" To the Heath, boys ! " broke in Tapp ." No quibbling after the oracle has spoken.Ribson will come along presently. I'mnearly frozen."

They all sprinted up a rise to get warm,glancing back every now and then to look

for Ribson.

" He knows we are going to the Sandpit,"

said Walford. " Nothing will keep him

away from the grub. Afterwards, I look for a first-class mill between him and Porter,over that bag business."

" The Pond ! " suddenly cried Hedling." It's sure to bear. Who' s for a slide ?Let's have a go till Ribson catches up."

Walford put down his precious bag on ahigh hillock of snow, so as to be well in view.All four were soon engaged in cutting out alengthy slide, glad to feel the glow of warmth

stealing into their limbs.Perhaps ten minutes passed in this de

lightful sport; then Tapp looked up to seetwo figures approaching them. One wasundoubtedly a policeman ; the other an oldman with stooping shoulders. They werehurrying.

" I do believe they are coming to join us,"laughed Tapp.

Certainly the two strangers made a bee-line for the Pond.

" Mind they don't pinch your bag, Walford," cried Porter. " I saw them bothpoint at it."

" They are coming here ! " exclaimedHedling. " What' s up ? I saw the oldgent shake his fist at us. What is he doing ? "

The old gentleman ran up to Walford'sbag and picked it up. Walford ran towardshim in amazement.

" Hi, there ! " he shouted. " That's mybag ! "

Your bag 1" growled the old manfuriously. " Are you sure it's your bag,yo u

young scamp ? "" Quite sure," returned Walford, pantingup.

" Seize him, officer!" cried the oldgentleman, who seemed beside himself withrage. The policeman moved towards Walford.

" What's up ? " exclaimed Tapp, runningacross.

" All right, Mr. Innocence ! " snappedthe old man. " I daresay you are all in it.Sad, sad indeed, it is that four young fellowsshould s toop to highway robbery ! "

" What are you doing with Walford'sbag ? " demanded Tap p, incensed at hismanner.

" Oh ! you—you— " scolded the oldfellow. " Do you know who I am ? "

" No," retorted Tapp defiantly." I am Godfrey Fitzwiggle," said the old

man pompously. " And this bag containstreasures which I would not lose for twentypounds—•—"

" Nine-and-fourpence is what they cost,"broke in Walford.

" What does the flippant youth say ? "bridled Fitzwiggle.

" What are you doing here ! " asked thepoliceman.

" We are out on a picnic ," replied Tapp." Picnic t To-day ? In this weather ? "

shuddered the constable." Yes. And that bag contains our pro

vender," said Tapp.

-' He ! he ! he ! " chuckled Fitzwiggle.

" Provender ! Going to ea t these ? He!he ! he ! the boy 's mad ! "

" Where did you get this bag ? " askedthe officer of Walford. " Come ! own up ! "

" From home—it is my father's," saidWalford.

" Oh, it's your father's, is it t " mocked

the old man. " And you are going to eatthe contents, are you ? Perhaps if I showyou what the contents are, you will alteryour tone."

He jerked the bag open as he spoke, andadded : " Now, look here ! there's—gracious me ! tinned salmon, buns, chocolatecreams, bloater paste—what's all this ? "

" They are 01 rs," maintained Walford." All bought with our own money. You'll

have to answer for this."

The old man laid the bag down and gazedat it in stupefaction.

" Where's my treasure — my Vipera Berui ? " he moaned in very real distress.

" What have you done with them ? "" Don't know the party in question,"

replied Tapp. " We only know that thatbag is ours and all it contains. I reckonthere'll be trouble over this."

" That's all right," interposed the police

man soothingly . " Professor Fitzdiggle "" Fitzwiggle— " corrected the old man." Fikstiggle — Professor Figstipr le,"

blundered the officer, " has made a slightmistake. This is evidently not your bag,Professor. We must look elsewhere."

With this, the policeman led the old

fellow away. The four youths watchedthem go, wondering hugely what hadhappened to cause this strange visitation.

They returned to their slide, still discussing the incident. Five minutes later,the triumphant voice of Roddy Ribson washeard approaching; the next moment hebounded over a heap of snow and burst inamong them.

" I've got i t ! " he cried in glee. " Theold bounder didn't do me. He was too bigfor me to tackle, so I just stalked him.Then, while he was pottering about withsome plant or other, I pounced on the bag,snatched it up and bolted."

He flung a bag down in the snow as hespoke. His friends had turned to him as he

narrated his story, and their eyes grew widewith astonishment. Now the}' were staringopen-mouthed at the bag he had brought ;then they all swung round and stared at theother bag.

" What's wrong with you ? " criedRibson, amazed at their sudden silence.

" That—that bag you' ve brough t! "stammered Ta pp uncomfortably. " Whatis it ? Whose is it ? "

" That's Walford's, of course. It's gotour grub "

" But there is Walford' s bag ! " interrupted Tapp, pointing to the one the Professor had opened.

It was Ribson's turn to stare now. Hewalked across and examined the other bag ;then he came back and eyed the one he had

captured, and dismay crept into his eyes.A dreadful feeling gripped him. A cold

shiver ran down his back. His short-livedtriumph had ended in a most dismal fiasco.And that ass, Porter, was positively grinning.

CHAPTER III.—IN WHICH BITERS GET BADLY

BITTEN.

IT was Timothy Tapp who ended a mostpainful silence by asking :

" I say, Ribson, was the man you obtainedthis bag from an old fellow with greywhiskers, a hooked nose, soft felt hat, andgrey overcoat ? "

That's him ! " cried Ribson.

" Then it was Professor Fitz-what's-his-name," said Tapp. " And he has beenhere."

" Here ? No ! " gasped Ribson." Yes, and he came after his bag, and

talked about highway robbery," continuedTapp . " I see it all, now. "

" What a horrible dilemma ! " exclaimedRibson dismally.

" You acted in good faith, old fellow,"

said Tapp. " The bag is certainly the Professor's, and the Professor must have it.That bounder, Porter, is the cause of allthe trouble. You needn't smile, Porter. Ipropose that Porter do take the bag back and explain."

" Here, I say!" broke in Porter,horrified.

" You played the goat down at the station,"said Healing. " I propose that Porter takeit back at once."

" But that's not fair," protested Porter." I propose we all go, " said Walford." I propose that Porter and I go together,"

said Ribson." I propose that he who brought it takes

it back," said Porter defiantly.

" Here is the hat ! " cried Tapp. " Inwith your discs."

The five discs jingled together in thefatal hat. Porter was invited to draw hisfate. He drew out Hedling's disc !

" Porter takes the bag back at once,"

said Tapp.Without a word the bag was instantly

shouldered, and Porter marched off in searchof the Professor, dismally puzzling his brainsfor something to say when he faced thatirate gem leman. To add to his dismay, hehad not the least idea where Professor Fitzwiggle lived. He might have to wanderabout all day making inquiries, and so losethe picnic altogether. He decided to makefor the road down which the Professor andthe pol ceman had disappeared.

" I say, you fellows," Baid Tapp, twominutes later. " I fancy I shall run afterold Porter. If that Professor Fitzjiggleturns rusty, ourchum may want a baoker up."

" Hooray ! " cried Walford. " Let's allgo ; then we can take our bag and show himthat it is as like his as one pea is like another."

Meanwhile, Cecil Porter* had reached thehigh road and broken into a run ; for hewas eager to get the ordeal over. He hadtrotted for perhaps half a mile, when alanky tramp, wearing a blue choker, sprangout of the hedge in front of him.

This was the same fellow who had beenloitering about the station, but Porter didnot know that. The way he stood in theroad and eyed the oncoming youth madethe latter stare inquiringly.

" Smart bit of work, t ha t !" said thetramp with a grin.

" What was that ? " asked Cecil, notliking his look.

" Sneaking that bag," grinned the fellow.

" Oh ! " sniffed Porter. " What do youknow of it ? "

" Just enough for myself, and more thanenough for you," returned the tramp." Where are you off to, now ? "

" To return the bag to its owner, "answered the boy.

" To—what ? "

" To return this bag to "" Return i t! Are you mad ? " inter

rupted the fellow, lurching forward.Hands off!" cried Porter, backing.

" What do you mean ? "" I'll show you, soon enough," snarled

the other, seizing the bag. " Let go ! Igo halves."

" Help!" yelled Porter, strugglingmanfully.

" Let the lad alone ! " cried a female voice,

and a stout woman hurried towards them,swinging a wet mop in the air.

But the lanky man drove his fist inPorter's face, and the lad went down in thesnow. The next instant the woman's mop,charged with dirty water, was thrust fullin the man 's face.



The Haphazard Vagabonds. 1 5 5

" Ugh—shoo ! " spluttered the fellow

furiously." Take that, you scamp ! " cried the

woman, dealing his face another jab withher evil-smelling mop.

Porter sprang to his feet, his nose bleeding ; but the footpad turned and fled,carrying the bag with him.

Two minutes later, up came Tapp and theothers, to find Porter bathing .his face in a

bucket of water. From the woman theysoon got the hang of the facts , and all five

of them, leaving their bag with her, went fly

ing off in furious chase of Porter's assailant.

At the top of the hill they caught sight of him. He was a quarter of a mile away,kneeling down by a hedge, close to a stile,trying to open the bag.

" Come on, you fellows ! " cried Tappexcited ly. " Wo have got the bounderset ." And they all darted down hill.

" Look ! Look ! " exclaimed Ribsonsuddenly , stopping short. " There's theold fellow from whom I took the bag ! "

It was true. Professor Godfrey Fitz-wiagle was crossing a field alone. Moreover,the path he was hurrying along came out

at the very stile near which the footpadwas kneeling.All five of the boys kept their eyes fixed

upon the Professor. He was fast nearingthe stile. And the man was still tuggingat the bag. They waited in suspense.

Fitzwiggle reached the stile and peeredover. Then he threw up his hands sharplyand began to clamber over.

" Hooray ! " chuckled Hedling. " TheProfessor has spot ted the bag. Now the funcommences. Look how he is shaking hiswalking-stick ! "

" This is grand ! " muttered Walford,watching with keen interest the scene beingenacted fifty yards away.

The footpad with the bag was too muchabsorbed in his task to notice the approachof the enemy behind him.

Suddenly, the bag shot open with a snap.The man glanced triumphantly inside i t ;then he dropped the bag and started to hisfeet with a cry of horror. He nearly fellagainst the oncoming Professor. Thatgentleman raised his stick and brought itdown heavily on the tramp's battered hat.With a yell the fellow rolled in the snow,rubbing his head ruefully.

" Steal my lovely Vipera Berus, wouldyou 1" stormed the Professor, seizing hisbag and aiming another blow of his stick at the patch on the fellow's trousers. " Takethat, and "

But the foo tpad had had quite enough.He sprang to his feet and saw the five boysrunning up ; then he turned and vanished

over the stile with precipitate haste." Ah ! my boys," exclaimed the Professortriumphantly as Tap p and the others cameup. You see, I have recovered mytreasure. Ah ! that scoundrel will notforget it in a hurry, either. That ash stick of mine is heavy, and I fear I struck hard.See ! yonder lies his ha t: the trophies of the comba t are mine ! " He lowered his

voice as he added : " I am sorry I so mis judged you , my lads. I may have damagedthe eatables in your bag, too. Let me give

you five shillings as a little recompense,since you have been so good as to forget mytrespass and hurry to my aid. Ah ! mylovely Vipera Berus! What a fright thescamp had when he opened the bag ! "

" Wha t was in the bag, sir ? askedTapp, amazed at the old fellow's raptures.

" Snakes, my boy—or rather, adders-poisonous vipers ! " chuckled Fitzwiggle.

Of course, they are torpid , now. Like tosee them ? There they are, the beauties !And now, go od-day to you ! "

" I am afraid, sir, we ought not to takethis money," said Tapp, detaining him.

" Nonsense, my lad—not a word ! "returned the Professor, hurrying away inhigh good humour.

I say, you fellows," said Tapp . " Wehave no right to this five bob, youknow."

" I propose it go to the general fund,"said Walford.

" I propose it goes to the valiant lady whocame to my rescue with her mop ! " cried

Porter.The other three made proposals similarto Porter's ; and when the hat was consultedon the point, this view prevailed.

So they proceeded to get their bag, leftthe good dame five shillings richer than theyfound her, and went forth to the Heath toface with fortitude the rigours of theirwintry picnic.

Serial

Story.

THE SKY CRUISE OFTHE "KESTREL."

By JOHN LEA,

Author of *' Lcutch)ord's Lion,*' '* My Cousin Douglas," etc.

THE EDITOR YVBS RIQHT "

tiyiOKI/i^ 15 /10T 0,000 FOR SOYS/

WHETHER it was due to the fact that

enthusiasm must suffer a lull, orbecause Captain GaskeU's announcementconcerning the prolongation of the Kes

trel's voyage beyond sundown, gave food

for silent thought, certain it is that conversation lapsed for a considerable period

after the tea-things were put away. Jamesand Claud, taking positions at opposite«ides of the car, gave themselves up oncemore to contemplation of the scene beneath.

During the rapid ascent which hadfollowed the rescue of the two boys from

CHAPTER VI.—A LESSON IN GEOGRAPHY,

the river near Oxford, the Kestrel had developed a rotary movement, spinning roundon its own axis at a considerable rate ; butthe density of the cloud, entered so quicklyafterwards, had prevented the voyagersbeing conscious of the movement at all,there being no objects visible to make itapparent. In the interval that had elapsedsince then, the Kestrel had almost recovered

its more dignified demeanour, but it s tillcontinued to turn slowly round.

Of course this action was only demonstrated to the occupants of the car by thespinning of the landscape beneath them, andso gradual was this that it failed at firstto awaken any surprise in the two boys.

When they did notice it, so huge was thepanorama and so stately the " ma rc h"which brought its various points into theline of sight, that a misunderstanding of thephenomenon,on the part of those who watchedit, can hardly be a matter of surprise. Itis a little curious, however, that they bothmade the same mistake and were bothdetermined not to express an opinion alouduntil certain of their facts.

" There now ! " said James softly, to

himself. " When I looked ahead a momentago I'm sure that that patch of woodlandwas more to the left, and now it's right infront of me."

" This time," muttered Claud, " I'll makecertain. There's the setting sun, three

A 'Shrilling Yarn of a

Balloon Voyage.

points to the le ft" (Claud's "three points "would have puzzled a mathematician todefine), " and that church spire is directly inour traok. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10—there now,we're making for the sunset, and the spire issailing away to the right. The matter is asclear as day lig ht; we are caught in a mildkind of cyclone which is carrying us roundand round in a circle."

James arrived a t the same conclusionsimultaneously and turned from his post of outlook to see Claud in the act of invitingCaptain GaskeU's attention to an importantobservation he had to make.

" I don't know, sir, if you have noticedit," said Claud, a little gingerly, " but weseem to be caught in one of those circularwinds which I have read of as sometimesblowing."

" Yes," echoed James. " I have testedour route of travel times and again, by fixingmy sight on some particular object in front,and each time we have veered away from it. "

Captain Gaskell had the consideration toconceal his amusement.

" There is no doubt," said he, " that onceour feet have left the comfortable stability

of mother earth, our heads are apt to beconfused by our surroundings. The mistakeyou have both made is justifiable and almostas reasonable as the facts which explain it.Now let me show you how to read the mapfrom a balloon."



1 5 6 The "Boy's Obvn Paper.

He turned to the car side, while theystood on either hand, half doubting if hehad understood the discovery they had made.

" The Kestrel,'" went on the Captain," has been taking on giddy airs, and insteadof pursuing her course as a self-respectingairship should, is turning slowly round.If, while this is taking place, we fix our eyeson some object at the horizon, as youevidently did , we may very easily be deceivedas to the course of actual travel, unless we

counteract the rotary movement of theballoon by shifting our position in the car.Under present circumstances we may regardthe landscape as a huge wheel lying on itsside. If it were stationary, as the Kestrelallowed it t o be at the commencement of ourvoyage, we might ascertain our progressacross it by watching some object on therim, but just now this is apt to deceive us.Instead of looking so far away, suppose welook down at the hu b; that is, the partalmost immediately beneath us."

The two boys did so, and at once realisedtheir mistake; for though, even here, thespinning motion was still apparent, it boresuch a small proportion to the progress of theballoon, that object after object disappeared

beneath the car, not to appear again, as theydid when near the horizon."Well ," said Claud. "I'll never feel

certain of anything any more ."" Nor I," cried James, " for it seemed

so clear."

" Better to feel certain and receivecorrection," said their friend, " than beafraid to express an opinion lest it bewrong, and so live on in error. And no w, "he added with a smile, " as the sun isnearing its setting, suppose we studythe map of England while we can."

His two companions were only too eager,and the Captain went on :

" As we have come ' downstairs ' somewhat (to use Claud's expression) sincehaving tea, the opportunities for our study

will be greater than at three miles high.The Kestrel now is 5000 feet abovethe surface of the earth, as, even at thesacrifice of a little gas, I shrank from givingyou such a lofty bedroom. The heightwe are now at affords the vision a radiusof ninety-four miles. Thus we have a mapbelow us of no less than IS8 miles in diameter, which is much larger than any schoolatlas can supply. It is not, however,entirely at our disposal, as you see, onaccount of clouds and vapours obstructingthe view over many parts. However, thereis enough to keep us busy in an expansethat stretches from Manchester t o Southampton, and from Cardiff to King'sLynn."

"Then, aocording to that," said James,we are still within sight of home."

" Almost," replied the aeronaut, " butyou must not suppose that, at such adistance, a small object like a house would bedistinguishable, even granting a less murkyatmosphere. We had better confine ourselvesto matters nearer at hand. For instance,while we were poetising over James's oup of tea, we were sailing above a spot of greatcommercial dignity—the renowned ci ty of Birmingham. There it still lies, some twentymiles to the south."

The boys followed with their eyes thedirection he indicated, and saw a dark patch on the surface of the earth, the detailsof which were difficult to make out . Eventhe binoculars lent little assistance, and itwas only when Captain Gaskell explainedwhat was most confusing that they beganto realise some of those details.

" Flat as it all seems," cried James,who had got the glasses, " what lookslike rows of houses are out off suddenly

by deep dark pits, and great drifts of earth."

" The drifts of earth," laughed his friend," are beautiful hills that oppose their topsbetween us and the streets of Birmingham;and the dark pits are the valleys in whichthe shadows of night are now collec ting."

Claud, who took the glasses in turn,did not loiter long over his inspectionof the Midland metropolis, but sweepingthe great panorama with his magic lenses,

cried out suddenly: " I'v e caught a churchtower ! I found it by the setting sunlightglittering on its weather vane."

" Well, what is it ? " asked the Captain." I don' t know, " was the reply. " It's

a little church, farther off than Birmingham,—oh, it is tiny—with some trees growinground it, and a beautiful, beautiful riverflowing under its very walls."

" Is there any town near it ? " asked theaeronaut.

" Y—e—e—-s ! " cried the delighted Claud," I've got it now—and there's the sunlightmaking it clear for a moment—and almostall round the town there's a piece of shiningwire—I suppose it's a railway. But thechurch is a beautiful place. I wonder "

Captain Gaskell at this point broke intoa laugh.

" You have found Worcester Cathedral,"said he, " and, in what you are pleased to calla tiny church, is the tom b of John Lackland."

" But it's a to y, " went on Claud, " andI should not have thought King John could

have got into it. Hullo ! it's disappearing.The sunset light has left the golden vane, thebeautiful tower is dim and the river is—there, it is all gone now."

And with quite a sad little sigh he loweredthe glasses.

" That's the first time I ever saw WorcesterCathedral," said he, " and I shall not behappy till I have seen it again — onearth."

" I fear," said Captain Gaskell presently,

" that we shall n ot have much more chanceof studying our native land to-night, forthe shades are rapidly deepening, and out of them I see the first twinkling fires of Wolverhampton."

The lights he spoke of were not at sucha distance as the other objects they hadbeen looking at, though they lay also to thesouth.

" Then," said Claud, who prided himself on his geography, " I suppose we are enteringthe Black Country."

" We are," was the reply, " and thoughit may shock you both to hear it, I shallshortly expect my lieutenants to turn in ; forI have work for them at an early hour."

At that moment, the idea of sleep seemed

only to be described by the one word" preposterous ! " But James and Claudtold their friend that if he would only letthem see the actual nightfall they woulddo their utmost to take rest immediatelyafterwards.

" You know," said James, anxious to pavethe way for the accomplishment of hiswishes, " I am not much of a sleeper at thebest of times, and before now, I have satup all night."

" What / think," put in Claud, " is thatwe are not likely to spend a night in a balloonvery often, so we ought to make the mostof the opportunity."

This was an argument that CaptainGaskell found hard to controvert, so, withan amused " Very well, till nightfall," helet the boys have their way.

And the two lieutenants proceeded to" make the most of their opportunity."

They watched the great world beneaththem slowly darken, turning their eyesfrom it now and then to see how the warm

glow of the sun still bathed the silkenglobe above their heads. It seemed asthough the daylight would never leave therealm in which they soared, and long afterthe dark expanse below was dotted hereand there by twinkling sparks, there wasscarcely any change in the radiance aroundthem. But when at last that change came,it came almost suddenly. The sky abovethem darkened as by magic, and a thousandstars flashed into sight.

Everything below, obscured before, nowlost all vestige of outline, and soon afterthe balloon seemed to be hanging in thecentre of a vast sphere ; the twinkling starsof the earth mingling with those of the skyat an horizon lost in the obscurity of night.It was an awe-inspiring spectacle, and inthe silence that they scarcely dared to break,the boys stood watching it side by side.

Suddenly a brilliant light illumined thecar and the lower portion of the Kestrel'sgreat envelope. With a start, Claud andhis brother turned to see that the aeronauthad switched on his electric torch.

" Eleven o'clock ! " said he, turning thewhite ray upon the face of his watch. " Thenight has fallen ! Turn in ! "

Without a word the boys obeyed." Turning in " consisted in making themselves as comfortable as possible on the lidof the circular box . Wrapped warmly inrugs, they found the room sufficient to liedown in, but not to do much rolling about.Never did they feel less inclined for sleep.The novelty of their situation drove allthoughts of it from their minds.

Claud, however, must have been the firstto succumb, for when, after some time hadelapsed, James remarked in a somewhatrambling to ne : " I say, old chap, howmany notes have yo u made in your diary ? "there was no response beyond a purelyguttural one. James did not urge thepoint , for scarcely had the question lefthis lips when he too relapsed into a blissfulunconsciousness.

{To be continued.)

.!>.?»> ^ . f » >

7i\" 7i<r 7*y

" Fale and hearty ? Yes. that I am. Bu tseeing that 1 was brought up on porridffe andthe ' B.O.P.,' that isn't so very wonderful I "



Rotorua and its

Boiling Geysers.

jNebv Zealand's Wonderland.

NEW ZEALAND'S WONDERLAND.

1 5 7

A G L I M P S E O P O U R D O M I N I O N I N T H E

S O U T H E R N S E A S .

By FRED GILES

(World Cycle Tourist),

Author of " A Jaunt Through

Tasmania," etc.

T HE majority of "B .O .P ." readers aretolerably well acquainted with

colonial geography, but few, perhaps,know that New Zealand possesses theweirdest and most disturbed spot in thewhole of the British dominions.

Fortunately for a peace-loving people,the disturbance is not of a political nature,but physical. It has been boldly assertedthat no New Zealander can claim to knowhis country till he has visited Rotorua,the land of ceaseless thermal activity.

These sister isles of the Southern Seashave never suffered at the hands of anapathetic people , for if it were possible fora virtue to become abnormal, I trow thatpatriotism, in the average Maorilander,

could justly be held up by way of example.Who has not heard New Zealand talked" lar ge" by its worthy sons and daughters—ancient and juveni le? Its incomparablecommercial prosperity, its scenic grandeur,its weird natural wonders have all beendilated on in language so profuse andvoluble, that even the most critical listenersecretly longs to view for himself thosefairy isles that stud the Southern Seas.

Sentiment generally loses many pointsin actual test, hence visitors must bequite prepared to meet with slight disappointments here and there. But, havingseen this one feature of his country, weare prepared to let the patriotic one puff

like a steam-engine, blow like a spermwhale, or, if he chooses, erupt like avolcano, without much fear of him overdoing it.

The outside section of the worldthat has merely heard of Rotorua invariably associates it with earthquakes and uncanny volcano outbursts, as being probabilities of any moment, and imagines thata residence in New Zealand's north endwould be a dangerous speculation tovaluers of life. With about a like proportion of actual danger, Australia' s snakesinspire the New Zealander with fear. Ineither case the danger is of the nurserybogey-man type, unsubstantial andshadowy. As a matter of fact, it remainsan open question as to whether Rotorua 'swonders are due to volcanic or chemical

action. Many folk of a scientific turn leanto the latter belief, despite the fact thatRotorua does have earthquakes , as manyas fifty-seven distinct shocks on a singleday tiaving been recorded.

Wonderland, as it is often spoken of, issituated some 170 miles south-east fromthe beautiful northern city of Auckland,from which a reasonably cheap train service takes the traveller, on any week-day,to this far-famed hot-water " spa." Overforty boarding establishments, most of them very large, testify eloquently to thepopularity of this modern Bethesda. Possibly no other tract of country in theSouthern Hemisphere, of the same size,embosoms such a huge rheumatic pain, nor

does any other spot hold out such hopeof its ultimate departure.

The purport of my visit to Rotorua wasto rest briefly, but the activity in the air,and with which the very earth in thisquarter is surcharged, induces effort toassert itself in the human frame, no matterhow taxed the brain or wearied the body.

To use a colonial colloquialism, yousimply have to " get up and ge t." Hereis a country town—village, Englandwould call it, but colonials have highnotions—the terminus of a railway that

Taurau Kukupa Whangare i .

A Maori of To-day.

taps a very sparsely-populated distric t, andyet as busy as a bee-hive. Hundr eds of persons, whose sole business is to look andsee, rush here and there; the female portion of the crowd shelter beneath a regiment of ginghams that make a gaudypicture in lights and shades. More

over, the scene draws from one the con

clusion that the fairy-tales of juvenilityare not all impossible dreams of fancy—this is Wonder land as wonderful as childhood's dreams—Rotorua.

The thermal regions, comprehended in

hot and cold lakes, spouting geysers, boiling mud, mineral waters, and a score of additional marvels, occupy a radius of many miles, of which Rotoru a is the mainstay.

A magnificent sanatorium has beenbuilt, and enclosed in beautified grounds,and here resort all classes of sick andmaimed, to take advantage of the numerous classified mineral baths which thesanatorium affords.

The baths are self-heated, and can betaken at almost any temperature up to107 degrees. The names are as variousas their natures. There are the " Rachel "Bath, the "B l u e " Bath, the " P r i e s t "Bath (patronised chiefly by rheumatic

patients , though it must be rememberedthat Wonderland is a centre of youthfulfrolic as well as a health resort); there arethe " Mud " Bath, the " Duchess " Bath—possessing no extra virtue on account of its royal cognomen, but so-called becauseof being opened and first used by herMajesty, the then Duchess of York. The

" Duchess " is still the dress circle in thistheatre of ablution, for the highest pr iceis charged for its indulgences, thoughreally identical in the nature of its waterswith one of the lesser-priced baths.

The baths impart a remarkable sensationto those that "step into the pools," the" Priest," particularly, almost takingone's breath away. Whil e those bathshave been splashed by many a forlornone who has emptied the purse in Rotoruaonly to die, it is an inspiration to meet,here and there, a flush of health in thosewho draw two graphic pictures of theirhealth state, before and after, and pointenthusiastically to Rotorua's baths as theintermediate cause that separated the con

trasting pictures. The quest for healthhere almost becomes a maddened rush,and in this wise often frustrates its ownpurpose.

The glo ry of the baths, so variouslyclassified, is but on e; the g lory of thegeysers is another; and there are otherglories.

The majority of the famous geysers aresituated in what is known as the Whaka-rewarewa Reserve, which is an enclosureof Nature's demons, who exhibit theirferocity in a score of ways, and seem tohave sounded uncanny and legally prohibited depths in the bowels of the earth.One hears hissing and rumbling, feels theearth hot beneath him, smells the sulphur

ous air, sees a crowd of little black Maorisaround him, and Dante's Inferno is thenearest association that his mind will allowof.

One bright January summer morning

Kerera Geyser, Rotorua, N. Z .

witnessed two fraternising comrades, theArmy's " only " Major Mutton (we'll callhim in recognition of his fondness for thatdelicacy), and the subordinate pen-man and



1 5 8 The "Boy's Obvn Taper.

" B.O.P." gorger, in the vicinity of geyserland, longingly anticipating a good

gush from the netherworld.By the way, the geysers do not con

stantly disport themselves, and peoplehave occasionally turned homewards disappointed, after a vain wait of weeks fora full concert geyser display. One geyseralone never grows weary. Day and night,he gives the anxious inquiring public apassing idea of what a geyser is and what

it can do. The full concert of Rotoru a'sgeysers is only seen at intervals.

After the manner of metal bodies, thegeysers, which number about half-a-dozen, have an indicator. The "Bo il in gCauldron," as it is called, is the mostvituperative-looking water-hole we haveever been privi leged to peer into. Ordinarily, he crouches in a huge silica moundlike a savage lion at bay, ceaseless lyspitting and plunging his boiling watersfrom side to side of his prison-house.At the best of t imes the " Boil ingCauldron " is no example of pat ience andpeace, but, being a creature of moods, hisferocity varies. On the morning that the" only " militaire and the pen-man peered

into his blear, bluish depths, it was necessary to do so at long range, for his surface was particularly troubled , and hotspittings at random made a close curiosityunsafe. It was then we were informedthat the " Boiling Cauldron's " ill-moodportended well for an early geyser displayof no mean order—he is as the gauge-glassof geyserland—otherwise, the indicatoraforesaid.

For an hour or so, in company with mymilitary friend, whose sojourn at Rotoruahad imparted to his countenance thehealthy look of a cattle-salesman whohad been a long time in the sun, I oscillated between tea-rooms, mud-pools, andthe increasingly ominous Cauldron, till, atlast, we were joyfully rewarded with amighty watery outburst.

Every geyser, save Wairoa, gave ventto his pent-up reserves in a prismatic display, which, scintillating in the sunlight,made a gorgeous spectacle. From thegigantic silica mound on which we stood,Pohutu Geyser threw a dense sheet of boiling water to a height of ninety f eet,as if playing to the high heavens; the"Boiling Cauldron," at his foot, hadreached the " grandioso fortiss imo " stagein his performance, and was now pitchinghis angry foam to a score and more f eetaloft; the Prince of Wales's Feather casthis triple-winged silvery spray far intomid-air; the whole, on the rebound, making a mighty natural fall of heated bil

lows over the little cliffs of the Cauldron.Th e display was inset in great clouds of steam. That majestic, though terriblesight lives in my memory, and is a frequent reminder to me of the Almightinessof the Creator, who, nevertheless, is sominutely interested in His creatures thatthe very hairs of their heads are numbered.

Standing in the midst of this speakinggeyser display, one felt like shouting :" Lift up your heads, 0 y e gates : andbe ye lift up ye everlasting do ors, and theKing of Glory shall come in ! Wh o is thisKing of Glory? The Lord, strong andmight y, the Lord mighty in battle. Lif tup your heads. 0 ye gates ; even lif t themup ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in ! " The answer comesrolling do wn, borne on a thousand tongues , joined in martial praise with one's own,including those mighty voices of geyserland.

(To be continued.)

CHAPTER XII.—CRAFTY TACTICS.

n o unexpected had been Thunder-maker's

kj tactics and so immediate the response

of his people, that the attack was over before

the Englishmen were well aware that it

had begun. Not that any foreknowledge

might have availed them much. They were

unarmed, while the Dacotahs were both

armed and numerous. Still, the average

Englishman does not like to be trussed-up

without showing some marked resistance.

It makes him feel small to be trapped without

dealing a blow in self-defence.

The place was brilliantly lit with burning

brands which many of the Indians had

brought, and the camp was in an uproar

with the voluble chatter of the men as

they crowded round the captives, while

Thunder-maker exci tedly cried out his story

of the affair.So well did the medicine-man concoct his

lies so as to work upon the feelings of his

people that, meanwhile, it seemed as though

the Englishmen were in for a hot time.

Indeed, so great was their wrath that knives

were already reflecting the flames, and

fingers were nervously twitching about the

locks of their guns. And all the time

Thunder-maker was dancing about in a

frenzy of passion. He was not brave

enough to strike a blow, but he hoped to

shift the responsibility upon the shoulders

of his brethren.

What would have been the termination

of the scene it is not difficult to decide,

had not the old figure of Swift Arrow then

pushed a way through the seething multitude

and taken a place at Arnold 's side, while he

faced his people with burning indignation.

" What is this, brothers ? " he exclaimed.

" Is this how the Dacotahs treat the stranger

in their tents ? "

" They are witches, not men ! " came

from many throats, and Thunder-maker

added:

" They call me from teepee—call me

without words, and fill Thunder-maker with

hot fire ! "

" Bah ! " ejaculated Swift Arrow with

utter contempt, as he turned to the last

speaker. " Is not Thunder-maker greatmedicine himself ? Has he no weapon to

protect himself from magic ? "

But the medicine-man had his reply ready.

" Thunder-maker sleep. When Thunder-

THE FIERY

TOTEM:

A T A L E O F A D V E N T U R E

I N T H E

C A N A D I A N N O R T H - W E S T .

I J > By ARGYLL SAXBY, M.A.,

F.R.G.S.,

Author of " Braves, White and Red" M Call of Honour"

" Comrades Three I" " Toviak," " Tangled Trails"

etc., etc.

maker sleep he have no power against

magic." Then he turned to the surrounding

Indians with a wild appeal. " Shall it be,

brothers, that the great medicine of the

Dacotahs die before arrows of the evil

spirits ? "

" Kawin ! Kawin ! " was the general

reply, and again the knives glistened as they

were raised in many hands.

Thunder-maker shrieked with triumph." Then save our tribe from the magic of

the evil ones ! " he cried as he flung his

arms upwards and turned to the captives

with a fiendish grin of exultation.

The Indians were now worked up to a

condition of irresponsible madness. Another

such impulsion from the medicine-man,

and the thirsty knives would be quenched.

" Stay ! " commanded Arnold suddenly.

So unexpected was the word from that

quarter that for the time curiosity super

seded frenzy and all paused to hear what

the white man might have to say. And

Arnold, seeing the advantage, went on with

a calmness that seemed to act like a spellupon the excited minds . " Stay ! My white

brother and I are not afraid to die if it be

Manito's will that wo find the Happy

Hunting Ground this night, and if the

Dacotahs have so forgotten the brave name

of their tribe that they would slay the

stranger who came to their tents in trouble.

But first tell me : is it the way of the

red men to kill a prisoner without the wish

of their chief "

" Ha ! " interrupted Thunder-maker,

hissing the exclamation through his teeth,

for even now he felt his victims slipping

through his hands. " Do not listen,

brothers ! Th ey are evil spirits—they speak

magic words against which nothing prevails.They have forked tongues that dart as fire.

Ugh ! I spit upon them—dogs ! "

The Englishmen met the verbal onslaught

as firmly as a rock receives a wave, and

Arnold did not so much as look towards

the madman, but resumed in the same even

tones as( before.

" Who are you, red men ? Are you dogs

to be beaten to obey the first loud voices ?

Shall the howling wolf put fear into your

hearts to drag down a prey that he dares not

attack alone ? Or are you children of your

rightful chief ? Who is chief of the Dacotahs

—Thunder-maker or Mighty Hand ? "

" The fiery totem is on the breast of Mighty Hand," answered one of the warriors.

The hubbub had fallen, and all were listening

intently—partly with the native courtesy

that forbids the rude interruption of speech,



The Fiery Totem. 1 5 9

and partly because the better self was

beginning to replace the moment's frenzy.

"Ah," resumed Arnold with a smile.

" I see that the understanding of the pale-face

was wrong. We thought that the chief was

Thunder-maker that you hastened to obey

his words."

" Thunder-maker great medicine "

began Swift Arrow, when the former speaker

rejoined:

" Then he would make himself great chief.

Will you braves suffer this insult to the

wearer of the fiery totem ? "

" Ka—Kawin ! " was the chorus that met

this question, and the dark looks that had

been directed towards the Englishmen but

a little while since were now turned towards

the defeated medicine-man, who was standing

sullen and silent.

But Thunder-maker was not yet conquered

though he was apparently humbled. To give

him his due, he was a man of wonderful

resource, and when he saw that the tide was

turning against him he was quick to meet

the occasion.

"My brothers listen not t o the words of

Thunder-maker," he said quietly and with a

pretence of sad emotion that he had failed

to influence the other Indians to the r ight

course. " Did not Thunder-maker say that

these evil spirits have tongues of magic ?

Did he not say that no weapon could prevail

against those magic words ? But let it bo

as my red brothers wish. Mighty Hand

rest in teepee. He not come from tent at

night unless the war-cry call him. So let

it be as these—dogs—say. Let them rest in

their tent to-night, and at another sun we

will bring them before the great chief Mighty

Hand, who is the greatest of warriors, andchief of the greatest of all tribes, the Dacotahs.

I have spoken."

" And spoken well," said Holden, thinking

that it might be well to propitia te the

medicine-man for the time. But Thunder-

maker, stooping forward with a pretence

of picking up something from the ground,

came close enough to whisper so that only

the Englishmen could hear him :

" By another sun, when Mighty Hand

look upon the pale-faces, it may be that

the friends of Thunder-maker have looked

first! "

The words were spoken with all the venom

of a savage threat, and before Holden could

make reply, the medicine-man was speaking

loudly to Swift Arrow.

" The Dacotahs shall see great medicine

when the fiery totem again turn eyes upon

the evil water-spirits. Thunder-maker will

now go to his teepee. He would speak with

his little children that they show much

magic."

But Swift Arrow did not deign to reply.

He turned to the Englishmen, and with a

few movements of his hunting-knife severed

the oords that bound them.

" The stranger who has raised no arm

against the redmen may not be bound in

the camp of the Dacotahs. My brothersdid wrong. The pale-faces will forgive my

foolish people."

" Wo do not blame you. You are a good

man, and Manito smiles upon the kind heart,"

returned Arnold quietly.

Thoroughly worn out with the events of

the previous day as well as the exciting

incidents of the night, the two friends

were glad to be at liberty to return to their

tent and stretch their tired limbs upon the

robes that had been provided for them.

The Indians had quickly dispersed at the

bidding of old Swift Arrow, and soon the

camp was once more in peace.

Little was said by either of the men as

they lay down at opposite parts of the

teepee, and it was not long before sleep

came to the relief of weariness.

For a couple of hours or more , the Eng

lishmen were wrapt in deep slumber. Then,

just as the grey dawn was begininng to

chase the shadows from the forest, Holden

suddenly awoke. It was not the calm

awakening that follows refreshing rest, but

that sudden return of the senses that one

sometimes experiences accompanied by a

horrible instinct of danger.

Holden sat up and looked round. Nothing

strange was to be seen within the tent, and

when he looked through the entrance all

seemed peaceful without. The brown

teepees were not even stirred by a morning

breeze. Not a soul was to be seen, and it

was even too early for the birds to sing their

morning anthems.

He looked at Arnold, and saw that his

friend was still enjoying profound rest. So,

laughing at his own weakness, Holden

returned to his robes and was soon dozing

again.

Then a second time he wakened with

the former conviction even stronger than

before.

He raised himself on his right elbow, and

as he did so was startled by a sound that is

calculated to strike terror into the hearts

of men quicker than the most formidable of

human foes.

It was the danger signal of a rattlesnake—

the harsh alarm that is unmistakable

even when heard for the first time, and the

sinuous green thing was poised in the centre

of the tent with head thrown back in the

attitude to strike. It had been startled

by Holden's sudden movement on awakening,

and now was armed to repel its supposed

enemy.

The man dared not move; for the least

motion of a musclo might be sufficient to

frighten the deadly little rope of flesh, and

then !

The continued sound of the rattle had

roused Arnold by this time ; but at his first

stirring Holden spoke, though he managed

to do so without moving his lips.

" Keep still. There's a rattlesnake in the

tent. It's got an eye on me, and •"

But the rest of the sentence was choked;

for the man's blood suddenly ran cold as

another serpent came from among the fur

robes, writhing its cold chill body across his

bare hand as it lay at his side, and then

moved towards its companion.

" There's another—just crawled over my

hand," whispered Holden hoarsely.

" And I see a third—over there justbeyond my feet ! " said Arnold . " What

on earth are we to do ? "

" Lie still. We can do no more, unless

we get a chance to make a bolt for it. But

they are between us and the door."

The men waited in tense silence, preserving

the immovable attitudes of statues until,

as time passed, other serpents made their

appearance and the teepee was swarming

with a dozen at least. They seemed to be

everywhere. They crawled over the robes

and peered into the men's faces, they wriggled

beneath the covering and even passed across

Holden's bared throat. But they were no>

longer aggressive. They were more of ar»

exploring than antagonistic bent.

" I wonder where they have come from

and why they have congregated in this

particular tent ? " Arnold questioned in a

whisper, and, with the question, the explana

tion seemed to flash into Holden's mind

like a flame of crimson fire.

" Thunder-maker ! " he exclaimed. " The

treacherous hound. This is his work. I was

wakened by something before. It must

have been he letting loose his vile creatures."

Just then the snakes returned unpleasantly

near to the men's heads again; so further

conversation was impossible , for it is remark

able what little sound will attract a serpent's

attention, and the nature of a rattler is to-

regard every sound and movement as some

thing dangerous to be fought.

For more than an hour the men lay in

strained positions, watching the writhing;

movements of the ugly creatures, and

wondering how long the position could be

sustained.

And then, just when it seemed that th e

situation could not be supported another

minute, they became aware of a sound of

low soft whistling at no distance from the rear

of the tent. At first the sound was quite

low, and barely audible, but gradually it

increased in volume until it took the form of

a sort of minor tune of barbaric rhythm

played on some sort of reed instrument.

At the beginning the music was unheeded

by the serpents, but as it occame more

distinct it was observable that the creatures

also became restless and uneasy. Now and

then one would raise its head and begin-

to sway gently to and fro in agreement with,

the rhythm. But gradually each seemed

to be irresistibly drawn towards the back

of the tent, as the spell of their master's

music fascinated them. One by one they

passed in one direction—moving slowly ye t

steadily in obedience to the call.

And as the last of the reptiles passed

beneath the edge of the tent-cloth, both men-sprang from their couches and rushed round

to the teepee that was pitched a little way

behind their own.

But they found Thunder-maker reclining

on a heap of robes and apparently asleep -T

and not a sign was seen to suggest the presence

of a " rattler."

So much for the art of the snake-charmer

and the craft of an evil man.

(To be continued.)

if if #

A « TRYING " INCIDENT.

HE worked with never-failing zest

And put forth all his strength,Although impeded in his quest

He reached the goal at length.

" I'm well ahead, I'll try again 1"*

Wa s bis triumphant cry,

He tried to get a goal—in vain,

It ended in a try I

LESLIE M. OTLER.



1 6 0 The "Boy's Otvn Taper.

OUR NOTE BOOK AND OPEN COLUMN.

W H Y THE CASTLE ISN'THAUNTED.

(From " The Merchistonian " School Magazine,

Edinburgh.)

" U excellent billet, and the very place for you, "

said the Secretary of the Labour Bureau for

Unemployed Ghosts. "Genuine mediaeval fromdungeon to bartizan, a turret with a winding stair, and

walls eight feet thick."

" An y inhabitants ? " I asked.w Bless you, it'3 a school and stuffed with boys!

There hasn't been a ghost seen or heard about the

Castle for generations, so they'll appreciate you all the

more. Plenty of stories still current in the place,

however; you may find some of them useful. Capital

story of a magician and black cock, late sixteenth

century. Legend of priest's room concealed in the

kitchen chimney. Body of a murderer, I recollect,

name of Cheesely, buried beneath a hearthstone.

Lots more. Look 'em up for yourself, and the sooner

you get there and set to work the better."

I took his advice and chose a night in December

when the moon would be about full, timing my arrival

carefully for 10 P.M. so as to have a preliminary look

round and be ready to start operations when the clock

in the Castle should strike twelve. To an ultra-

Besthetic and supersensitive spirit the milieu is all-

important and I found my new environment

enchanting. The ancient walls of the battlemented

building stood out clear against the moonlit sky, and,

guided by the sound of cheerful young voices from

within, I found my way to the foot of a narrow

winding stair, where a hound of massive proportions

and sable hue shivered and bristled at my passing.

The boys were in their dormitories but not yet asleep.

Regardless of their doom, my little victims played, one

sweet little fellow in pink pyjamas pirouetting on the

hearthstone,—it might be the very hearthstone

beneath which mouldered the bones of the dastard

Cheesely I

The thought of these young impressionable natures,

virgin-soil so to speak, filled me with pleasurable

anticipation, and I waited eagerly for the time to pass.

Scarcely had the last stroke of midnight sounded

when, from my station in a deep recess within the wall,

I gave utterance to a long and poignant wail, like the

inarticulate cry of a soul in mortal agony that knows

and dreads its doom. Symphon ic in its form— adagio

con dolore— altKante expressivo— presto moltoagitato—

this wail is now widely known and justly celebrated in

the spirit-world as Cheesely in B sharp minor*

In the far corner of the room a head moved restlessly

upon its pillow and a sleepy voice said," Stuff a stocking

in the ventilator, one of you chaps near the door."

. . . The disappointment was only momentary. A

boy is an immature being after all, his artistic and

imaginative faculties are still undeveloped. Something

less subtle perhaps, a little cruder, would appeal

more directly to them—the well-known coup de canon

for example, perhaps the most popular piece of my

repertoire and the exclusive property of my family,

having been patented by one of my ancestors in the

eighteenth century and used with extraordinary effect

by him in a house not many miles distant from this

very spot.*

On this occasion the effect was tremendous. Doorsshook and windows rattled when the ball apparently

struck the floor and rebounded with a noise like

thunder. It woke them. With something like an

uneasy tremor in his voice a small boy asked :4 4 What's that ? "

" It's just Mr. Mountain taking off his boots," said a

young Philistine, with an air of assurance deplorable in

one of his years.

" Wa s it ? " A second time I launched my thunder

bolt above them. Crash succeeded crash. The walls

of the Castle rocked, and mingling with the reverbera

tions could be heard the howls of the madly-frightened

dog down below.

" Seems to have had a pair on each leg," said some

one with a silly sort of giggle, and they laughed.

They laughed. How sharper than a serpent's tooth

it is to have anything to do with a thankless child !

Well, they had brought it on themselves. Their

frozen blood be on their own heads now. They had

ears and they had not heard ; now they should both seeand feel. I am not often driven to the diabolical

expedient of a manifestation, and almost a pang

of pity smote me as, standing where the pale rays of the

moon fell full upon my wan face and shadowy figure—

a sight that many a time and oft has chilled the marrow

fcn the young and raised the hair upon bald heads—I

stretched forth a clammy hand and laid it on the arm

of the nearest sleeper. The muscles of that brawny

arm were strong as amalgamated steel and iron bands.

H e grunted, wriggled a bit, and finally opened a

sleepy eye.

" Brown, you silly ass, let go my arm," he murmured.

Brown indeed I It he had but taken me for a

Tollemache or a Vere de Vere I Gliding to the foot of the bed I dropped my lantern jaw and emitted a blood

curdling series of hollow groans.

" Confound you," he shouted, starting up in bed,

" you don't try any of your rotten tricks on me," and

snatching up the missile nearest to his hand he threw it

with extraordinary force and precision at my head.

I took it at the time to be a heavy boot ; more probably,

however, it was the great Greek dictionary which

nightly lay beneath his pillow and over which he had

been poring until slumber overpowered him.

Spirits are not touched by flying lexicons or other

material weapons, but the wound to my amour-propre

was this time incurable. Never before had I encoun

tered such scepticism, no, not in the Royal Society

itself. Not again should I scatter my pearls before

such ungrateful—pigs 1 Thoroughly disgusted and

annoyed I melted into air, and by cock-crow I was far

from the scene of my humiliation.

Since then, I am happy to say, I have found an

appropriate sphere for my talents in the dilapidated

family-seat of an impoverished Irish peer, among

charming people, theosophists and vegetarians, whose

services I am not likely ever to quit.

• Those who are curious in this matter will findan interesting account of the occurrence referred to inMiss Warrender's " Walks near Edinburgh," where, inher description of Caroline Park, she writes as follows :— " When my aunt, Lady John Scott, lived here, acurious circumstance sometimes occurred. The firsttime she remembered its happening she was sittingalone about eleven o'clock one evening. Suddenlythe window at the end of the room was violently burstopen and a cannon-ball (apparently) bounded in, fallingheavily on the'floor. It rebounded three times, andseemed to come as far as the screen half-way up theroom, and stop there. My aunt rang violently, butwhen the servants came nothing could be seen, thewindow was shut and uninjured, and everything asusual. . . . I remember when we, as children, werespending a fortnight there alone with our German

governess, that she heard the same sound one evening,and was so terrified that she would never sit alone inthat room at night again."

A HA NDY, CABINET.

MANY useful articles can be made out of cigar-boxes.Here is one. Requirements : four boards for framework—top and bot tom, say, 20 in. long, 8J in. wide,uprights (outside), say, 25 in. by 8 in. by J in. thick.Yo u will also want two other uprights, same size, andtwo small shelves, 10 in. long. Before going further it

may be pointed out that you can cheapen your cabinet

Ready for Use.

by making it smaller—say, half these sizes or any otherdimensions—with fewer drawers. The latter, as yousee, are formed by cigar-boxes ; these are of varioussizes, but if you are'following these dimensions closelyyou wi ll need boxes 8in. long, 4 | in. wide, 2$ in. deep.(It is well to get together your boxes first and thendecide how high, etc., your cabinet shall be.) Remo veall paper, using the lids to support the drawers ;after taking T.he lids off the boxes tack them in firmlyand evenly, so that the drawers run smoothly . No w

put all together, and stain and varnish to your owntaste. Picture rings (small size, costing very littl e,)can be used for drawer handles.

A W e l c o m e Visitor to our Battleships.

The above photograph depicts a familiar scene, the visit of a Scripture Reader to a warship in PortsmouthHarbour. These representatives of the Royal N ava l Scripture Readers' Society are always welcomed on boardby the " handy men," who are here seen grouped round one of the forward guns.

Documents

Boys Own Paper 7th December 1912