THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 28, 23 June 1939, Page 7

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

PETER THE WHALER - WHALE ISLAND

Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise

Well, here's a hearty handshake to you all. How do you feel following the rainstorm. I felt well enough, myself, but I had to complain to old father Neptune, about the wild state of the breakers. Do you know they sent up such a wild spray that I had an, awful job to see you all with my high-powered super-sensitive jewelled in seven holes telescope. However I rubbed an apple on the glass and put a windscreen wiper on the -«.-nd and Heigh Presto, I could sec you all again as plainly as air. Now for news. The S.S. Good Endeavom is nearly ready for sea. I made an inspection yesterday and I find every "thing shipshape. I still have to take in provisions, and I need a few more hearty sailor lads to man the "decks and trim the sails. Still they are -coming in every week as you have seen, and it won't be long before 1 have a full roll. When I hear the 2*esponse "Ay Ay Sir" to every name I call, then off we Avill sail to fresh seas and adventures. / OUP- STORY THE TOY PENGUIN The penguin was only a toy, made of wood, but he wanted to go out and see the world. Especially he "wished to get to his own home again. You see the penguin didn't really b> 3ong on the desk where he was standing. He didn't belong in the store ;at all. There had been happy days when he had belonged to children. Th 3 penguin had never felt lonely then, although the children were sometimes rough-with him. In fact his :arms r or wings were entirely gone. -Only the white spots on each side •showed that he ever did have wings. •One eye was washed off from floating in the bath tub, and the other eye looked gloomy. Still there had been a child in the tub with him in those days. He wasn't alone. Afterwards the penguin would be placed on a sloping hoard, and then he delighted the children by walking straight along the floor with his long beak point, ing in front of him, just as though "h'i were walking right up to meet Admiral Byrd. And the children would snatch the penguin up before he finished walking. He was so cunning, they couldn't leave him there. They carried him everywhere they went, and one day they took him to the neigh, bourhood stoi«. How it no one but the penguin ever knew, and he never spoke about it, but the next morning Tie lay on the floor of the store, and ■the children were far away. "Oh, look," said the shop girl as .she lifted the little toy bird from the ''some child has left this." She carried the penguin to the desk and stood him upright upon it. Day after day 'the penguin waited, but the children did not return,. People passing would often give him a flip with a finger and he would walk a few inches very solemnly. This had one good result. It turn. ~ ed his eye in different directions, so that finally he had a view of the whole store. He saw where the door was located. ''Now I know where to ;go out/* he said. One night everybody had left the ■store. It Avas dark except for one bright beam from the night light. The penguin stood on a notebook Avhich lay propped on a lamp oase. "Now is my chance," thought he. hut without something to start him lioaa' could he stir? Then a large bug came by. She said she Avas looking for a. book; the book had a picture of a friend on the 1 .iacket. She had heard the book ay as * In this store.. The penguin kneAv that his own picture appeared in books and magaand even, in the movies. He answered only that he did not know. _ Then the bug turned sharply, and ( darted in another direction. The notebook jiggled and the penguin began to move. Straight down the notebook *ic Avalked and across; the desk. He did not stop at the edge but plopped on the floor so hard that he rattled 1 hollowly. Tilting slightly, he conf- tinned to walk. But he was not Avalk. ing towards the door where he wished -to go. The bug came charging back across -the floor and bumped into the pen-

guin. This turned him straight toward the door. Two or three times the penguin was on the point of e stopping, but each time the bug started him on again. A large spider came up and looked at him, but the brave little bird walked straight ahead, and the spider drew back. The penguin had almost reached the door Avhen the thoughtless charging of the bug knocked him OA'er on his side. Disappointed and sad he lay Avhcrc he fell. Then he slept. In the morning he Avas again found on the floor. The shop girl came again w picked him up and put him on the desk. One day in. the autumn after school had opened, a little boy Avho came into the store with his mother, ran up to the desk. ''Why, hereis my Penny Penguin,' , h? cried. "Where did you get my Penny Penguin? See r here's the mark on it.s foot where Danny bit it with his teeth.' ,. And he carried the glad little penguin, to his own home. LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION WHAT IS HE THINKING

I received nine good answers,, and here they are. . I think that little boy is just like me. When he looks over the rail or the bridge he thinks if I had a fishing line I might catch a fish- The ilsh might be a herring, a maumau or even a, whale. If it was a whale I could .get on it* back and go to Whale Island. Peter Southcy. Very good my hearty. P.T.W. A small boy leaning over a wall he is thinking. "I would love to go of! to football but I'm not leaving, until the "Beacon" U delivered as I do want •to see if I have won a prize in- the last competition and then I can go to the pictures with my free ticket." Nanette Raymond. He wishes his father would get the "Beacon* , every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays especially on Fridays. As he hears the other children talking about the competitions and prizes he Avishes he could join, the "Good Endeavour League" too. Jocelyn Wilson.. He is thinking what lucky children 'those are next door who have jo'ned the Good Endeavour League I wish daddy had the 'Beacon' so that I could do the competitions, and try to win a free picture ticket. Cecily .Sullivan. I think this little boy is leaning over a wall, and he saw a page of 'lie 'Beacon' and it was childrens page and he read it. He said "I wish to be a member and he was unhappy he was not in it.' , Margaret Grant. f, I wonder what is on that enjoyable page Peter the Whaler is writ. ing in Friday's paper. I wonder wlvit exciting story is in this week. 1 do hope the 'Beacon' will come soon.' Colleen Kelly. "As the little boy leans over thf. wall he is thinking deeply of th.lucky people who can get the 'Bca- i eon' every Monday, Wednesday and Friday wishing he could get it io-i for the children's section as he can't help but notice the happy faces of the others when they are reading if Sylvia Sim--. ''Oh dear I saw an advertisement in the 'Beacon , about paying just threepence to join Peter the Whaler. I-would love to join.'" "1 will go co mother straight away and ask her if I can join. Fin sure she'll let me." Janette McLcod. He may be thinking who are the nice boys and girls he is going to ask to his party (as it is my birthday or. the 27). Oh well I will have to say good-bye now. I like the page very much and will be sending jokes and riddles in v.-vy .soon. Frances Southey. Glad you like- the page. I "am looking forward keenly to your contvihi:.. tions. P.T.W. I have decided to give all the above free picture tickets as IVn tired of getting headaches trying to sort o'll winners. P.T.W.