THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 127, 23 February 1940, Page 2

THE "GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

What ho, what ho! my bonny lads and lasses. Here we are all ship-shape and merry safely anchored in Yokohama. I saw that you were all keen to leave the ship and visit the sights ashore, so 1 gave you permission as soon as we came to rest in this very busy place. You see what a large and prosperous town Yokohama is. Do you know that it is scarcely 100 years since the very lirst factory was built for manufacturing goods. Now its difficult to see a break in the long long rows of big commercial buildings. You see —the Japs are a very clever people who don't believe in being left behind by the other nations of the world. They work hard and are very painstaking. That is why they have made so much remarkable progress in so short a time. They are a very clean people too and you will notice that every Japanese bathes at least once a day. You saw the pretty parklands and cherry groves on the outskirts of the city. The Japanese love (lowers and are also very kind and considerate to their children. They are intensely loyal to their Emperor who is called the Mikado. Well, I suppose you have had a good ramble about the city. When you are in doubt —ask one of the quaint little policemen and thev will direct you. Most of them understand English,, and all are very polite to strangers. Our next port of call will be Kobe, another Japanese town, but not as big as Yokohama. After that we will sail for the mainland again and visit the poor war-torn land of the Chinese. Cheerio ma hearties till next week.

OUR STORY TESSA THE TRAWLER "Fish, fish— nothing' but fish! Ugh!"! Tessa, the trawler, was so discontented, as she lay at the side of the jetty whilst hei catch of herrings was being unloaded by Captain Splice's crew. "I am worth a much better fob than this." Tessa grunted haughtily. "In fact, L think I'm too good to work' at all. What I'd like to do," she said to herself, "would be to take a cruise round the world, after the style of those smart liners that go past every day.'" Tf her master, Captain Splice, had heard those words, he would no doubt have given Tessa a very stern talking-to. But by this time the fish 'had been taken away, and the captain and crew were leaving their ship and going ashore. For a while Tessa lay alone at her moorings, tugging moodily at the rope that held her fast to the jetty. "If only I could run away," she sighed, "and go for a world cruise on my own. How lovely it would be," - Then suddenly the rope at which she was tugging gave way with a snap. And Tessa found herself moving slowly from the jetty. It seemed as if her wish had almost come true. There was only an anchor to hold her back now! ' "Oooh, T am nearly free!" she gasped. "Dare I run away?" She heaved on her anchor, which was embedded in the mud. It moved a little, so she heaved again. Yes, it was coming out! One more pull and she managed to drag it clear of the mud. The next moment she started to drift from the jetty and out on to the bobbing waves, with her anchor trailing along uselessly.

Tessa Avas too happy for words. In front of her was the wide, wide sei\ and she gave a joyful hoot as the waves splashed against her. "iWhere are you off to?" asked a cheeky buoy near by. "I'm off on my big adventure!" sang back Tessa. "A life on the ocean wave!' Then she set her bows towards the open sea and did not even g!anec back at the jetty she had just left.

Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise

=r PETER THE WHALER !I of WHALE ISLAND

But if Tessa thought her voyage was going to be all plain sailing, she was mistaken. Before she had gone very Car a storm blew up. The sea changed from blue to grey, great black clouds came sweeping across the sky, and the wind grew stronger and stronger, whipping the waves into big frothy breakers. Little Tessa began to pitch up and | down alarmingly. It was then that she felt dreadfully lonely. Never before had she ventured to sea without a captain and crew to guide her. "Oh dear, I wish I'd never come!" she gasped, as a great wave broke over her deck. "If only Captain Splice were here to take me back safely!" The waves • seemed like mountains as they came to meet her, and more than once Tessa nearly overturned . She was floundering about badly when help came. A lifeboat had left the shore and was making straight for the little trawler. "They must have seen that I'm in distress!" panted Tessa. "I—l am so glad!'" Nearer and nearer drew the lifeboat, and in it were Cpatain Splice and his crew. "Steady on, Tessa!" shouted the captain. "We are coming aboard!' And lie was the first one to clamber up the rope ladder that dangled from Tessa's side. How thankful the little traw* ler to feel the crew on her deck again! Captain Splice took his place at the helm, -\vhile the crew went about their duties. "Haul up her anchor, bo'sun!" shouted the captain, "ft is dragging on the sea bed!" The bo'sun ran to obey, and with the aid of some of the crew h'e hoisted Tessa's anchor from the water. With it came a big ironbound chest, covered with weeds and barnacles. "Bless my timbers!" cried the cap tain. "What is that?" "It looks like a treasure chest sir!" said the bo'sun. "Tessa's anchor must have picked it up from the sea bed." And a treasure chest it was. A hoard of money and jewels which had been lying on the sea bed foi many* many years. "There is a fortune here for every one of us," declared the captain when they were back at the jetty. "And do you know what I shall do with my share?" he added. The crew shook their heads and waited eagerly. "I shall take Tessa on a world cruise," the csptain told them. "We are going to enjoy ourselves, aren't we, Tessa?" And his little ship replied by giv ing three loud hoots on her siren.

LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION There's nothing like a tricycle To get along tlie road. For even when my coat is on It doesn't seem a load. I race the postman to the gate And beat the butcher, too, But, oh, I Avish I had the pace My mail has grown since the first competition and I think most of the answers are very good. I have decided to give free picture tickets to the four best answers and here they are: Janette McLeod "Of a meteor through the blue." Nanette Raymond "That my dad's car can do." Charlie Armer "Of an aeroplane built for two." Pamela Gartshore "To ride along with you.'" OCEAN'S CHILDREN Ocean's children dress in green With caps or ruffled white But they have no shoes at all Either day or niglit. Any morning early All along the land You can see their footprints Shining in the sand.

NEXT WEEK'S COMPETITION

The thistle is Scotland's, The land of the heather, • Of kilts and of bagpipes Fill in the bottom line and if you succeed in making a rhyme you'll win a free picture ticket with P.T.W.'s compliments. RIDDLE POT ' ' What four letters may frighten a thief? * 0.1. C.U. What relation is a doormat to a door? A step-farther. Do you know how to get fat? Buy it from the butcher.

What is that which .is invisible yet never out of sight? The letter S. From what tree do we get apple tarts? A pantry. Which is the oldest settler in the ~ywest? The sun. Which sheep eat most grass, black or white? White, because there are more of them. -r > Why docs a tin whistle? Because a tin par). JOKE CORNER "Who has old clothes?" asks an appeal being made to the public. M Who hasn't? m s= m ■ * "Do you ever suffer from'acute thirst?" "No, doctor, I never let it get that far." m * « • The patient in No. 6 keeps calling out "Honk! Honk!" said the nursing sister. "Ah, yes," mused the doctor. "A 1 motorist. Good! He's evidently rounding the corner." * * • « The daughter of a country rector taught the choir boys a' new tune at a Monday evening's practice, to " be sung on the following Sunday. "Well, Hobson," 1 she said to one of them on the Sunday morning, "T hope you haven't forgotten, the new tune, for we depend much upon you." "Naw, miss, not a bit! I've bin a skeerin' the crows with it all the week." 1 --