OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 21, 5 November 1943, Page 6

OUR STORY

SMUGGLER'S CAVE f ■' ' (By Pamela Burstall) ''Here we arc*." said Tan. "Steer her in there, Jim, and it won't be Hong before we. arc 1 ashore. ' Hold tight, here Ave go." The small craft gave a lurch as it struck the shelly shore of Pedro's Island and the two boys jumped out and heaved the "Marv Ann" up to a safer and sheltered spot. Jimmy being the most adventurous hired a boat and set out with his friend Lan to visit the lonely and gloomy island. Many weird tales had been told by old sailors about smugglers and •dare-deviling pirates who rode the high seas in search of terror-stricken fishermen who came to the mercy of the murderous sea deviis. The boys taking no heed of the tales, set out in search of adventure io Pedro's Island. Having landed they made their way to an aged oak and they sat under its lol'ety branches and ate their lunch. "Let's go to the caves first and s.-r if we can find some treasure and then we could live like Kings,' said lan. « "Well, if f found any I'd give mine to the poor; but come on. let's get going," said Jimmy kind hearted ly. The boys jumped, up and scrambled over the needle like rocks in search of their cave. Suddenly there pierced the air a shrill cry of a seagull in distress. The boys came to a halt to see a little way before them in the grip of an eagle a .small seagull that struggled helplessly. Forgetting everything, the boys ran in pursuit of the 1 attacker who by this time had disappeared through a small niteh in the precipice of a gaunt cliff. "Ijt's no good, the poor tiling will he dead by now, but, what sav we can find the eagles nest "By gosh ! lie was a beauty wasn't he?" said Jimmy who had tried unsuccessfully to climb the mocking cliff. "I'll go back and get some rope Avhilc you keep an eye on the eagle untl if lie goes, follow 111 111," said Lan. "who trotted off to the boat in search of a piece of rope. Jimmy kept his eye on the hole until dan came back with a coil of stout rope. This they unwound and dragged it up the steep clilT to be tied just above the hole. The climb was to be a difficult one even with the aid of the rope. "Ii hope we don't fall li'kc Pedro did when he jumped from up there," Miid lan. "Well, he'll have our bones for ■company. Wi.sli me luck; here I g<A" Jimmy who began the perilous •dimb up the. steep cliff. After a breath taking silence, he <i-ached, the hole. '■'Come, on, lan, it's quite safe, ilurrv and then we'll explore. Thank goodness I brought mj - torch with mc." Jan slowly, but surely, ascended unci was soon standing by Jimmy -who was anxious to make a start. HauJng up the rope they crawled through the small opening and. to there utter surprise they came out in a large cavern with smaller and darker caves leading away. At one end was a stool and small sJLapidated chairs decked the stony floor. A cupboard was situated at end whiie on the other s.de the liugci eagle was devouring its prey. The bird, having now noticed the toys took flight., ami with a flutter of wings, flew past lan. "This must be a smugglers cave. Perhaps there, is a che: t in the cup-

board let's look." said Jimmy hopefully. But no; there was no treasure, or chest in it, but a roll of dusty paper, that Jimmy picked up, undid, and read. Suddenly he rushed over to lan, who was examining an old table. "Look, a chart of this room and there is a cross in the middle." "That must be about here," said lan who strode to the middle of the room. "Yes L believe it is l . Come on I think there's something mysterious about this. Golly, look lan this stone is coming up. Stairs! come 1 on! We'll go down and see what's at the bottom." said Jimmy excitedly.

The two boys descended the stairs until they came to a small room filled with trunks. Jimmy shone his torch on the caskets revealing rusty locks but the boys pushed and pushed till the lid Hew back and when the boys peered in the mystery trunk they saw before them a bunch ol' valuable silk and such like which must have lain there lor years.. They did the same to every trunk and tliej' all contained something similar. "We'll have to go back now, for I promised. Mum to be back by four and its half past three,," said Jimmy. "We'll come and get it to-rnor-row," said. lim referring to the trunks. That night two boys arrived home to. relate to their parents the day's, happening so that next day Jimmy* lan* and their mothers and fathers took a visit to Pedro's Island to collect the silk. As they left Jimmy said, "We'll call the cave 'Smugglers Cava don't you agree. Lan?" "Yes .1 do, and. whenever we can we'll come back and play in it, so good-bye for now."