THE “GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 78, 24 May 1946, Page 6

THE “GOOD ENDEAVOUR" LEAGUE.

What ho, what ho, ma hearties. Well, I suppose you’re all getting ready to go back to school now eagerly awaiting the time when you can return to your lessons again. (Ha-ha).

You would never guess what I’ve been doing for the past week. To? fact is that I have been in bed with a bad cold, which I caught in a most remarkable fashion. You will remember from last week how when we were just within sight of the Chatham Islands, the bottom fell out of Keelsons lugger, and we Jiad to turn her over to keep her afloat. No sooner had we done so, than we were caught in a very strong current, and were dragged helplessly back towards mid-ocean. As I was writing about it, the thought of it sent chills up and down my spine. I kept on thinking about it afterwards, the chills became worse and worse, I sneezed, and before I knew where I was, I had a bad cold. I sincerely hope it doesn’t happen again. Anyway, to continue with the story, Keelson, Butch and I all gasped in dismay when we saw how quickly we were floating away, and we knew we had to think quickly in order to save our lives. I know, said Keelson, we’ll tie the galley stove on a piece of chain and use it for an anchor. (Keelson could never be bothered pulling up an ordinary anchor, so he didn’t even bother to carry one bn board). We all dived for the stove, quickly tied it to a piece of chain, and heaved it overboard, then sat waiting for the big splash. Instead, we heard a deep thud, and a gurgling noise. We couldn’t understand it at all, until we looked over the side to see what had happened. And there, sailors, floating on the top of the water, was the biggest shark I have ever seen, knocked clean out by the stove, which had left a big bump on the top of its head. By Neptune’s toenails, it was the largest fish I have ever seen (with the exception of those I saw when I was on a whal-

FOR YOUNG READERS ONLY

Aboard for the Goodwill Cruise

gte* PETER THE WHALER WHALE .ISLAND

ing vessel in the Antarctic). It must have -been almost as long as the lugger, and was as fat round the middle as a dozen barrels all rolled into one. Suddenly I had a bright idea. “Quick Keelson,” I said, “pass that piece of spare rope.” He looked at me in a mystified fashion, and handed me the coil which I asked for. quickly I hopped over the side and slid down the anchor (stove) chain to the surface of the water. I out on to the shark’s back, slipped several nooses round him, made the end of the rope fast to the bow of the lugger, and before you could say Jack Robinson, was back on board with the others. “Now,” I said, “we’ll just wait till he comes round and see what happens,” In a little while the sharp began to revive. “Make ready to haul up the anchor,” I ordered. Keelson groaned a bit at the thought of it, but went and stood ready to do so. Suddenly our shark woke up with a start, and started to swim away. There was a sharp jolt, and the shark stopped. I could hear him making funny noises between his teeth. “Grrh!” he growled, and he dashed headlong off towards the Chatham Islands. Just what we wanted. The rope attached to the bow pulled suddenly tight, and Whoosh! The next minute we were being pulled along at a terrific pace. All I had to do was to sit holding the ‘reins’ and guide our shark \vhere we wanted to go. You can imagine how surprised the residents of the Chatham Islands were when we came sailing merrily up to the wharf being towed behind a shark. After a little spot of bother, I managed to get the rope untied, and tossing our shark a banana as a reward for his efforts, I stepped ashore, followed by the others. Everyone congratulated us, particularly the crew of the ‘Fallingapart’, who were all gathered to meet us. (Actually it was just a big piece of

luck that we were able to do the stunt successfully). I was just about to thank them for their congratulations when Keelson stepped forward, and shaking hands with everybody, told them it was all his idea, and that although I had helped him a little bit, most of the time I had been in the way. I was so surprised that I almost fell off the wharf into the water; I didn’t say anything, though, because I know Keelson of old, and he always was like that.

Well, I seem to have overstepped my space again. I’ll continue with what the reunion dinner was like next week. Cheerio till then. P.T.W. LAST WEEK’S COMPETITION Whew! Well you sailors certainly gave the postman double work this week after his light trip over with a skinny bag last week. I was almost buried beneath the avalanche of entries which poured in upon me, and you can probably guess what a headache I had after I had sorted them all out. The tickets this week go to: * Esther Barker Jack Shaw Valerie Linwood Edna Quigg. Congratulations sailors, your enties this week were excellent. Correct answers are printed below: 1. As hard as nails. 2. As slippery as an eel. 3. As heavy as lead. 4. As clean as a whistle (or a new pin). 5. As cool as a cucumber. 6. As quiet as a mouse. 7. As bold as brass. 8. As right as rain. 9. As old as the hills (or Methusalah). 10. As fresh as a daisy. NEXT WEEKS COMPETITION A QUIZ Quizes, that is a number of questions which you have to answer seem to be all the go now, so you might like to try your hand at one too. Here are 10 questions which are. really quite easy, but may make you think a bit:— 1. How many days in a year? 2. How many yards in a mile? 3. How many States in Australia? 4. How many men in a Rugby football team? 5. How many days in June? 6. How many letters in the alphabet? 7. What is a printing machine called? 8. How many hours in a week? 9. Name a town (anywhere) beginning with ‘V’. 10. To what country do the Chatham Islands belong?