FOR THE CHILDREN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 722, 22 January 1910, Page 11

FOR THE CHILDREN.

JAKE, OF TEE RABBIT PATROL. • The child scout.has found ; its'way-into' notion already,, and.a' recent number of JPS ■ Strand. Magazine"; , publishes . a, de: Ughtful.story of a little-girl named Jane, wno is a scout—not a girl scout, but a member • of a fl boy- scoufs patrol. ,: She'is the-motherless., daughter of a. professor; and she is .'much fonder 'of: playing with boys'than, of .sowing and lady-like_em-ployments, so .when' the boys on the road cannot, got the' seventh boy necessary for toe'patrol,.they enlist 1 little Jane. ■'■■:■■'■'■'■ •"I'm a : scoiit; father!": she said. "I'm roaUy afraid-itVall' dicky up with'-being a little" lady. /'Scouts,: you 6ee, ; are. difThey have/to , run.and: marchi and dp, things: like .'boys; 'and. you can't keep .your gloves 1 , 0n,;, even if you. want; and. your, nails';will go' into mourning when you; make a camp-fire. •'You: have to ..'get your feet .wet, ..and: your .-'frock wont keep-clean, and, you know,..if you , turn , your stockings down, it saves :lots of holes: in\;the'..knees:.And.oh! father, it's glorious;.' it's Bimply;glorious!: Do, do let.:mei.off."being a lady/'and let me be' a. scout instead!".'.. ;. .' .: .. . . •■ . ; .'The . Professor -'motioned towards the house-door. ;■-■'.; ' '■. :;,:;: : '■-'';; .>.'."■-. .."Come:round to me; :'l:want to epeak' to i you," hVsaid.'.'- "I've ; been neglecting Jane," he reflected, sadly. "Never mind; Lavinia will soon put : that right." ' .'■ Jane.'marched.into , -the Btudy in good order-ravneat,little;scout in full kit. Her clean Holland- overall ,was'., tucked '■' up through a leather >belt to'the 'brevity of a tunic, and- two; dimpled knees and' long, slim'shanks; showed' over, the ■rolled-down stookings.;v,A .big;Bl.,:hat.'shaded her.

"Yougo ! and have that nap you were longing' for," she said.. "May I take- this window, pole?" ': : " '."■" ': . • ;,"It isn't possible the child is in the river!" said ; the Professor,-■aghast.'' : The lady'went out into the: leafy lane, kilting up the skirt of her travellinggown. _; A.couple -of 'little, .boys: came dawdling along, to afternoon-school. She gave them-a sign'that brought themboth to attention' in. a crack, the watchword by which one scout knows another. ' And in ten.minutes she knew more of Jane and.her ways than:the Professor could, havo. found -out. in a month of Sundays. ."'■'■.'•.- ; . • .. '■'• ■■.■■ "you'll never catch-.her," said,-.' Eddie Jones,'..hopefully,; his sympathies... clearly on the: side of Jane. "Sue's a stunner for: a girl. She can go all day and hide anywhere..'-And she's: desp'rate!"... "•. "But 1 don't want to catch her. I'm a friend—a brother-scout, you know." : "Honour bright?. No kidding?" : "Honest,lnjun!" said the new mother. "Then—l'll give you our .whoop. She'll answer: that—the secret sign of the Rabbit 'Patrol; Listen."-..'He put two:fingers to his'mdutL ;"Whoo-06-eee!" . - : .' .The. lady' Repeated the weird cry. ' : "'Tisn'f particularly-like a ' rabnifs voice, 'said the boy. 'But.it carries miles. Two-fingers, remember." . ■ •,'."^ i ? nt >"■ Baid the .stranger scout,' and chmbing-.a gate.she:ascended a little' hill that -commanded a fine view of. the sui • .rounding-.oouiitry..' 'TVnoo-00-eee!" ■■■ ' '■ .; The .supposed ■- cry of their' brothers 'startled,,,rather, than -soothed,' .the four tooted .rabbits, who vanished into their holes -all'.--along .the grassy .mounds;-, v But;'it came with a healing-sense-of comradeship- to a little'lonely girl sitting on-a stone in ; the-gorse.' .:.■ - - - ' Air day she.had. satVthere,- her polo across knee,:'the haversack on her back, thinkmga lot, crying, a little, eating dough-nuts while they held out. The sun was hot,-, and she -was .thirsty. She was.beginning to reaUsethat, she couldn't sit:there for: ever. :■ Was,it Eddie playing ' wag . and /coming to play, ■or was it only Jier fancy that had' conjured up . the Uabbit .waTrcry? ■'.. •. i . . : . • ; 'TVloo-00-eee \"'.\■]•::',''.■ ;':.' ■■';..'■:-■'.'.■".■"■' ,: 'Jane'svtwo■ fingers■ went' to: her- -lips anoV sent ■an answer echoing , over • the noather. '• ~ -j-"- '■; . ■ ~.: .-';■•-.:. . ,i i- W, her, white ■. peinori.' and i let ;the ,blood-red; .rabbit,'..flutter-out on the breeze.'.Then she:sat:stU], distrustMand alert, her , staff'.across her. bare knees,, watching. , ■•;,-■". .*■■-■■;■:' ■ .',.'■