HAM, SHEM, AND JAPHET HAVE A FRIGHT.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 5, 26 June 1930, Page 4

HAM, SHEM, AND JAPHET HAVE A FRIGHT.

There was great excitement in the Nursery when Billy, the sailor doll, came home. He had been sailing all round the world, and wheli~his ship came back all the toys went out to shout "-Hooray!" Even Mr. Punch left his spiders, and only Gollywog, who was Jealous, and Ham, Shem, and Japhet, who went on playing, were left behind. "Hooray ! Hooray !'' shouted the toys as Billy the sailor/doll stepped on , shore. Mary Jane i waved her handkerchief, and the French Doll waved her new sunshade. .''Please, could any one tell me i what that funny animal is that Billy has brought back with him?" squeaked, Percy the pig. ./lit is' James the penguin,'' answered Billy. I found him' at the £outh Pole." , ;■/>■ All the toys said, /-How do you '-.do;?'■'■•■■■ very politely to James.. James did not answer: he was busy thinking-, £0,1* A he was a very clever bird. When Billy told him the toys were speaking to him, he waved a, flipper to show he did not mind. * • "Shall 1 unpack for you Billy ?'' asked Mary Jane. "Let me carry your bag," said Mr. Bear. v "Would you like to see ray spid-. era?," said Mr. Punch. All the toys wanted to help Billy, to show how glad they were he was home again. Only Hani", Shem, and Japhet went on playing; and all the time they were making up a piece of poetry about Billy. It was rather rude: * His name is Billy. Isn't it silly? . If it were Billier, It would be sillier! Thd next day, when Billy passed I the Ark, they snouted their poetry at him, and then ran away. "Those boys want a good lesson, '' said Billy to James the penguin, who did not answer because he was a very clever bird, I and was busy, thinking. 1 Thpn Billy thought of a splendid plan.... He would put Ham, Shent, and Japhet' <m his boat and sail away, and he would; not bring them back again till they had pro-, raised to be good. So Billy told James to go to the Ark arid bring Ham, Shem, and Japhet to the ; boat. James was such a clever bird, and, he was so busy thinking, that he walked right past the-Ark and forgot all about them. ■ "There goes .that silly old bird. Doesn't he look absurd?" said Ham, Shem, and Japhet, and they all shouted the1 poetry after James. The penguin did not notice them, so they ran down the street after him. They were so busy teasing James that they did not see' that he had led them right on to the ship. "Ha! ha!" cried Billy, "I have got you now," and he pulled up the anchor and sailed off. "Help! Help!" cried Ham, Shem, and Japhet. Mrs. Noah was shaking a duster out of the window, and she said to Mr. Noah: "I think I hear our ! dear little boys." So they looked alt round, and they saw Billy's

boat sailing, away with Ham. Shem. and Japhet on the deck. "Quick! Quick!" cried Mrs. Noah, up the anchor of the Ark, and we will row after them. Oh, my poor little boys!" Then there was a great race. "Pull, Noah, pull!" cried Mrs. Noah, - . . "- ram doing- my best, my dear," said Mr. Noah, and all the animals cheered. The two giraftes were so excited that they fell into the ■-water; and this was a pity because Mr. Noah had to stop to pull them out! The Ark would never have caught up Billy's boat if Janies hail not been steering; but he was so bus^; thinking that he did not look where he was going, and soon the boat turned round and came up close to the Ark. • When it was quite close, Mr. and Mrs. Noah Jumped right on to the deck, of Billy*s'boat, and all the animals cheered, v . . : ■ "Where are my children ?" cried Mrs. Noah. ; ' " Here they are,'' said Billy. "but I was not 'reallytaking them away. I was going- to briiig them back to you when they had promised to be good.'' '' They- are very good children,'' said Mrs: Noah, "and if they ever need a lesson their father shall give it them," So Billy the sailor doll had to let Mrs. Noah take Ham, Shem, and Japhet home, but they were always rather afraid that Billy would take them away again, so they did nctt make up any more rude poetry about the sailor doll and James.