A RAT CHASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 April 1924, Page 4

A RAT CHASE.

HUNT ON EXPRESS lit A IN. AUCKLAND, April 10 There wasn’t a director blaring directions through a megaphone. No camera man ■ excitedly -cranked tlfe. handle of a kinematograph machine. The only spectators were a dozen male occupants of a first-class smoker on lasc'liight’s Main Trunk express on its why' from''Auckland'to and despite the fact - that no ladies were present the scene was one worthy of the most hilarious of movie ’comedies.

It was thus that it happened. A stout old gentleman sat comfortably in a corner seat reading a paper, and puffed away at a plutocratic eigak. j ust after the express passed Otahuhu he *hiid occasion to rise to secure something from the luggage rack above. To quote that well-known song, “he stopped, he looked, and lie listened,” for a large rat he espied nestled up in the corner of the rack. It must he confessed the elderly passenger became rattled, decidedly rattled. He threw up Ids arms and gave forth a yell that would have made a Sioux Indian green with envy. The “sound” startled the other passengers. But succour was at hand. Some stood up on their seats—yes, men too, while others quickly spotted the rat underneath one' of the' steam heater guards and gave chase. The four-legged vermin darted about the carriage from one seiit to another with passengers in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, one young man divested himself of his leggings and rolling them tightly said," “Now where 'is this rati” Their calm ensued for a spell. The fun had been fast and fiu'ious, and it ' made the pursuers puff. The rat had sought sheltei. And so all sat down to laugh over the exciting chase. A minute later, however, a clergyman who occupied the single seat at the other end of the carriage felt something oil his hack. He gave the alarm' and once ■again the elusive rat got.up into the luggage rack, using ' the'' reverend gentleman’s broad hack as a means of making the passage. Bags, parcels, and coats were pulled down from the rack in an effort to dislodge All' Hat. At last he was found wedged tightly between a suitcase' and cushion. His long tail hung down through the string netting and gave him away. “Now go carefully,” advised a man. “Catch him by the tail.” This method of capture failed, tor no sooner than the rat felt a grip on his

trailing end, he somersaulted and attempted to Hite the fingers of the hero. Chased down to the floor of the carriage once more, Mr Rat felt secure. All attempts to discover him failed.