OFTEN PLAYED IT WHEN A BOY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 624, 3 December 1913, Page 2

OFTEN PLAYED IT WHEN A BOY.

- Jobshaw was taking a friend for a spin in the secondhand motor he had picked up at an absurdly low figure, when something went wrong with the works, and the car stopped dead. He dived under the machine, and discovered, among other defects, that two nuts had jolted off during the journey. "It's only ten minutes' walk to the town, old man," said the owner of the car, in an apologetic manner, "if you wouldn't mind walking there and getting a couple of half-inch nuts. I can put other things right by the time you get back." And for the next half-hour Jobshaw, was tinkering and tapping away beneath the car. Then he started to wonder why his friend had not returned. Presently he heard footsteps. "That you, Lor kins ?" he inquired. "Sh-s-sh !" came the reply from a bucolic-looking countryman, who peered at Jobshaw under the car. "'B come back ten minutes ago. I told 'im you'd gone across that I here field yonder. *E's a-clamberin' through 'edges and ditches, looking arter yer. Keep quiet, and 'e 'on't fnd yer for hours, guv'nor." "What on earth do you mean ?" 1.-ellowed Jobshaw, as he wriggled into sight. "I've been waiting for him, you idiot ! I can't flx the car up till he gets here !" ' Want im, do yer ?" exclaimed the sirpr'sed r-isti?. "Why, I tho-.ij.ht I was 'cli>in, yer, guv'nor. l.'eein' where you'd tucked yerself a-ay, I reckoned yer was 'avih' a g me o' 'ide-an'-seek. I played it a lot myself when a boy !"