SHORT STORIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2301, 12 July 1921, Page 4

SHORT STORIES.

For some weeks he had been hanging round the docks on the look-out for a job. One morning he was approached and asked if he would start on a diving operation, and although he was entirely ignorant of the work, he accepted at once.

In due course he was arrayed in a diving dress, helmet and all complete, and, after full instructions had been given him, he wasjowered.

Shortly afterwards those in the boat above received frantic signals

from below, and hurriedly hauled him up.

“What’s up ” asked the foreman, after he had unscrewed the helmet. “Berlimey, guv’nor,” came the reply. “this perisliin’ job ain’t no bally good to me. I can’t even spit on my bloQmin’ ’ands.” At a junction on a certain railway line, two men were employed one night in the operation of wag-gon-shunting. Feeling somewhat thirsty, they took advantage of a lull in their work to adjourn to an adjacent public-house for refreshment.

The “boss” appearing a few minutes afterwards, discovered their absence, and, suspecting their place of retreat, lost no time in making his way to the inn aforesaid. Opening the door of the bar-parlour, he caught the delinquents in the act of consuming a couple of pints of beer.

“Hallo!” exclaimed he, “so this is where you chaps do your shunting?” . “No,” replied one of the culprits, without a moment's hesitation; “but it’s where we shift the pints!”