THE LOST WOK

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 271, 15 December 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LOST WOK

OUR SERIAL FOR BOYS AND GIRL

By LAWRENCE STOUT

The story »o far: Dick Thorne, aged IS, a Paikapakapa school boy, is chosen by his teacher to return a book to Captain Albert Richards, a retired adventurer. Dick finds that Richards is the hero of the story, who actually finds the entrance to the Lost World which has been a legend for 4,000 years. The story was related by Richards to the author. As a result of the book, a gang of international crooks try to rob Richards, in the hope of discovering the plans. Dick finds him unconscious, and later, when Richards recovers, he gives Dick a job as his assistant. Dick finds a pleasant companion in Richards’ niece, Evie, a most self-confident school girl. The gang, led by Masters, Fritz, Smith and Wung, spy on Richards, and when he and Dick sail for Australia and Singapore, they kidnap Evie. The British Secret Service is also interested in the story of Richards discovery, and when he and Dick sail from Brisbane, Tony Phillips sails with them—-as a steward. Tony attracts Dick’s attention by remarkable feats of juggling. Read on from there:

Chapter VII.—FRIEND OR ENEMY

“A very interesting character, commented the captain, when Dick described the events of the morning. “He’ll be quite an asset at the ship’s concert. Once you leave the big towns we call civilisation, you meet the really interesting people,” said the old trader. “This is the life for me.” The Port Moresby carried a cargo of oil and food for the settlement at Rabaul, New Guinea. For days Dick listened to the Captain’s tales of exploring this still almost unknown country. It would be easy to write several books of Richard s adventures in New Guinea alone. From Rabaul, the boat sailed through an oily calm to Surabaya, passing close to the enchanted island of Bali. The voyage was full of interest to Dick, but to the experienced travellers, was uneventful. At Batavia the Dutch carpet traders would leave the ship, for which all the other passengers would be grateful. Richards spent many hours with his old friend, the skipper. The day after, they left Surabaya the Captain ordered lifeboat drill. All the passengers and crew lined up on deck with their life-belts on and waited while the boats were swung over the side. After the rehearsal was over, Dick heard the Captain order one of the seamen to paint a small boat which was still hanging over the ship’s side. In the afternoon, most of the passengers retired to their cabins for a siesta. On this occasion, Dick was surprised when the Captain cautioned him to pull the blind and get busy packing his belongings. He was only to take one change of clothing, his hunting knife, two pistols which the Captain provided, and a . solar topee. Richards made a similar bundle of his belongings and these were carefully hidden in their trunks. “We’re leaving to-night,” whispered the Captain, “but no one must know.” Dick knew better than to question his chief. When the time was right, Richards would tell him. Until then, however curious he might be, he would have to wait. That was the evening of the ship’s concert and liberal rations of beer and spirits had been issued to the passengers and crew. The concert was a great success. The Skipper played the pipes, the retired school teacher was an able violinist, the Greek ladies put on a comic act, and, of course, the star turn was the new steward and his conjuring. Towards midnight, Dick and the Captain made their apologies and withdrew to their cabin. They were a few paces’from the door when Richards held out his hand. Motioning Dick to flatten himself against the wall, he crept forward. There was a crash as he flung open the door, and then silence. The intruder had made good his escape through the window. With deft hands, Richards "T«it.jimong their luggage. 4 him be-? a P ro Per ' "‘■3 " VC the i* close hours’ Richards, on his bunk. “You’ll need it;” Dick followed his example, but sleep was far from him. Who

had been searching their cabin? And why? How much did they know ?

The effects of the night’s revelry were soon evident in the heavy snoring that came from all sides of them. The sea was as smooth as glass with no wind at all. At three o’clock Richards slipped from his bunk and strapped his heavy belt around him. Dick was quick to follow him. They carried their boots and belongings slung, over their backs. The ship -was in darkness except for a light on the bridge, where the Captain himself stood at the wheel. The Mate, who relieved him, was surprised to be called an hour earlier for his watch, but he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and took over. Dick and Richards made their way aft to the boat, which had so conveniently been left ready for launching. Under a tarpaulin inside were stored food and a sail just in case. Silently, Richards and Dick climbed aboard. -The skipper appeared on the deck -above to wave to them as they lowered themselves into the sea.

Despite their care the boat struck the water with a resounding "plop.” The Skipper looked nervously up and down the deck, but no one seemed to have heard, or been disturbed by the sound. Richards took up the oars and pulled away from the ship. In a few minutes they were lost in the darkness. “It’s about seven miles to land,” he grunted, “we should make it before daybreak.” It was a strange sensation, this, to be afloat on the ocean in a small rowing boat on an inky black night. Dick listened to the rythmic creaking of the oars and the rustle of the water along the sides. Their oars stirred little pools of phosphorescence, which lingered in their wake. Like the footsteps of a sea monster, thought Dick. It was too dark to see even the outline of his companion. Richards regarded his pocket compass with an electrictorch, taking care to hide the light. Dick was glad to be out of the hot, stuffy cabim lie let his lingers train in the water. “Don’t do that,” snapped the Captain in a tone he had never used before. Dick started so violently the boat rocked. “This is shark water,” explained Richards in his usual voice. “I’ve seen men pulled out of their boats by sharks. Son, you’ve got to be careful from now on. There’s death on every side. Sharks, snakes, scorpions, tigers, crocodiles. One careless move and you’ll never see young Evie again.

At the thought of Evie, Dick put his hand to his heart. The events of the last twelve hours had left him weary of excitement, but even in this small boat, alone in the darkness of the Timor Sea, there was danger on every side. Sharks that could pull a man out of a boat . . . and what was that . . . Dick’s hand plunged into his loose shirt. Something was moving between the cloth and his skin. Dick’s surprise was tempered with relief as he drew out a ruffled and rather crestfallen canary.

“It’s Cuthbert,” gasped Dick, holding out the bird. Richards’ torch flashed on the rather sorrylooking bird. He had shipped the oars, and as if by habit one hand travelled to his hip. The Captain , had lived a life as full of adventure as any man. He had been captured by cannibals, head hunters, and Chinese bandits. He had felt a noose round his neck, and arrows in his flesh. ■ But there was something in the casual appearance of this canary in Dick’s shirt, and the disappearance of his pistols, that sent a chill down his spine.- ,* /; AqJJ)on’t mind me,” drawled, b ivo .. jj^HgCuthbe^^^^^^^^^S mtfftfc”*' '■ Ru-lidi •tojrtfn on the erstwhile steward/ wlfo was juggling the Captains automatics as if they were peanuts. .

“Fair exchange/ Cuthbert for your “How did you peated Richards. “The same wa; Captain,” said the abashed!'' “and whisker ahead of ; “And why, may here?” continued “Jolly little trip, the intruder, “sue off a boat in the c just couldn’t resi: I’d got tired of board. Distressing birds and gangsti tive, you know. P have initiative—m go round —you kno and places, and al sides, Cuthbert he fancy to your you I always do v\ wants.” “Right now,” “Cuthbert wants 1 cd off.” “Ah,” wailed the own-lee a litt-tul lie’s more than a mee-ee.” There was som about the intrude was his sense of h so full of humoui entirely bad. An) found himself laughter at the nc been outwitted. “I say, I say, ol the steward, “tab know, this jolly o too steady.” Riel nose, and resume* “Well,” he said, put up with you ashore.” “Sorry to intruc you know,” n stranger. “But I to, you know.” “To what?” ch who was secretly to have the coi amusing clown, “To know whet a glimpse of } visitor. You rathei you know.” “You mean, we corrected Richar phasis. “Oh, you didn’t all,” admitted the see, I had the ad mutual friend. I the saloon.” “Then it wasn’t the Captain. “Not that time the juggler. “W 1 in your cabin? 3 on board were ve it. People poppin day, you know, s see what it was a Strong streak of family. My moth so did my great a if our young friei ished with Cuth like him back. F out the little fellt Richards his piste the canary, whicl ished in mid-air. stranger did not the intrepid bird nose, eyes, or mi contentedly, and

sleep. “I like two spt my coffee,” he then relapsed i breathing of one Perhaps an h< when he stirred, oars now,” he oi Daybreak four mile from the shore. Before th beach which cui • little bay. Fro: Richards took a and some sandw: “What do we the erstwhile ste on the beach eat fast. “We part comi said Richards. you please. Die' off in the boat.” theivf’ci father b| join the processiJ —tpo much of a] (To be C