Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 73

They worked, and worked, and worked, and at last the summer-house was almost finished. “All we want now,” said Peter, “is the chimney! ” “That’s easy,” laughed Jumbo. “Just wait a minute! ” Off he trotted down the hill, and soon returned holding a lovely red chimney pot in bis trunk. “ Put it here,” called Patty, who was sitting on the roof. “ Wait a moment,” interrupted Peter. “ I’ll get a ladder.” When the ladder arrived, Jumbo ambled up it, with Kitty on his back, and Mr Pip climbed gaily on behind “Gracious!” bellowed Jumbo suddenly, “we’ve forgotten something.”

"What have we forgotten?” cried the others in ehorus. “Well,” announced Jumbo, sitting on a small stool which wobbled badly under his weight, “we don’t know whether or not the house is watertight. What’s the good of a house if it lets in the rain? ” £ “But it’s not raining now, so how can we tell?” asked Patty. “ Wdit and see,” replied Jumbo, importantly, and again he trotted solemnly down the hill. This time he made his way to the pond. ... “We’ll go inside and see what happens,” vfhispered Peter to Patty. “He’s taken Pip and Kitty with him, so we needn’t worry about them.” “What do you think he’s doing?” asked Mr Pip of Kitty, “paddling about in the pond like this?” “ Wait and see! ” answered Kitty, imitating Jumbo’s important voice.

At last Jumbo turned from the pond and trotted back to Peter and Patty and the summer-house. “ One to be ready! ”he bellowed, “ Two to be steady! Three to be —off!!! ” Swish-swish-swish-swASir! Jumbo had collected great quantities of water in his trunk, and now he let it out full pelt on to the little summer-house and its unlucky inhabitants! Away went the summer-house, away went Peter and Patty, for nothing would stand against that torrent of water! “Dear me!” remarked Jumbo, in a bewildered voice, “I seem to have done the wrong thing! I’m really very sorry! I had no idea the plade was so rickety! ” Poor, well-meaning old Jumbo sat down and cried sadly at the thought of the damage he had done. “Cheer up! ” said kind little Patty. “We’ll soon be dry again, and we ean rebuild the house in no time! ” “Come again to-morrow, Jumbo, my lad,” sang out Peter, “and we’ll start all over again.” Which was very brave of them, wasn’t it?