Page 4 Advertisements Column 2

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 542, 22 June 1920, Page 4

THE TRIALS OF A WOULD-BE RANGER AT PAPAKURA, {By THE JESTER.) One Tuesday night with naught to d i Upor Beach Road I chanced to be, Where one road sweeps round to the bridge, The. other down into the sea. While gazing at the whirling tide, Subdued and peaceful was my mind, And much it jarred my nerves to hear A clatter on the road behind, Turning I saw a youth, and so I stooped and grabbed a boulder, But quickly dropped it when I saw He'd two guns on his shoulder. People say at throwing stones I'm an adept, but Oh! ye Gods! Skilled though I am, I knew that I Had got no chance against such odds. So wild was I that he'd disturbed My musings on this perfect night, I racked my brains to try and find { Some other way to vent my spite. I wondered why he had those guns, And like a flash the answer came, He who walks with guns at night Goes to shoot protected game. A poacher, nearly always got Five pounds for every individual Bird the foolish poacher shot. With this in view 1 followed him, Keeping on the roadside edge, Until at last I saw him climb 1 followed him on through the gap, And to a house he quietly stole. I sneaked behind another hedge, And quickly made a peeping hole. With visions of the rich reward, The blood up to my head did surge, When from out that little house I saw two other youths emerge. Across the fields they quickly .sped, And I had got to follow. I tracked them on through wire gates, And over hill and hollow. And when I'd followed for a mile, Or p'raps a little more, I stood beneath some pine trees Upon the hard seashore. I minded not how wet I got, As there I waited on the sands. I strained mv ear until 1 heard Them as they stood there makingplans, And strange to say 'twas oniy then That I began to see, They soon would float off in a boat, And so would hoodwink me. They clambered then into the boat, And rowed off iron the shore. Then I could see how they'd beater me, And so sat down and swore. But not for long did I sit and swear For I could not afford To let them go unhindered, And so miss my reward. There was one way, and only one That I could hope to follow them l must k u *"»"« *•••" -- . - And try to pick them up again. E're long" I'd ran three weary miles To where I knew that they wouli be, , , And in the moonlight on the creek The boat I very soon did see. They rowed the boat into the bank, And nimbly stepped ashore. I'd never seen a rowing boat So well handled before. By this time I was so fatigued 'That I resolved to stay Beside the boat and catch them whei Thev tried to row away. The night was clear and frosty, The cold was most intense, So I crouched beneath some bracket) That grew beside a fence. That if they'd any luck, When they returned to row away. They each would have a duck. I meant then to confront them, And give them such a fright. That each one from his game-bag Would bring a duck to sight. \m\ then I set to musing On the things that I would do, With the money I would get When I'd put the job righ through. When I was a boy at school, A little tale I read She. said she'd sell the milk, an when The money she had got, She'd buv a dozen hen eggs And hatch the bally lot. She'd sell the chicks, and then sh said She'd buy a dress so sweet, That all the boys would stop an stare When she walked down the streei When she thought how they'd ad mire her She gave her head a toss, And when she saw she'd spilt th milk She much bemoaned her loss. "Counting chickens," there I sat To while away the time. The milkmaid's fancies were no mor< Absurd I think than mine. The Acclimatisation Society I thought would surely be So highly pleased with my good worThat they would send for me. I pictured how I'd stand before A meeting of the same, And see each member bow his head When e'er he spoke my name. I thought that they would tell me That I had got to go And roam round Papakura In the place of "Ranger Joe." They'd think me such a treasure, That I'd be surely paid Two shillings every hour That I in ambush laid. I pictured how I'd hide among The ti-tree and the gorse, And spring upon the poacher, And take his game of course. The easy time that I would have To me appeared quite stunning. But still I thought I'd have to trail To be in form for running. For I could see that if I called Upon a man to halt, And he ran off and left me, They'd say it was my fault. But now I heard the elusive youths And as they drew more near, Instead of pouncing on them, I cowered there in fear. To case my conscience then 1 though l Thai they could not have got A duck, because I had not heaid Them lire a -mule shot. They manned the boat and rowc; away Down'where the necklet winds, Flourd the corner where the shags Were roosting in the ;>ines. 1 reached the pines as soon as they And heard a loud report, As oh' the topmost pine branch then A monster shag was Pi ought. Disgusted now, for I could see That thev had come that night t< Not duck as 1 had fondly hoped, But onlv common lishy shag. I started off and made for home, And walked along beside the en.ek I slipped upon, the rock and si it hem Down into the water deep, i clambered out on to Ihe bank, Although I'm not sine how, 1 made this solemn vow That not again I'd take upon Myself to track a stranger. In future I would leave it to , The Papakura ranger.