LITTLE TUFT AND THE THIEF

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 980, 24 May 1930, Page 31

LITTLE TUFT AND THE THIEF

| Little Tuft was his name. He lived I with Mother Tuft, Father Tuft and | the other little Tufts in the middle | a dark wood. Everyone in Squim . I 1 own said that with its little brow:i roof, red chimney, green shutters and i its white doorstep the Tufts’ hous*j was tho best in the whole wide world j It was built on the largest and besi i tree in the forest. Papa Tuft had seen ! to that. All the other children went to the big white schoolhouse, where they • were taught many things. Little Tufi I did not go to school just yet, as he was I too young. ! One day when all the other children were at school. Mother Tuft said to little Tuft, “Would you like to bu* some cake in town for me, darling?'' “Oh. yes. mummy,* said little Tuft jso off he went for tho big shopping I basket. Being a squirrel, the first thing he had been taught was how to , climb trees quickly, and he sprang | down as quick as lightning. It was a long way to the very first shop even, and Little Tuft had ©nlv been there once or twice by himself Nevertheless, he knew just where he was to buy the cake, for Mother Tuft often went there for her cake. lie was only about half-way there when he felt very tired, so he sat down on an old moss-covered log. Presently he fell asleep. Five minutes passed; nothing happened: then there was a rustling among the bushes. A little squirrel stepped out. He stole cau tieusly over to the log on which Little Tuft was sleeping. Picking up the basket he examined its contents. “My word,” he whispered softly to himself, as he clasped the two "nuts which were to pay for the cake Little Tuft meant to buy. Then he stole auietly away again. After some time Little Tuft awak ened. He picked up his basket and went on with his journey. When he reached squirrel town lie looked for the nuts but they wer*gone. He ran home to tell mother, and there she was, s tanding at the door with her broom in her hand, waiting for him. “Aren’t the children out yet?” she said, and then: “But where is the cake?” Little Tuft whimpered out his sad rale into sympathetic ears. When Father Tuft came home. Mother Tuft told him all about it, so Father Tuft went back to town and told the Squirrel Town Police. They have been looking for the thief ever since, but they have never found him. Frances Kelly, aged 30.