When They Were Boys Together. By Frank E. Blakey, Park View, Upper Nolson-street, Auckland.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 431, 25 December 1889, Page 6

When They Were Boys Together. By Frank E. Blake y, Park View, Upper Nolson-street, Auckland.

Winter is nearly over in the village of Den ham, in the year 186— at least, the cobbltir eaid ib was, but the boys didn't believa it, for hadn't the rain been coining down in one almost continual pour for the last two or three days. As the weather Rhowed signs of clearing up the cobbler, for he was also schoolmaster, save the boys a half holiday, to get rid of them. During the winter tno farmers sonfc their boys to live in the village, aB there was nothing for 1 them to do, that they might pick up a bit of learning. A few of the boys lodged in the houses of their • chums,' but the greater number lodged with the cobbler. Among the latter was a boy about iitteen year? old, mimed Jack Gordon. He was a tall, Blrong boy, with a dark complexion. He lived about five miles from the village. His father did not pay for his son's lodging, but insisted on hiu working for it. The reason for this Jack did not know, but the other boys \ifited on him his (according to their idea) father's i meanness Among the village lads was one Willie Saxon. H'B friendship wa-i very much sought after among the country lads^ not onlvT because of his own merit*, though he was a favourite with everybody, but because anybody that could get lodgings in his house was sure to get comfortable quarter?. Willies father was the village grocer. Every two or three weeks, however, Willie chanced his ' chum,' either because he turned out to be selhV-h, cowardly, or a 'sneak.' Tim name of the chum ho hid when our stoiy opens was> .lames Clarke. His father's faim was near Mr Gordon's, but. he and Jack were not friends. Tlio rain had stopped at lasfc, and the boyt- Cocked out to have a game of football. Though the boys only had a rag ball, they en-joyed the game rone the less, They had on their cast-oH clothe?. The wisdom of this proceeding was fooh apparent, as each boy was splashed with dirty water from head to heel. Willie and his chum were [licked on one fcide, the opposite to Jack Gordon. As Jack was running with the ball, ho came full tilt against C'arke, and sent him sprawling into a pool of water Sometime after Jack and Jim were in the ' scrum ' together when Willie Saxon, who was outside of it, saw Jim give Jack a hard kick on the shins. Willie expected an explosision, but to his surprise Jack only clenched his teeth and continued playing, as il nothing had happened. That nig>t Willie said to his father ; ' Father, I've had enough of Jimmy Clarke.' 1 T don't liko him much myself. I find that the lollies disappear quicker than they u.»ed to with any of the other boys. But I wish you would settle down with one.' 4 T'll'stick to the next one, good or bad, then, father,' paid Willie. 'Would you mind Inking work from the next instead of money : 1 Not at all ; in fact 1 find thai I won b be nble to qct on much longer without one' Willie therefore began to make iriendly advances to Jack, which he perceiving met hulf way. In a couple of daysb Willie, having given Clarko notir c to quit, proposed to Jack i that ho would live with him, on condition that he would help them in the shop now and then. To this Jacfe consented with plea°uie. He did not find his work hard, as he had plenty of time to piaj . Mr Saxon was very pleaded with Jack, and wondeied how ho would get on without him, for Jack had received notice from his father to be home on the first of the next month. Jack and Willie becime fast friends, not withstanding the c ntrast between them, for Willie was of a slight build, and had a fair complexion ALlast the day came for Jack to return home, [n the morning a herd of bullocks entered the village, and the stock drivers determined to stay there all day to rest them, be ng a half holiday the boy& had a grme of tootball. Unfortunately, Jack and Willie tried to be on the same side, which plan Jimmy Clarke, perceiving, frustrated. Near the end of the game Jack was running with the ball, when he came full butt again&t Willie and knocked him into the mud. W hen Willie rose to hi? feet he looked buch a fright that all the boys burst out laugh ing. Now Willie, though 1 he could stand a kick or a spill, could n<>t stand ridicule. He therefore, shouted out : 4 All light ! I'll pay you back for that.' No doubt Willie would have forgotten all about his thr ats had not Jimmy Clarke reminded him of it. As it happened, the two were walking* home together, when Jim said : « How do you mean to pay him back V ' I don't "know. As soon as I get a ! show.' j 'You had better hurry up, or you'll have to whistle for your revenge till next winter.' « I*ll tell you what,' said Willie, 'supposing we give him a scare as he is going home to-night.' Willie did not speak to Jack at all before he left that night ; but Jack did not notice it, as Mr Saxon was trying to persuade him to stay another day. He eaid that it was going to rain, and he would lose his way. Finding that this did not move him he told him a ghost story about a p rt of the tract where he would have to pass. At last, finding Jack was determined to go, he made no more attempts to detain. . Jack turned to say "good night to Willie, when he discovered that he had dipappeaied. 1 Hhllo ! where's Willie,' said Jack. 'He went out about half an hour ago,' said Mr Saxon ; ' just after I told you the ghost story. I noticed that he took the table cloth with him. I advise you to look out for ghosts.' *Ml right,' laughed Jack, carelessly. 4 Good bye." Mr Saxon handed Jack a 121b bag of potatoes as he was leaving, as a present to his father. He soon left the village behind him, and as he neared the scene of Mr Saxon's ghost story he started whistling a tune to keep up his spirits. At last he entered the shadows of the trees. As he peered cautiously on either side he saw a white figure. He walked up to it, and saw that it was only a dead stump ot a tree. As, he stood gazing at it he d-d not hear soft footsteps behind. Suddenly he felt something touch his arm. He got such a scare that he swung his bag of pofca oes round with sunh force that they caught, something a whack that sent it rolling on the ground. The something turned out to be two boys struggling to get out of a tablecloth. Jack loooened it, and out crept Jim Clarke and Wilile Saxon. Willie waa bare-footed. The former scrambled to his feet, but the latter lay where he was. * What's the matter, Willie,' said Jack. « I think I have twisted my ankle.' * See if you can stand up. Here, lean on me.' , v

-^So faying he-'halfr lifted -Willie to his feefc v/ -"Willie attempted to.place'ffirifrjtfred foot ,011 the ground,<but quickly withdrew it. - f ' , *' ?<■'"' * I won'b bo able to wilfc to-nigHt,'- he said. I can't put my foob on the ground.' * We'll have to do aa well aa we can here to-night,' said Jack. -Jim, help me to lift Willie to that tree.' - Just then they heard a loud noise coming from the village. Above the roar they could distinguish the shouts of the stock drivers. ' Halloa ! what's that f cried Jack. 'Id sounds ap if the cattle have broke loose,' said Wiliie. * We'll be run over if we stay here,' said Jim, * I'm oft ;' and notwithstanding Jack's sh nits after him, 'To help him with Willie,' Jim darted into the thick bush. ' The coward,' said Jack. Lifting Willie carefully in his arms he made his way through the thick bushes. * Ju-b in time, however, for about half adozen bullocks dashed by, a stock-driver after them, shouting, swearing and cracking his whip. Jack placed Willie on the around and li&tened. He heard a crashing sound between him and the road ' * They have left the road,' eaid he; aud lifting Willie up again, he made his wav deeper into tho bush, till the sounds died out altogether. * We had better stay here all night,' said Jack. 'Have you got any matches?' Having collected some d y supple-jacks hequickly ha.d a pood fire blrizinir. ' We wouldn't be much tho worse for a couple of spuds,' said Jack, throwing two i-ito the fire. While they were cookinjr he boy nd a handkerchief around Willies foot, for it was a ma&s; of bruises Having covered themselves with the tablecloth and Jack's ovei coat, the boys ate the potatoes and lay down lo sleep. ' It.- * cry kind of you to do all this for mo, Jack,' said Wiliie, ' especially after I tiad been trying to give you a scare.' The only answer was a loud snore from Jack. Willie had a shrewd suspicion that Jack only let) out that snore to escape replying. Willie wa« scon asleep, however, and when he awoke in the morning he found the fire almost out and Jackgnowhere in eight. Jack soon appeared, however, with a large armful of wood. He soon had a jrood fire, and throwing half a-dozen potatoes into it, he paid :—: — ' There is a niUau jusb over there. Have you got a knife or anything that will cut?' 1 Yes,' said Willie ; and he handed him his knite, that had a large, sharp blade. Jack soon relumed, lugging a nikau alonjxHe took the ' spuds ; out of. the tire, and the boys made a hearty meal. When they had fini-hed Jrtck said : • Is your foot, any better now, Willie f 'Yes, a little ; but I can't walk.' •We can't epend another night out. Ifc looks as if it's going to rain," said Jack. ' I'll carry you. We came from that direction, for 1 found the foot-prints of the bullocks this morn'me. The only thing we wi 1 have to do will Ije to walk in a straight line.' •That's the thing,' said Willie ; 'If we walk forward we'll find ourselves walking in a niicle. ' ' Yes, I know chat. Now ?ee that large treo over the v e, we'll walk to that flrpt ; then we will walk to something in a line with it.' They did this, walking from one object to another, for about two miles, Jack pausing now and then to rest. At last they heard their names shouted, and, on answetingr, a party of men who had been sent out to look for them, appeared. Jim Clarke had not g"ne far into the buph, so as soon ns the bullocks went by he returned home. Becoming uneasy at Willies absence he told Mr Saxon all about it, and the search party was &ent. As one of che men relieved Jack of, Willie, he was no longer needed. When they reached the road Jack said good-bye, and returned home. He simply told his father that he had lost himself in the bush while getting out of the way of a herd of bullocks. He was not much the worse for his night of exposure, but with Willie it was otherwise. For being naturally deli* cate, bronchitis was tho result- of his nighfc of exposure. Jack learnt thib from a man who passed his place going to the next village for a doctor. •Jack,' said his father one day, *\*hat would 33 r ou like to be.' • A sailor, father,' said Jack, blushing, • All right, 1 said Mr Gordon. ' I suppose, Jack, you wondered why I made you work for your keep during the winter. Well, one reason was that I wanted you to rough it a bit ; bub the principal one was that I wanted to save some money so that you could have a good start in life.' Jack started off to the village to tell Willie, who was better now, his good luck. Willie begsred his father to let him go with Jack to sea, and his father consented. ' As 1 suppose Jack is goinsr as an apprentice you'll have to go as one. Its fortunate that I have got a bit of money pub on one side.' So it was settled, a«d ab the end of the month their 'kits' were ready, and they left, for Auckland, with a. letter from Mr G rdon, alone with the money necessary for their premiums... They worked v> havd and soon became favouiites with tne officers and men, who took pains to teach them their duties well, and at the end of their apprenticeship they parsed their examinations with credit. They rosso step by step, until now each has a fine ship of his ow n. But they are as firm friends now as ' When they were boys together. '