STORY IN PICTURES

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1926, Page 21

STORY IN PICTURES

POLLY, PETER AND WALLABY

The other morning a mysterious letter arrived. It was addressed to Richard! “I wonder what it can be about?” he said as he opened it. It took some time to spell it out. To the surprise of the chums, the letter contained a polite request that they should collect for the Hospital. Of course they felt highly honoured. •

The chums felt very important because their services were in demand, and, after breakfast, they gathered together on the couch and held a most serious conference. How could they best help on the good cause? At last they decided to get a small piano and play at a street corner. “We shall get ever so much money that way,” said Richard.

They managed to borrow a lovely little organ, and proceeded that very morning to find a spot where they could set up and begin to collect the money. Richard and Gwendoline had a very difficult time getting the organ along, and I’m afraid they were not very greatly helped by Polly, who was terribly impatient to begin the proceedings.

The chums found a good spot at the corner of a street, and set up the organ. Gwendoline played while Richard sang. Polly sat on the organ and was ready with a bag to collect the money as people passed by. “Sing up, Richard,” said Polly. "There’s someone coming.” And Richard, who had chosen “My Little Grey Home in the West,” sang as loudly as he could.

The chums soon had an audience round them, but they did not get much money, because it was largely composed of little boys, who hadn’t any! However, they asked ever so many questions. Richard got frightfully enthusiastic over his song, and what with that and the lots of questions poor Polly had to answer, they entirely failed to notice the appearance of Pedro and Poppy round the corner.

Just as poor Richard had reached the very top note of his song, Pedro threw an egg at him. It hit Richard on the head and made an awful mess. But, what was worse, they discovered that the letter was a trap sent by Pedro and Ponpy in revenge for the “buried treasure” trick played on them " rk * three chums went home very disconsolate.