LITTLE BRITONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 74, 22 November 1940, Page 49

LITTLE BRITONS

(Written for "The Listener" by

WANDA

HALL

HE two boys were exploring their new garden. It looked a promising one, with lots of wild patches where the trees grew thick with branches low to the ground; secret places where whole armies could lie hidden, where spies could lurk and parachutists complete their disguises. All the well-tried war games had gained a new significance since a bomb had dropped in their village street in England, and they had just missed seeing a dead man. Nannie had whisked them away, scolding hard, before they could get a good look, but Bobby swore he had seen a hand, separate from a body. Their uncle called them. He thought they might like to go for a walk to the township; it was Saturday morning, and he could show them round a bit. He took them to a shop where they got ice creams. They ate self-consciously while he talked to a friend-"Yes, my sister’s kids, just out from Home a couple of days ago... ." They stood outside a shop to wait for him, and their faces burned as words came out to them ". . . couple of refugees ... least we can do... great little chaps ..." Thén they met a woman |

in the street where there was no escape. He ‘waved his hand proudly towards them, "These are Little Britons," he said. They stared at their feet, fidgeting. The woman beamed at them. "Oh, I Say, isn’t that nice? Welcome to New Zealand, boys!" Bobbie rubbed one foot over another in agony. He supposed he should say something, but what? People were walking and talking all round them but they themselves were a little island of silence, and the silence got heavier and heavier, and then he heard his uncle say, "Well, we must be getting along."

He tried to move, but his: feet wouldn’t g0; miserably he realised.that the last humiliation had occurred, and his shoelaces had knotted themselves together. Shame made his cheeks red as he bent to undo them, but when he caught the others up, his face was white and stiff, and as he walked back, his feet made a pattern with the words in his mind"I musn’t think of Mummie, I musn’t think of Mummie." As soon as they got back, he crawled into the darkest secret place and lay there on his stomach, His brother joined him, "Mummie," he said. "IT know," said his brother. Then, "That woman’s a spy, she must be shot at dawn." "Tortured," said Bobbie. They sat up to make plans,