Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-29


one long shrill whoop Of sheer and
exquisite delight.
It took quite a long time to olsen
tangle the breathleSs and still slightly
stunned new arrivals from the debris
Of rotten wood. plaster and smashed
4 china In which they were enveloped,
and even longer to recognize beneath
/ the disguise of torn silk frocks, dis
1 heveled hair, blood dirt and bruises,
! five perfectly respectable invited guests.
The due Frocqs!" gasped somebody
at last.
fully, sitting up and cautiously feeling
lump as big as an egg which was
rapidly rising on her bumped fore
head
Colin, wiping from his left eye blood
which flowed into 1t from cut above
the eyebrow, said politely, I'm afraid
Perhaps I ought to explain" said
Peronelle sweetly to her bewildered
hostess. I'VE were a little early for
your party, and so we explored a cave
down In Galrion bay, and there was
a tunnel in it that led right up into
your house"
"A tunnel?" gasped Mrs. Hillyard.
Leading into my house?"
You couldn't know 1t was there, Of
course" said Michele. I'VE had to
break down the wooden partition at
the back of the cupboard to get
through"
Colin.
"Smugglers?" yelled the assembled
children, as one child.
How very odd" said Mrs Hillyard
How very-good heavens, where's Ar
chibald?"
Archibald, the depressed and podgy-
faced, had disappeared.
They all looked round, but he was
nowhere to be seen. Where? Where?"
demanded his distracted mother.
Colette, serenely munching, raised a
fat and dirty finger and pointed
towards the cupboard. Down there"
she murmured thickly HE went down
there long ago."
party was in motion. 1t was as though |
Archibald had been the Pied Piper, |
playing within his enchanted noun |
tain a tune that could not but be fol- |
lowed, for with joyous cries and In a |
steady flood that could not be stemmed /
the children flowed towards the cup |
board scrambled over the debris, en- !
tered it and disappeared.
In vain did mothers and nannies |
clutch at their beloved ones. Presently
no one was left but the grownups and /
the still bewildered du Frocqs.
Then Peronene suddenly woke up to
the danger of the situation
Listen" she commanded the frantic
parents. They can't get back now.
There's no room in that tunnel to
turn round, and one can't wiggle back
must go down to the cave and pull
them out there. And all you mothers
and nannies must keep your heads.
You mustn't scream at them from the
cave. or they might get frightened,
and once they panic IN that tunnel
well only get them out with dynamite.
Leave it all to me. Come along, quick!"
"Darned smart little kidd" muttered
the rich uncle in unfeigned admira
ton, and screwing his monocle firmly
in his eye he was the first to follow
the flying figures Of the du Frocqs out
of the house, through the garden and
down the curving sandy lane =. And
after them went the whole procession
of mothers and nannies, shirts flutter
ing, bonnet strings flying, agitated
hands pressed against their painting
sides.
When they reached the top of the
steps leading to the bay a sight of
great beauty met their eyes. For the
sun was setting. Lovely pink clouds
floated across a sky of translucent
green, exquisitely mirrored IN the
pearly water that stretched in its
beauty right across the little bay .
But this beauty was not appreciated
GOSH" calculated Colin. "The tides
come in!"
THE tides inl" cried voice after
X be ton an az f5e Stems tne g99p a nedeG
ternal wall Of such despair that it
made the blood run cold.
Now keep calml' Peronelle admon-
ished them. Leave it to me. There's
a boat at the bottom of the steps, and
and my brother and sisters can row.
the steps, the infatuated uncle close
at her heels
II could handle an oar In my young
days." he painted TO her eagerly.
And you shall now" Peronelle en-
couraged him kindly. "You and and
Michele and Colin. Jacqueline's no
good in boat and Colette's too small.
It's a heavy boat but wen manage"
They clambered in, pulled up the
little anchor, bent to their oars and
moved off slowly and laboriously across
the bay towards the cave. The rich
uncle was catching crabs with such
rapidity and thoroughness that 1t was
boat straight.
"Stroked my college boat once upon
4 time" he muttered. "Bit out Of prac-
ice now, perhaps"
Perhaps Just bit" said Peronelle
gently. But you're being the greatest
possible help to us" 1t was a lie, of
course, but she had not the heart to
snub a man so obviously captivated by
1er charms.
They reached the little cave at last,
20 find 1t already half submerged
sPhewl" whistled Colin. "Only just In
lime. was wrong about that tide,
girls"
They left Michele In the boat to
Keep it close to. the caves mouth and
.he rest Of them plunged IN. Colin
IN water, and plou9hed
heir way upwards into the cave
IN the aperture ct its far end, framed
rs IN o picture frame, was the podgy
ACE Of Archibald, gazing out anxlously
put indomitably at the rising green
'ide. He looked so conaicaIly ugly, but
ret at the same time so stoltly coura-
yeols, that PeroneIle to his great dis
rust imprinted q kiss upon his fat
ind dirty cheek before she seized him
" the shoulders and Iugged him out.
"a -.