Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

20 Sht- had hoi- own opiaioiis, but was p'oasfd that tho othois diffcn'd. But let us follow Arthur Bryant and see \vhcre he is now—a pood mile away. Already two more hedges have been jumped with ease. Arthur began to sit, up a little, a stratiRe exhilaration in his heart. If he survived this outing he'd learn to ride. Whv Buster should then have chosen tu tear through a wood is beyond com- prehension. Branches and bows whizzed over Arthur's head, dirt, twigs, and leaves bespattered his clothes, but still he clung to the saddle. A small branch whipped his cheek and made him yelp with the pain—pain that mado him really angry. "I'll learn ye. you brute!" he cried, and gripped the reins between his Hri;,'ers. IJack he swung in the saddle, ami, to his surprise, Buster began to slow, but ofl' went the horse again when another bough caused the boy to duck. Clear of ihe wood, and once ' more Arthur was tugging at the reins. Buster went from a gallop to a canter, and from a canter to a jog trot, and finally from a walk to a halt. "Corks!'" breathed Artluir. "I'm still alive!" lie decided to get back to the party and show him what ho could do, but forgot what the groom had said about Buster going home. Off wont Buster on another mad gallop, and, strain as ho might, Artluu could not pull in his mount. " All right, have it your own way!" shouted the lad, and, in a fit of bravado, slapped' the horse hard. Bing! The only word that can de- scribe the amazing speed that Buster suddenly developed. Arthur had a vague idea of skimming over bushes and under trees, flashing over a stream, and then, by some miracle, being once more on the road. The cloud of du~t was spotted by the anxious Marian "He's coming fiack," she cried. Like a whirlwind the horseman drew nearer. "Hi, Arthur, stop!" yelled the girl. But once again Arthur shot by, and they stared after the disappearing cloud of dust. "Coo. I ain't ever seen Buster move like that before!" gasped a youth. "Darned if I'd like to chance it!" Arthur looked up and saw the iron ffates ahead, and, like a (lash. Buster had whipped round and pounded up the drive, to stop like a lamb before the house. The boy slithered out of the saddle, mopped his brow, and with one hand leaning against the horse's flanks, gasped for breath. Then he began to realise the sight he- presented. "I'll teach you to play tiicks with me!" he growled. 'You just wait there a moment!" Into the house flew Arthur, and was cl.id to find no one about. Ur) the stairs lie raced to his room, and, for- getting all about aches and pains, changed into liis own clothes. Down the stairs he went, quite mi- aware that from behind a pillar a man with fierce eyes watched him. Curiously enough. Buster was still waiting, and Arthur almost flew into the saddle. "Now you git on down Ihe drive," stormed Arthur, "and make it snappy!" And Buster, recognising that some- thing had happened to his young ridi>r. obeyed quite mooklv. Kcliruary lath. lt»30 BOY'S CINEMA The Burglary. IF Arthur Bryant hadn't oeen in isuca a tearing hurry he might have thought it cmious that in so l)ig a household there was no one about. Actually, much had been happening. The gentleman of the straw hat, who had caused Arthur some inconvenience in the train, had akso chosen the Day househi>lJ for a visit. He was a gentle- man of the light-fingered fraternity, who earned his livelihood by burglary and such methods. He knew that there would be valuable presents for Marian's birthday, and had come there because he felt they wou'd l.'O very useful to himself. Being an expert, he had scaled a wall and found his way towards tho ser- vants' quarters. Here the sight of a gun caused those worthies to scuttle like rabbits into the cellar, where they had been locked in. That done, Slim Harris, of the care- fully-cut clothes, had walked upstairs Mr. Day was out; Mrs. Day was asleep, whilst tlie lattcr's pers."inal maid was also enjoying forty winks, lie had found the room where all the presents v.ere stored, had made his pick, and piepared to depart. This departure was interrupted by tho appearance of Arthur, and Slim had gripped a loaded stick in readiness to deal with the boy, but it hadn't been necessary. Arthur gone, Slim was at libel ty tu depart, and ho decided to go by the same way that he had entered, with the result that Slim was slinking along by a high wall when a thunderbolt landed on him. Out in the main road. Arthur turned in the direction he had last seen Marian, but. much to his anno.yance. ho could find no sign of them "Just my luck!" he gr -nblcd, and tried tho open country- No sign of his new friends, 6o he returned t5 the main I'oad. A pedestrian was seen approaching, and, with a whoop, Arthur went after the man. The latter was thoroughly scared as Arthur slithered to a stop, because the youngster was so eager to fiiid Alarian that in his keenness he stopped too violently and winded him- self on Buster's head, "Have you "—gasp—'"seen some "— gasp—"riders "—final gasp. "Saw a jiarty way back—ili?5 Day and friends," said the fellow. "Which way were they going?" he panted out. "Should say they were riding round the estate," was the answer. "Have you lost 'em?" "I don't look as if I'd found 'em, do I?" growled Arthur. "Many thanks!" Once more he was off down the road, and when the high wall that surrounded Marian's home turned at right angles, Arthur left the road and tore over brambles and hedgerows in pursuit. Buster had decided tliat a joke was a joke, and that he had had quite enough for one afternoon. Ahead Arthur saw his new friends, and whooping gaily urged the horse to re- newed effort. Buster, with ill grace, responded. His approach was heard, and the whole party pulled up to wait for him, but by this time Buster was in a bad temper Arthur tugged like mad at the rein.s, but the horse tore on at a mad gallop. Tho riders scattered to right and left, and Arthur gasped with horror as Buster, when close to the spot whore the party Every Tuesday had been a moment before, suddenly charged straight at tho wall. "Woo!" bleated Arthur, and the horse stuck out his front legs like bars of iron. The result was that Arthur flew out of the saddle like a stone from a catapult, up in the air he went, to sail gracefully over the wall. To land with a crash on tlie shoulderfi of the man who s!uii!i through the gardens. In a heap Slim Harris and Arthur Bryant crasiied to the ground. Both were winded, whilst the black bag with tho jewels burst open. Arthur was the first to recover, and how his eyes blinked at sight of the man with th3 straw hat, the open bag, and the loaded stick. It was tile pearls that revealed the truth, because they were the actual pearls that Biggs and Higgins had given him to deliver. Slim Harris opened his eyes, and, being a crook, at once thought about safety, but directly he tried to wriggle to his feet Arthur was on him like a terrier. "No, you don't!" he cried, and gripped him by the throat. Desperately, the two struggled, but Arthur was grim and determined. This was his chance to get in well with Marian, "Help, help!" he yelled. "He's badly hurt!" wailed Marian. "Oh, we must be quick!" It was several minutes before they could get to the scene through a private entrance to which Marian had the key. What a surprise to find Arthur havin;; a rough-and-tumble with a strange man, then Mrs, Day appeared on the scene. "The pearls. Your presents, Marian!" she wailed. "Oil, hold that man, some- body!" The butler, much rumpled in appearance, charged past, and Slim Harris gave up the struggle. Explanations followed. Mrs. Day told how she had rung for tea and got no answer, and had finally located the ser- vants in tho cellar. Artliiir was patted on the back, and though he ached abominably, smiled like a conqueror. "You brave boy!" said Marian, and that was like music in his ears. They hustled the unfortunate Slim Harris away, and Mrs. Day and the party went off in an excited group. Mrs. Day knew that Marian would want to thank Arthur personally. All Arthur's new-found courago evaporated when he found himself aloiio with Marian, who was gazing up at him in a friendly but most provoking manner. "I'm awfully pleased, Arthur," she said. "I shall ask pops to see that you come here often. That's if you'd like to como and stay." "Would I—you bet!" mumbled Arthur. "I don't know how to thank you," went on the girl, and edged a little nearer. "I shan't .scream." "You won't ,scream!" It was a puzzler to Arthur. "What you want to scream for?" Marian edged a little closer .so that her upturned face was not many inches from Arthur's no-se, "You're very dense, Arthur!" she mocked. "I don't believe you would dare." A great grin illuminated Arthur's face because the grey cells had suddenly functioned. She wouldn't scream if he kissed her. And Arthur was so greatly daring tliiit he not only kissed her once, but three times, and Marian never screamed. (By permission of Universal Pictures, Ltd., featuring Arthur Lake as Arthur Bryant.)