Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday I "HEROES OF THE FLAMES." { T {Continued from page 25.) 1 June nodded. "I'm sure he does," she declared loyally, and her father looked at her with a shrewd espresiion on his face. "You seem to have taken a fancy to Bob Darrow, June," he mused, while Mitchell stood by frowning. "How could anyone help taking a fancy to him?" she ans\vere<l, with a slight flush. "I'll never forget that he saved my life, and besides—he's so genuine." "A fine fellow," Madison rejoined, and glanced in the direction of the shed again. The brushwood piled against three of the walls was now blazing fiercely, and Bob had passed out of sight to kindle lliat which had been pitchforked along- side the farthermost wall, the one con- taining the window. The flames reared up there only a moment after he had touched the brush- wood with tho burning brand, and it was as-the ugly tongues of fire lifte<l to the level of the window that Jackie suddenly became aware of his peril. He was still sitting on the floor when lie saw the flames, and as he caught tight of them he sprang up with a i-(iueal and ruslied to (he door. The door was on that .«ide of the Ehe<l where the brushwood had first begun to flare, and the heat had ahcady taken effect. The door was jammed, and refused to budge under Jackie's frantic efforts to open it. Out- side, an inferno roared and crackled, an inferno that wrapped the frail walls and roof of the shed—blistering the woodwork and eating its way into it. A vohnne of smoke poured in through the window, rolling about tho trapped boy as he struggled in vain to escape. Ho screamed out in mortal terror. "Bob! Help, Bob! Oh, Bob, I can't get out!" The young inventor heard the cries, and liis face paled. That was Jackie's voice, and it was coming from the blazing hut! Dan Jlitchell and the Madisons heard the lad's cries, too, and a looJv of horror passed between June and her father. "Jackie!" Madison faltered. "Good heavens!' My boy is in that shed!" Bob Darrow was seen to wheel round. The burning brushwood seemed well- nigh iniponotrable, but. striiiping ofl' his coat, he flung it about his head and shoulders and rushed into the flam- ing mass of twigs and foliage. "The impetus of his dash carried him through the harrier of fire, and the point of his shoulder hit the door with a shock that hur.st it open. He lurched across the threshold, flame and smoke whirling in behind him. Bob slammed tho door to gain a moment's relief, for, though his jacket had protected him to some extent, his clothes were smouldering in places and he had been burned about the hands. Jackie was cxswering in tho middle of the hut, and Bob snatched him up and wrapped him in his coat. Then he turned back for the door and dragged it open. He had managed to force his way into tlio shed, but to escape from it war a different proposition. For the brush- wood through which he had hurled him- self ha<l tumbled back into position, and was blazing even more fiercely. BOY*S CINEMA A solid sheet of fire challenged him, and the heat drove him back. Protected though ho was by the coat, it was doubtful whether even Jackie could have survived an attempt to fight clear, and Bob himself was fairly at the mei'cy of the flames. He closed the door again, and turned to examine the window. A glance told him that there was no possibility of effecting a getaway there. It was too small, and just beyond it the fire was raging as furiously as at the door. There was only one chance. If he oould smash his way through one of the walls bodily, the woodwork, in its collapse, might serve as a shield against the flames, driving them under as it fell. He threw himself at the planks. The shed was the reverse of substantial, but the wail against which he levelled his attack did not give at the first impact. There was a slight splintering sound, however, and though he staggered back bruised and shaken, it nerved him for a second attempt. Fifty paces from the blazing hut Dan Mitthell and the MadisoiLS waited breathlessly for Bob to reappear. Then all at once June started forward. "Jackie!" she sobbed, breaking into a run. Dan Mitchell dashed after her and caught her by the wrist. "Come back here!" he panted. "You can't go into that hell of flame, June —you'll be killed! This cursed experi- ment should never have taken place!'" He was pulling her towards the tree again when he heard her father utter a sharp exclamation, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Madison dart to the table and snatch one of Bob Darrow's fire-extinguishing grenades from tho rack. Drawing back his arm, Madison hmled the fire-bomb at the shed with all his force. Dan Mitchell blanched, and promptly sprang for cover, for he knew what to e.xpect when the glass bulb smashed to pieces and the "doctored " chemicals re- acted to the flames! (Don't miss next week's breath-taking episode of this thrilling new serial. By permission of Universal Pictures. Ltd., starring Tim McCoy and Marlon 27 I "CRACKED NUTS." J I (Contiuned irom page 12.) a Wendell saw what had happened, but Zup was looking anxiously up at tho circling 'plane. "Will you get out of there before it's too late?" he vociferated. "Thanks!"' shouted Zup scornfully. "I've had enough of your advice—I'm going to stay right here until eomethiug happens!" "Come here! Come here!" howled Wendell. "Before it's too late!" Cried Zup, unwittingly putting a foot ou the sizzling bomb: " You lied to me—and I'll never be- lieve you again as long as I live!" " You won't have long to live if you stop to argue!"' yelled Wendell frantic- ally. "Something's burning around here!" remarked Zup to himself, as his nostrils were smitten by an acrid odour. He sniffed at his cigar, but decided that it must be something else, and ho was gazing inquiringly around when Ben, almost directly overhead, pulled the lever tliat released the last bomb the machine carried. It was the largest, the heaviest, the most formidable of all the collection— arrd its cap had been replaced. ' Just as it was whistling through the air, Wen- dell, a human wreck, reached tho throne, dragg(xl Zup out of it, and tried to tug him to safety. The bomb struck the deserted throne fair and square, blowing it to smithereens and exploding the other capless bomb that lay in its path. We.n- dell and Zup were flung on their faces, and for a few minutes everything was blotted out. Inde.scribable noises followed, com- bined with shouts, shrieks, groans. By degrees the aii* cleared as a terrific shower of debris settled. Zup and Wen- dell found themselves sitting side by side on a patch of blackened grass, star- ing at what seemetl to be a black foun- tain issuing from the earth where the throivo had been and leaping towards the skv. Shockley.) THREE COMPLETE FILM NOVELS. "WHITE SHOULDERS." After years of hardship a gold miner returns with wealth and rushes a young girl into marriage. She runs away with a crook, bat the gold miner trails her and plans a clever revenge. "THE GREAT MEADOW." Read this story and follow a bride and bridegroom through privation and Indian tights to a pioneer log house in far-away Kentucky. Starring John Mack Brown and Eleanor Boardman. " THE STUDENT OP PRAGUE." A poor student who loved a beautiful and wealthy girl sold his shadow for a large sum of money. A weird tale of the super- natural, starring Conrad Veidt. JACK HOLT, MARY ASTOR and RICARDO CORTEZ "WHITE SHOULDERS." Complete in this week's issue of our companion paper: *'SCREEN STORIES." On Sale Wednesday. Price .2d. September 12tli, 1931.