43

　　In1929,threeyearsafterhisflightovertheNorthPole,theAmericanexplorer,R.E.Byrd,successfullyflewovertheSouthPoleforthefirsttime.Though,atfirst,Byrdandhismenwereabletotakeagreatmanyphotographsofthemountainsthatlaybelow,theysoonranintoserioustrouble.Atonepoint,itseemedcertainthattheirplanewouldcrash.Itcouldonlygetoverthemountainsifitroseto10,000feet.Byrdatonceorderedhismentothrowouttwoheavyfoodsacks.Theplanewasthenabletoriseanditclearedthemountainsby400feet.ByrdnowknewthathewouldbeabletoreachtheSouthPolewhichwas300milesaway,fortherewerenomoremountainsinsight.Theaircraftwasabletoflyovertheendlesswhiteplainswithoutdifficulty.

　　44

　　MrsAnneSterlingdidnotthinkoftheriskshewastakingwhensheranthroughaforestaftertwomen.Theyhadrusheduptoherwhileshewashavingapicnicattheedgeofaforestwithherchildrenandtriedtostealherhandbag.Inthestruggle,thestrapbrokeand,withthebagintheirpossession,bothmenstartedrunningthroughthetrees.MrsSterlinggotsoangrythatsheranafterthem.Shewassoonoutofbreath,butshecontinuedtorun.Whenshecaughtupwiththem,shesawthattheyhadsatdownandweregoingthroughthecontentsofthebag,sosheranstraightatthem.Themengotsuchafrightthattheydroppedthebagandranaway.'Thestrapneedsmending,'saidMrsSterlinglater,'buttheydidnotstealanything.

　　46

　　WhenaplanefromLondonarrivedatSydneyairport,workersbegantounloadanumberofwoodenboxeswhichcontainedclothing.Noonecouldaccountforthefactthatoneoftheboxeswasextremelyheavy.Itsuddenlyoccurredtooneoftheworkerstoopenupthebox.Hewasastonishedatwhathefound.Amanwaslyingintheboxontopofapileofwoollengoods.Hewassosurprisedatbeingdiscoveredthathedidnoteventrytorunaway.Afterhewasarrested,themanadmittedhidingintheboxbeforetheplaneleftLondon.Hehadhadalonganduncomfortabletrip,forhehadbeenconfinedtothewoodenboxforovertenhours.Themanwasorderedtopay&345forthecostofthetrip.Thenormalpriceofaticketis&230!

　　47

　　ApublichousewhichwasrecentlyboughtbyMrIanThompsonisupforsale.MrThompsonisgoingtosellitbecauseitishaunted.Hetoldmethathecouldnotgotosleeponenightbecauseheheardastrangenoisecomingfromthebar.Thenextmorning,hefoundthatthedoorshadbeenblockedbychairsandthefurniturehadbeenmoved.ThoughMrThompsonhadturnedthelightsoffbeforehewenttobed,theywereoninthemorning.Healsosaidthathehadfoundfiveemptywhiskybottleswhichtheghostmusthavedrunkthenightbefore.WhenIsuggestedthatsomevillagersmusthavecomeinforafreedrink,MrThompsonshookhishead.Thevillagershavetoldhimthattheywillnotaccepttheinnevenifhegivesitaway.

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　　Dentistsalwaysaskquestionswhenitisimpossibleforyoutoanswer.Mydentisthadjustpulledoutoneofmyteethandhadtoldmetorestforawhile.Itriedtosaysomething,butmymouthwasfullofcotton-wool.HeknewIcollectedbirds'eggsandaskedmewhethermycollectionwasgrowing.HethenaskedmehowmybrotherwasandwhetherIlikedmynewjobinLondon.InanswertothesequestionsIeithernoddedormadestrangenoises.Meanwhile,mytonguewasbusysearchingouttheholewherethetoothhadbeen.Isuddenlyfeltveryworried,butcouldnotsayanything.Whenthedentistatlast