THE WORTH OF ONE - A CHRISTMAS STORY 

By Tessa Harvey

    Jacob and Melissa were going through the trees and Veronica was just finishing some school work.
    "I'll catch up," she called. Missy had been trying to keep her head up more and encouraging her brother as well. "No-one here suddenly whacks us around the head, Jacob." But Jacob was staring at a clump of rye grass near one of the huge oak trees. Shining things attracted him. He bent down on one knee and picked up some coins and a small mouth organ.
    "The mouth organ is Gussie's!" he exclaimed, speaking normally in his excitement. "But who gave him money and why?" Missy queried.
    Veronica hurried up, panting. "What ya got?" she asked. Then a sudden memory came to her. "I saw that man, Silas, give some money to Gus. It was the day he went missing! Wait - let's go and find out."
    "Hang on," said Missy, "he won't talk to us. Let's see Mrs. O'Leary."
    Maureen was very skilled in extracting truth from recalcitrant students. This man was no child, but he was obviously shifty. Finally he blurted out some of the truth, but making out John Stevens was behind it all.
    Maureen called the police. They found a shivering, hungry and very subdued small boy in the hut, dishevelled, and afraid. The doctor was called. Augustus would not go to hospital, preferring food, drink, a warm bath and bed. His friends clustered around him, happy and relieved.
    John Stevens and Silas were held for questioning. Apparently their victim had played a prank on Silas a year or two ago. Silas pleaded to keep his job, silently vowing to forget about the grouse. His wife, Alice, was frail. He needed to work, but would face charges.                               

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