Plot:
Cathy Carr is known at school for non-stop talking. But then she has to stop talking when she damages her throat in a freak accident and must stay silent for eight weeks, which leads to difficulties.
Blind Sue Taylor’s father has made her a walking stick with an attachment that helps her to walk alone. She is testing it in a maze when Irene Kayak, the daughter of the President of Slavonia, is kidnapped. Sue believes she can identify the kidnappers, a man and a woman, by their voices, and by the smell of the man’s tobacco and the woman’s scent.
Alison Payne and Bettina Clarke (Linda Lee in the reprint) are being fostered by the Frazers on a trial basis for adoption. Alison has looked after Bettina/Linda ever since she was blinded in an accident. But Bettina/Linda has secretly regained her sight and is keeping it that way until she gets rid of Alison, because she does not want to share the Frazers with her. And Bettina/Linda is going as far as animal cruelty (below) in her tricks to get rid of Alison. Bettina/Linda turns everyone against Alison, and there is even talk she should be sent to special school.
Then Bettina/Linda makes a very ironic mistake. She turns a light on while pulling another trick on Alison, while Alison distinctly remembers she had turned it off. As a blind girl would not need a light, Alison begins to suspect the truth. Further investigation confirms Alison’s suspicions, and she makes the accusation against Bettina/Linda in front of all her accusers. A doctor proves Alison’s claims that Bettina/Linda is not blind. Bettina/Linda is taken the children’s officer to be dealt with, and the Frazers adopt Alison.
Tessa Dane, crippled by her stepmother’s cruel treatment, goes to live on her Uncle Henry’s farm, where she determined to train Tina, a young sheepdog, although she, too, is crippled. Uncle Henry makes Tessa a “Wheelaped,” which enables her to get about. On returning from her first trip in the machine, Tessa finds Uncle Henry’s van crashed into a tree and he has disappeared.
The Lame Ducks – Judy: #372 (25 February 1967) – #379 (15 April 1967)
Paula Travis is a cripple whose disability is exploited by her Aunt Mildred and Uncle Herbert. They force Paula to work as a beggar and profit from her earnings. The exploitation depends on Paula staying crippled – so things begin to change when Paula starts taking secret ballet lessons from Miss Freeman and her legs improve.
Despite having a damaged leg, 14-year-old Dixie Scott plays an excellent game of tennis. She lives with her father in a cottage on Lady Emily Moore’s estate. Mr Jones, a physiotherapist, thinks he can give Dixie back the full use of her right leg. In her spare time, when Dixie is not playing her ties in the local Ladies’ County Championship, she is receiving treatment from Mr Jones.
When Kitty Green, an orphan, is hurt in a car accident, she is told she will never walk again. But her sister, Carol, believes that with treatment from on old retired physician, Dr Weston, Kitty will eventually be cured. The girls’ wicked Aunt Hester plans to receive the large sum of money to be paid in compensation for Kitty’s dreadful injury and tries to stop the treatment. The sum involved depends on how badly Kitty is injured. The two sisters stay with Dr Weston in his country cottage, but Carol is caught by Aunt Hester as she comes from school. She manages to escape, but, as she prepares to leave the house, the telephone rings that Kitty is in hospital.
(Kitty Must Walk! – 1960s)
(Kitty Must Walk! – 1980s)
At the age of ten, Laura Leyburn suffered an attack of polio and, although she recovered physically, she was afraid to try to walk with-out the aid of a stick. However, Miss Driver, Laura’s headmistress, not only persuaded her to walk unaided, but to take up athletics as well! Now, at 16, Laura is an up-and-coming hurdler and being coached by Mr Sampson, secretary of the Stirton Athletic Club. For winter training they have the use of a hangar at a Royal Air Force base.
Helen Hill, the senior orphan at Maltbay Manor, learns that young Connie Page a new arrival at the orphanage, will go blind soon unless Sir Edwin Savern, a famous surgeon, can be found. He is the only person that can perform the surgery but he has recently disappeared. Helen and Connie set out to try and find him.
Tessa Lyons once the wondergirl of tennis, was now confined to a wheelchair, living with her family she once ignored. Her father refused to have any mention of tennis in his house, but Tessa sees that her younger sister Alice has the potential to become a tennis player.
