The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-10-18
FOUL PLAY.
A Novel
BY CHARLES nEADn AND DION ,ouc,cAuLr
CHAPTER xxyrlr-coSrlsuEp.


CHAPTER xxvIi-CoNTlNUED.
He held this course for q mile or moro, and
then, judging with long tack he could
wheather the southerly side Of the island ,!hs
put the boat about. He took occasion to
explain to Helen how this operation was
necessary, and she learned the alphabet Of
navigation. The western end of their little
land now lay betore them; it was about three
miles in breadth. For two miles the bluff
coast line continued unbroken; then deep
bay, n mile in width and two miles in depth,
was made by u long tongue Of sand project.
ing westerly; on its extremity grew the
gigantic palm, well recognized a. Helen's
landmark. Hnzel stood up In the boat to
reconnoter the coast. He perceived the
sandy shore was dotted with multitudes Of
dark objects. Erelong, these objects were
seen to be in motion, and, pointing them out
to Helen, with smile. he said,-
Beware. Miss Rollcston, yondcr ore your
bugbea.s-nnd in some force, too. Those
dark masses, moving upon the hillocks Of
sand, or rolling on the turf are sea.lions-.
the phoca leonina, or lion-seal."
Helen strained her eyes to distinguish the
iorms, but only deserted the dingy objects.
While thus engaged, she allowed the cutter
to fall off II little and. ere Hazcl had resumed
his hold upon the tiller. they were fairly in
the bny: the grent palm.trce on their star
boar,l.bow.
"You secm determined to make the acquain.
lance of your nightmares" he remarked;
you perceive that We are eml,ayed."
Her CONSERVATION amused i'm; slle SOW
TINT il they held their present course, tho
cutter would take the beach about mile
ahead. where these animals were densely
crowded.
At this moment, something dark bulged
up close beside llerin thesea, aud the rounded
back ola monster rolled over and dsap.
pearcd. Hazel let drop the sail. for they were
now iairly in the smooth water of the bay,
and closet to the sandy spit; tho gigantic stem
OF the palm-tree was on their quarter, about
halt mile off.
He took to the oars, and rowed slowly to.
ward the shore. A small seal rose behind
the boat and followed them. playing with the
blade, it's gnmlols resembling those 81 q
kitten. He pointed out to Helen the mild
expression of he creatures fucc, and assured
her that all this tribe were harmless
animals. aud susceptible Of domesti
feariessly. and he touched its head gently; he
encouraged her to do the like, but she shrank
IRON it's contact. They werc now close
ashore, and Hazel, throwing out hisanchori in
two feet Of water. prepared to land the beam
of wood he had brought to decorate the
pnlm-tree as q signal.
The huge stick was soon heaved overheard,
and he leaIed after it. He towel it to the
nearest landing to the tree, and dragged it
high up on shore. Scarcely had he disposed
it conveniently, intending to return in day
or two, with the means of nffixing it in q
prominent and remarkable manner in the
form of spar across the trunk of the palm,
when cry from Helen recalled him. large
number Ofsea.lions we're cousting quietly
down the surf toward the boat; indeed, O
dozen of them had made their appearance
around it.
Hazel shouted to her not to fear, and, de-
string that her alarm should not spread to
~. When he reached the water, three or four
OF the animals were already laundering be-
tween him md the boat. He waded slowly
toward one of them. and stood beside 1t. The
man and the creature looked quietly at each
other. and then tine seal rolled over, with a
snutiling. selfsatisfcti air, winking it's soft
eyes with immense romplacency.
Helen, in her alarm, could not resist q
smile ut this conclusion Of 30 terrible dem
onstration: for, with all their gentle exprea.
sion, the tusks of the brute looked f,rmid,
able. But, when she saw Hazel pushing them
inside. and pattng n very small cub on the
back. SHE recovered her courage completely.
Then he took to his oars again; and, aid.
ell by the tide. which was now on the ebb, he
rowed around the southwestern extremity
, of the island. lie found the water here az
he anticipated, very shallow.
1t was midday when they were fairly on
the southern const; md now, smiling with
kt...s .s,,I At.So 49,. l..
ter at racing speed. Fearing that some reefs
| or rocky formations might exist in their
course. he reduced snil, and kept away from
/ tho shore, about mile. At this distance he
was better able to see inlnnd. and mark down
the accidence oil its formation.
The southern coast was uniform, and Hell.
en- said it resembled the cliffs the OF Kentish or
Sussex coast Of Englnnd. only tho English
white was here replaced by the pale volcanic
gray. BY one O'Clock they came ARREST tho
very spot where they had first made land;
and, as they Judged. due south Of their resi-
dence. Had they landed here. walk Of
three miles across the center of the island
would have brought them home,
! For about similar distance tho const on
hibited monotonous cliffs unbroken even by
II rill. 1t was plain that the watershed Of
the island was nll nOrthwarl. They now mp
! preached the eastern end, where rose the cir
cular mountain of which mention has been
already made. This eminence had evidently
Mt one time been detached from the rest OF
the land, to which it was now joined by q
neck of swamp, about n mile and half in
breadth. and two miles in length.
| Hazel proposed to reconnoiter this part OF
! the shore nearly, and ran the boat close in
to land. The reeds or cnnes with which this
bog was densely clothed grew in u dark
| epongy soil. Here and there this waste was
dotted with ragged trees whirll he recognized
as the cypress; from its gaunt branches hung
! black, funeral kind of weeprr a kind vi
moss resembling iron.gray horss.llair both
in texture and uses, though not SO long in
the staple.
This parasite, Hazel explained to Helsn,
| was very common in such murshy ground,
and was tbs DEATH flag hug out by Nature
tn wnrn man TINT malaria and fever we're the
. invisible and inalienu Die inhabitants of TINT
fatal neighborhood
Looking narrowly nlone the low share for
some good landing, where under shelter of q
tree they might repose for an hour, and
spread their midday repast, they discovered
on opening in the reeds, q kind OF lagoon OF
bayou, extending into the morass between
the highlands of the islnnd md the circular
mountain, but close under the base of the
latter. This inlet lie proposed to explore
mud accordingly the soil was taken
marrow creek. The water here was 80 shal.
low that the keel slid over the quicksand in
to which the oar sank freely. The creek soon
became narrow, the water deeper. and OF q
blackcr color. and the banks more densely
covered with canes. These grew to tht
height of ten and twelve feet. and, as close at
wheat In n thick crop. The mir felt dnnk and
heavy, and hummed with myriads OF insects
The black water became SO deep and the bot
tom so sricky thnt Hazel took to the onrt
again. The creek narrowed us they pro
eeeied, until it proved scarcely wide enough
to admit of his working the boat. The
height of the reeds hinderpd the view or
either side. Suddenly. however, ind uftel
proceeding very slowly through the bends o.
the canal, they decreased in height and
density. and they emerged into an open
space Of about five ncreH in extent, IL kind
OF onsis in this reedy desert, created by d
morass, and afforded firm footing, of which
/ q grove Of trees ind innumerable shrubs
awaited themselves. Helen uttered I'm ex
elamation OF delight NJ this islnnd of foliagt
in sea Of reeds met her eyes, that had beer
f, furnished with the arid monotony of thu
| brake.
They soon landed.
| meal being le.tto her, and, having selected @
sheltered spot. slle was soon busy with theiI
frugal food. Hnzel surveyed the spot, and
selecting o red cedar, was noon seared forty
feet above her head: making atopographica
survey Of the nGighborhood. He found tina,
the bayou by which they had entered contn
ued it's course to the northern shore, thus
cutting off the mountain or easterly end
and forming oi ita separate island. He saw
that q quarter Of IL mile further on the bayou
or canal parted. forming two streams. o
which that to the left seemed the main chan
mel This he determined 10 follow. Turning to
the west. that ia, toward their home. he saw al