The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-16

was such as to carry joy to Molly's heart
she, as we'll as Colonel Marks and Zach, was
aStounded at the devotion shown to the lad
by the half breeds and Indian guides. To
them this wonderful boy was constant
source of surprise and delight His cour-
age, his surprising strength and agility,
his horsemanship, his craftsmanship,
his kindness and gentlenesS charmed
and fascinated them. The daintlest It'd
bits of game and the ripest fruits were laid
at the door of Godfrey's tent And, to add
still further to the long list of the boys ac-
compllshments, 1t was discovered that since
he had been in service on the Australian
coast he had picked up quite a vocabulary
of the native dialects, so that he now had
experienced no difficulty in understanding
the jargon spoken by the native guides.
1t might not be out of place TO state here
that this was far from being the first camel
train that had been sent into the Australian
wilderness. 1t was in 1866 that MIR. Elder
imported from India a large number of
camels, together with their Afghan drivers.
These animals have done we'll in Australia,
and beyond all doubt II was due TO the tact
that Colonel WarburtOn made use of these
ships of the desert that he was enabled to
accomplish his daring ride from Alice
Springs Station to Rockboune, Nichol Bay,
on the coast of De Witt Land.
If David Lindsay, at later date, sue
ceeded in crossing the continent from north
to south with the aid of pack horses only,
it was because he kept close to tile Govern
ment roads and telegraph lines, and did not
risk himself in the wilderness. which would
have been powerless to sustain the life Of
his train.
The expedition reached Alice Springs
Station in good form. Here halt was
made, in order to transfer the baggage and
supplies to the backs of the pack camels.
Colonel Marks took this occasion to make a
most searching examination of each men,
Der of his band, in order TO weed out any
who showed signs of breaking down. A
week was thus consumed, when, at a COM
mand from Molly, the camel train moved
slowly and silently out into the sandy
wastes of The Great Victoria Desert.
AS Molly, from her lofty seat on one of
the ships Of the desert, cast her eyes over
this apparently limitless waste her heart
sank within her for brief moment as she
asked herself the question, Am not war
ring against heaven, am | not rebelling
against the will of God in thus penetrating
this awful solitude in search of human life,
which only miracle could have kept from
destruction? Are not my attempts as tool
hardy as they are presumptu0us?
Godfrey made answer to these doubts aud
miSgiviDgs. for at that moment his clear,
ringing voice reached her ear, carrying balm
and comfort to her anxious heart She hes
itated no longer, she turned an inquring
gaze toward the horizon of this vast ocean
of sand as she had often fixed her weary
eyes upon the limitless expanse Of the sea,
hoping and praying that the white sails OF
the Dreadnaught might come slowly into
sight.
Upon drawing near to the Murchison and
Mcdonald ranges the native scouts made
known TO Colonel Marks the appalling fact
that they had already fallen in with
stragglers OF a native camp, from whom they
had learned that In quarrel between one
of the chiefs and his brother a white captive
had been slain. Colonel Marks dared not
make known to Mrs. Alaire the dreadful
news. True, there was a possibility that
this white prisoner might not be Captain
John, but the name of the tribe, and the ad-
ditional fact that it was accustomed TO pay
yearly visits to the northwestern coast gave
the awful tidings the stamp of likeli hood.
1t was nearly TWO months before the camel
train reached Tenants Creek Station. Several
of the wells along the route had been found
dryiand the animals suffered greatly, being
barely able to drag themselves along at the
last
Scarcely had the tents been pitched and
the exhausted men thrown them selves upon
the ground for long-needed sleep, when one
OF the Youngest Of the native scouts crept
steaithily past the guard and reused God
Trey.
"Quick, little MASTER" he whispered,
quick. bring gun, follow me, no talkl'
1t seem that in making choice of Godfrey
the native had done so solely on account of
the youths extraordinary courage, agility
and quickness of movement just as one
might choose certain dog or horse to attain
certain end. The child OF the desert knew
exactly what was needed. He had no faith
in the grown members of the band. They
might. in their supposed superior knowi
edge, Stop to reason, rouse the band, raise
voice above whisper or be too slow in ad-
vancing on their hands and knees.
Godfrey had not removed the pistol from
his belt. Reaching for his rife he Joined
the scout, and stole silently out Of the
camp. Once out of sight and hearing the
scout maze known to Godfrey that white
captive had not been already put to death
as at first reported, but that he had been
delivered into the hands of the chiefs
brother. who. with several Of the tribe,
were to put him to death that morning be-
lore the rescue party should become aware
OF his presence so near at hand.
1t called for the greatest preeaution on
the part of Godfrey and the native scout in
approaching tile Indian camp. A single
startled cutlery of bird or beast would be
sure to warn the savages of the approach
OF an enemy. The last quarter of mile it
became necessary to advance by Crawling
through the tall grass. Although hampered
BY the weight Of his rife, Godfrey, by great
eXertlon. succeeded in keeping up with the
scout.
The execution was to take place at SUM-
rise. Already. as Godfrey and his COM
panion threw themselves on their knees in
order to reach the spot unseen by the saw
ages, the first rays of the sun shot family
upward Ike spectral spears.
Godfrey caught his breath as his ewes fell
upon the white prisoner seated on tho
ground and encircled by half dozen of the
savageS. each of whom grasped two spears
in his hand. The mans face was hidden
beneath long growth OF hair which, in