The Delta independent., 1895-08-14

"ncre. ! WANT ONO Doy " pc ~ -hoi
decai Smiths lauding-stagc opposite
Millbank to say if the boat comes back.
You must divide it out among your
selves, and do both banks thoroughly.
Let me know the moment you have
news. Is that all clear?'
Yes, grvnor," said Wiggins.
''The old scale of pay. and a guinea
to the boy who finds the boat. Here's
n day in advarce. Now Off you go."
He handed them shilling each, and
away they buzzed down the stairs, and
l saw them a moment later streaming
down the street.
''If the launch is above water they
will find her." said Holmes, as he rose
from the table and lit his pipe. "They
can go everywhere, see everything,
overhear everyone. ! expect to hear
before evening that they have spotted
her. In the meanwhile, we can do
nothing but await results. We cannot
pick up the broken trail until we find
either the Aurora or Mr.. Mordecai
Smith.
'.Toby could eat these scraps, ! dare
say. Are you going to bed, Holiness"
mo; am not tired. / have curl
Gus constitution. never remember
feeling tired by work, though idleness
cxhausts me completely. ! am going
to smoke and to think over this queer
business to which my fair client has
introduced us. If ever man had an
easy task. this of ours ought to be.
Wooden-legged men are not SO COM
mon, but the other man must, should
think, be absolutely unique"
THAT other man again!
81 have no wish to make a mystery
of him-to you, anyway. But you
must have formed your own opinion.
Now. do consider the data. Diminutive
footmarlss, toes never fettered by
boots, naked feet. stoneheaded wooden
mace, great agility, small poisoned
darts. What do you make of all this?'
"a savagc!" I exclaimed. Perhaps
one of those Indians who were the as
sociates of Jonathan Small.'
Hardly that said he. when first
saw signs of strange weapons was
inclined to think SO; but the remark
able character of the footmarlSs caused
me to reconsider my views. Some of
She inhabitants Of the Indian peninsula
are small men, but none could have
left such marks as that. The Hindoo
proper has long and thin feet. The
sandal-wearing Mohammedan has the
great toe well separated from the
others, because the thong is commonly
passed between. These little darts,
too, could only be shot in one way.
They are from a blowpipe. Now, then,
where are we TO find our savagc?'
''South American" hazarded.
He stretched his hand up and took
down bulky volume from the shelf.
This is the first volume of n gazetteer
which is now being published. 1t may
be looked upon as the very latest
authority. What have we here? AN
da1nan islands, situated three hun
dred and forty miles to the north of
Sumatra, in the bay Of Bengal Hum!
hum! What's all this? Moist climate,
coral reefs, sharks, Port Blair, convict
barracks, Rutland island. cottonwoods
-ah, here we are. The aborigincs
of the Andaman islands may perhaps
claim the distinction of being the
smallest race upon this earth, though
some anthropologists prefer the Bush
men of Africa, the Digger Indians Of
America and the Terra del Fuegians,
The average height is rather below
four feet, although many full-grown
adults may be found who are
very much smaller than this. They are
a fierce, morose and intractable peo-
pie, though capable of forming most
devoted friendships when their conf
dence has once been gained Mark
that, Watson. Now, then, listen to
this: They are naturally hideous,
having large, misshapen heads, small,