Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-06-08

Inlb lthL 4 achieved WIN ConbluVI-
able peril, for the birds when reused
from their eyrles, whooped screamed,
and wheeled In flocks and circles about
me, tapping their huge wings; 80 that
once | became 80 bewlldered, that In
stead Of clambering again to tho sum
nit of the cliff, began O descent to-
ward the foamng sea below
In reascending my hat was blown
away, and with II the wretched eggs
for which l had rlsked my life and
limbs.
After this event resolved to procure
food for myself alone, and instead OF
returning to Antonio, who usually
loltered about the hut our men had
left, went TO the opposite side of the
Island, and found q banana grove,
wherein took up my quarters.
/ had been thlrty-slx hours without
seeing my pleasant chum, the Cubano,
or being near him with food. ! knew
that his rage would be great, and feel
Ing myself unusually weak, after all
the mental excitement and bodily ex-
posure had undergone, necessity COM
PEELED me now to avoid him strictly,
as was totally incapable Of contend
ing with him In any way.
II he found me to plead that had
When searching for berries about
sunrise, on the western side OF the ISLE
and while the sun, though up, was yet
below the great mountain and cast It's
shadow TO the extreme horizon OF the
haby morning sea, encountered An
tonic at last.
Hunger, apparently, had rendered
him furious; but feeling certain In a
moment that tlmidity would do me no
service, l started back and said In
Spanish;
"Ha! hal / told you what would
happen when wanted food" said he,
feeling the point Of his knife.
My blood ran cold at these words,
and cast longing eye upon my lost
Ratchet; he saw the glance and
trampled upon the weapon with a
hooking laugh.
"What do you mean, CubanoY" l
asked, in an almost breathless voice.
Simply thls--that, as self-preser-
walton Is the first law Of nature, l am
bound to kill you"
He had the revolver In his hand, and
while he cast a glance at the caps on
the breach, as II to see that they were
all right, and sheathed his knife, /
made a bound aside and placed n
banana tree between us. The bastard
fired, and the ball. as 1t whistled past,
stripped of piece OF bark.
In the same manner escaped a sec
ond shot, 30 Antonio, finding that his
much-prlzed ammunition was likely to
be expended frultlessly, rushed for
ward to use his knife.
The tendril Of a pumpkin caught his
left foot, he fell heavily and hurt him
self severely. Then, darling past |
secured my hatchet and rendered furl-
GUS by all that had occurred, and by
the imminent danger which menaced
me, a light seemed to flash before my
eyes, trembled with rage, and felt as
II imbued with supernatural strength.
was about to spring upon Antoio
with hands, feet and teeth, to hew him
with the Ratchet as would have hewn
a tree, when new object suddenly
caught my eye.
II was a ship-but ship ashore.
"Cubano," | exclaimed In husky
voice, look there!"
Antonio looked In the direction In
dicated, and, pausing in his murderous
intention, uttered fierce laugh Of sat
isfaction.
In the rocky channel which opened
between the inaccessible island and
ours there lay the wave-beaten hull OF
a dlsmasted vessel, which might have
drlfted In over night as 1t was certain
ly not there yesterday, and 1t was now
damned hard and fast upon a reef OF
rock that connected them.
This new object changed at once the
terrible current Of the Cuban's ideas.
A grim smile passed over his olive
countenance, he shook back the elf-like
masses OF coal-black hair, which, In
Skye-terrier fashion, overhung his wild
dark eyes, and sheathlng his knife,
said:
milo muchacho-come; l was only
Joking. Yonder we will find food, per-
haps, and who knows what more?
Come, 1t Is a bargain, and II you don't
desert me, shall not modest you
again"
He proceeded at once toward the
beach, and was hungry enough, and
perhaps reckless enough now, to be
glad of a truce, and to follow him, in
the hope OF finding something eatable
on board.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
The Homeward Voyage.
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