The Washington times., 1902-12-22
A SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC.
A NOVEL OF r1UTINY AND MYSTERY-By " BERT FOSTER

staDces-for eastaways. II 1 had a good
Marlin repeater-or a Winchester-Id
agree TO settle with Atwen and his
whole gang, II they attack US"
"As Il is. we haven't a blessed thing
to defend ourselves with. said Sessions
gloomily.
Not quite" interposed Thorne. He
brought out from the cave his revolver.
newly cleaned and oiled. Every cham
Der was loaded. I've got a valise hid
den up the coast yonder." he added.
and among other things in it are two
or three boxes Of cartridges. I'll 20
after them before long"
But il was several days before he
felt well enough to undertake the jaunt.
Meanwhile an on shore gale had blown
alraost every vestige Of the wreck away
from the island. They could rescue no
more of the briggs cargo. But they had
already got together a great pile OF
broken spars and plank and cordage on
the shore, besides the supplies in the
cave.
Nothing had been seen OF heard OF
Atwell and his friends. and they loped
the long boat had left the island and
been blown so far away by the storm
that the mutineers would not land again
Thorne talked with Jessop about making
a journey Of exploration around the
island and Of trying. If possible. to
scale the cliff.
1T can't be done. sir" the sailor de-
clared. I tried that when / was here
before. A goat couldn't get ur them
rocks"
But I believe there is something be-
hind the cliffs" Thorne said. Il don't
know whether it's a basin Of water. con
nected with the ocean by this inlet. or
neither it's land. There's something
there. And then from the top OF the
cliff we'd have better chance OF see
ing land, II there's any near; or ships
n they sailed by"
However. he had to admit that so far
as could be seen on this side OF the ISL
and there was no possible path to the
summit OF the cliff.
They had occupied the cave near the
inlet a week before Thorne felt strong
enough TO 90 for the vallse he had hid
den where sydney and ne had stayed
I the night OF the wreck. He went alone
found the bag. and carried It back tc
I the inlet As he started 10 cross he
saw that the tide had Just turned and
was now %, alfuo .tr,rgI.. into tt. +,t-
rel. At low water, as now. the entrance
TO the mysterious passage was high
enough for a good-sized boat to gel
/ through. Had the cutter been whole he
would have been tempted TO explore the
place.
Stepping out upon the further bank
/ he noticed, for the first time. that the
plateau in front OF the cave was de-
serted Neither the officers Of the MAZDA
/ the cook. nor The two sailors were iu
sight Captain Latimer had not moved
| from his bed since being brought TO it
and he was never LEFT alone But as
Thorpe fastened up the bank OF the in
let ne heard loud voices and a sudden
fusillade OF pistol shots from the direc-
I tion OF the beach Startled by the
sounds. he sprang upon a boulder and
strove TO gain a view Of the shore. All
he could see was a crowd Of men strug-
Cling. nearly a quarter Of a mile away,
and who were friends and who enemies
he could not tell
Look out for yourself. Thornel" he
heard Pepper shout. These fends have
got the best Of rs"
There was a hoarse cry from AtwelI,
and Thorne saw the mutineer and sew
eraT Of his gang running up the incline
! toward him.
Look out for the capn." Sessions
commanded.
Thorne fired a shot at the mutineers.
checking their advance. and darted back
to the entrance OF the cavern. The
opening was so narrow that but one OF
the attacking party could approach at
time With his revolver ne was prac-
ltically master OF the situation.
! AS he entered he glanced in the di-