Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-31


and said to Val:
My idea Is that Mr.. Staples ought
/ to know just what has happened, so that he
can come up here in the schooner; and, II
you agree to it, vel send one of the sailors
right back in the boat. The wind and the
current will carry him down. there by morn
ing, and the mate may be able to get up here
at night"
DO whatever you think best, Mr.. Swa-
zey; Tor | don't know what should be done,
replied Val.
And the rubber collector gave one OF the
sailors minute instructions to the channel
and what he should tell Mr.. Staples, conclud-
ing IN a low tone, so that the others could
not hear him:
Tell him that it Is my opinion that we
shall never find the party alive, and that l
think it Is of the greatest Importance that
| he should be here while the search Is being
made
The cages containing the birds and the
aImadlllos were put into the hfeboat and,
with small leg-of-mutton sail set, the light
/ craft gided out into the darkness, with
rapIdlty that promised a speedy ending to the
voyage.
After the boat had gone. Mr. Swazey di-
Flded the party into watches, and was prepar-
ing TO spend the night as comfortably as posi-
bic, when Val asked:
Are not we going to do anything toward
( finding them tonight sir?'
There is nothing we can do, my boy We
. Ia Z 20. IOliDW the tFalt II nope TO
lind them and We shall need all the light we
can have to see Ii, for it viii be forty-eight
hours old. Besides, ] sent one of the Indians
+ for brother Of his, who knows pretty much
al the country hereabouts, and they won't
come till morning
Anxious as Val was to do something to-
ward finding his father he could not fail to
understand the uselessness of attempting to
make any move during the darkness, and, as
he was too troubled in mind to sleep he stood
. WaTrh hack and no
beach until daybTeak when he saw d canoe
coming up the river.
He remembered what Mr. Swazey had said
ABOUT expecting two Indians, who were to aid
IN the search, and undoubtedly these were the
men, Tor they Immediately landed and lnquir
ed Tor the rubber collector
Mr.. SwaZey was now willing TO proceed
quite as fast Val could desire, and in ten
minutes from the time the Indians arrived,
search.
A paper, on which was written an account
OF what was being done. pinned to the flap
OF Doctor Burroughs tent, for the double pur-
pose OF informing Mr.. Staples where they had
gone and TO explain 10 the hunters what steps
had been taken, IN case any of these returned
before the searchers got back.
The boys pointed out to the Indians the
place where the hunters had entered the
woods, and from there the search was begun.
1t was impossible for Val or Fred TO see ANY,
thing that looked like footprints, but the
guides, and even Mr.. Swazey, semed to think
. that the trail was very plain.
That the Indians were on the right track
was seen after they had been travelling an
hour, when they came upon the place where
the hunters had evidently tried to catch mon
keys by the same method employed In Africa
for two bottles were found on the ground, and
quite near them battered tin drinking cup,
that looked as II 4 large monkey had been
venting his spite upon it.
We'll, they didn't catch any, that's GER
7 #aHwa 4
and then motioned the Indians to go on
How do you know" asked Val, curl
ously.
/ why. it stands to reason that they didn't,
or your father would have sent one of the
Indians back with the animals. They would
mt have kept on through the woods, carry
1 ing a lot Of monkeys with them, now would
they:'
Perhaps the monkeys ran away and they
followed. suggested al.
I Nothing more likely. Thev kent on after
I the longtailed Tascas; but why they haven't
come back Is what beats me, and what we've
got to find out"
During the next half-hour the trail was fol-
lowed without difficulty, but no other signs
were found Of those whose disappearance was
such a mystery.
At the end Of that time the two guides
were seen TO stand several moments talking
earnestly, and when Mr.. Swazey and Val
came up, they pointed TO unmistakable signs
among the shrubbery of a severe struggle
Then one went in direction, and the
other continued on the course they had been
pursuing, while the remainder of the com
pany waited In accordance with their desire
IN five minutes both returned, and had a
talk with Mr.. SWazey, who. after the Indians
had finished their story, told the boys what
they had said.
From all the signs, the guides believed that
large party OF Parentintins had followed the
hunters Tor the express purpose of capturing
them, and that they had succeeded in their