Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-24
CHAPTER v.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER V.-(Centinued.)
Iris $3.50. n.fcn to ner ,.t:,J i,aiead
ing. Shouldering the AK. he walked to
the beach. Much debris from the steam
err was lying high and dry. 1t was an
easy task for I'm athletic man to reach
the palm tree. yet the sailor hesitated
with almost imperceptible qualms.
"a baited rat trap" he muttered.
Then he quickened his pace. With the
first active spring from rock to rock
his unacknowledged doubts vanished.
lie might find stores of priceless util-
ity. The reflection inspired him.
Jumping and climbing like a cat. in
two minutes he was near the tree
He could now see the true explana-
ton of its growth in seemingly i'm.
possible place. Here the bed Of the
sea bulged upward in small sand
cay, which silted round the base Of a
limestone rock SO different in color and
formation from the coral reef. Ma
ture, whose engineering contrivances
can force springs to mountain tops,
managed to deliver to this isolated ref
uge sufficient supply Of water to
nourish the palm, and the roots, firmly
lodged in deep crevices. were well pro-
tected from the waves.
Between the sailor and the tree in
tervened small stretch of shallow wa
ter. Landward this submerged saddle
shelved steeply into the lagoon. Al
though the water in the cove was twen-
ty fathoms In depth, Its crystal clear
ness was remarkable. The bottom.
composed Of marvelously white sand
and broken coral, rendered other OBJ
jects conspicuous. He could see plenty
Of fish, but not single shark, while
on the inner slope Of the reef was
plainly visible the destroyed fore part
Of the Sirdar, which had struck be-
yond the tree, relatively to his present
standpoint. He had wondered why no
boats were cast ashore. Now he saw
the reason. Three OF them were still
fastened to the dayits and carried
down with the hull.
Seaward the water was not 30 clear
The waves created patches of foam,
and long submarine plants swayed gen.
tly in the undercurrent.
To reach Palm Tree rock - antici-
pnting it's subsequent name-he must
cross space of some thirty feet and
wade up to his waist.
He made the passage with ease.
Pitched against the bole of the tree
was long, narrow case, very heavy,
iron clamped and marked with letters
in black triangles and the broad arrow
Of the British government.
"Rifies, by all the gods" shouted the
sailor.
The Sirdar carried consignment Of
arms and ammunition from Hongkong
to Singapore. Providence had decreed
that q practically inexhaustible store
Of cartridges should be hurled across
the lagoon to the island. And here
were rifles enough to equip half COM
pany. He would not risk the precious
AK in an attempt to open the case. He
must go back for crowbar.
What else was there in this store
house thrust by Neptune from the
ocean bed? A chest Of tea, seemingly
undamaged; three barrels of flour, ut
terly ruined; saloon chair, smashed
from its pivot; battered chronometer.
For the rest, fragments Of timber in
termingled with pulverized coral and
broken crockery.
A little farther on the deep water
entrance to the lagoon curved between
sunken rocks. On one of them rested
the Sirdar's huge funnel. The north
west section of the reef was bare.
Among the wreckage he found coil
Of stout rope and a pulley. He instant
~ conceived the idea Of constructing
an aerial line to ferry the chest Of tea
across the channel he had forded.
He threaded the pulley with the rope
and climbed the tree, adding a touch
of artistic completeness to the ruin Of
his trousers by the operation. He had
fastened the pulley high up the trunk
before he realized how much more sim
pie it would be to break open the chest
where it lay and transport its contents
in small parcels.
He laughed lightly. ~ am becoming
addle headed" he said to himself.
Anyhow, now the job is done, may
as we'll make use Of It,"
Recoiling the rope ends, he cast them
across to the reef. In such small ways
do men throw invisible dice with death.
With those two lines he would within
q few feeting seconds drag himself
back from eternity.
Picking up the ak, he carelessly
stepped into the water, not knowing
that Iris, having welded the incipient
sago into fiat pancake, had strolled
to the beach and was watching him.
The water was hardly above his
knees when there came swirling rush
from the seaweed. A long tentacle shot
out like lasso and gripped his right
leg. Another coiled around his waist.
MY God" he gurgled as horrid
sucker closed over his mouth and nose.
He was in the grip Of a devilfish!
A deadly sensation Of nausea almost
overpowered him, but the love of life
came to his aid and he tore the sufo-
eating feeler from his face. Then the
ak whirled, and one of the eight arms
of the octopus lost some of its length.
Yet fourth flung itself around his left
ankle. A few feet away, out of range
Of the az and lifting itself bodily out
Of the water, was the dread form Of
the cutie, apparently all head, with
distenSn'' - ''1H-'st~o11s eyes.