Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-24

served for dinner if Doctor Burroughs had
been there
1t was a Brazilian opossum, and such fat
one that Fred was certain they would have a
meal that would compensate them in some
SLght degree Tor the fasting they had been fore
ed to endure. The only question to be settled
was as TO who should be the cook.
=, Arthur had more experience IN the culinary
h1e than either Of the Others, so he volunteer
ed to serve up the Opossum in proper man
ner, While Fred took his place at the chop
ping.
Perhaps at any other time Arthur's manner
OF serving the game would not have been as
highly appreciated it was then, for they
were too hungry to be fastidiOus and the half
burned meat, coated thickly with ashes, tasted
better than anything they had eaten since
the night when the Indians stole the Mid
get.
1t was rather late in the day when dinner
was partaken Of, and as they sat on the beach,
EMO, ing the mueh-needed rest and the food at
the same time, what semed to be a happy
thought occurred to Val
why can't we send a message to the
schooner by means of these logs" he said
earnestly.
What do you mean2' asked Fred, in per-
pleHlty, and even Arthur looked mystified-
Judging from what we have accomplished
thus far, it viii take two or three days to get
the yacht ahoat, won't It p There could be no
question about that, for the work they had
done was hardly pereeptible. The raft appear
Su ~ pC QuALc dS ldT4c dS IL Mds Muc0 II uES1
ran away with the yacht. "Of course, every
log we cut adrift viii float directly past the
schooner, unless it lodges on the bank" con-
t1nued Val, and we may safely say that not
more than one out Of every four VIII run
aground. Now, we can tear up the yachts
flags. and make them into small Streamers, to
be fastened ON to the logs. If any one on the
schooner sees such thing, he VIII be sure to
try to find out what it means"
And when only piece of bunting is found,
I those hoard the North 2far will ho.,
than they were before" said Fred.
III course, they wouldn't, If We should do
no more than set up the hags; but there ls
nothing to prevent US from fastening a note
to each one, and then any person who exam
ines it viii know exactly where We are"
Fred and Arthur were on their feet instant.
ly, delighted with the idea, which certainly
seemed brilliant one. They had drifted, as
near as they could Judge, about One-third Of
the distance from the camp to the schooner,
and 1T would be more than days Journey in
boat from the North Star to where they were
imprisoned In this way they might be able,
not only to get assistance for themselves, but
for the other portion of the party in case it
was needed
Full of their new plan. Val and Fred hur-
med down to the yacht to write the notes,
while Arthur went on shore to cut reeds to
be used as hagstaffs.
Fortunately. there was no lack Of writing
materials on board the Midget, and the letters
were begun without delay, Val writing the
first copy, with view to the saving Of
words:
''The Midget is disabled on the right bank
of the river, one days journey from the
schooner. Doctor Burroughs party are IN tha
woods somewhere. Send help.
"YAL, FRED AND ARTHUR
The boys had time to write thirty of these
notes before Arthur returned and then they
began to send their messengers away. in the
hope that the current would carry one of the
logs to the schooner by daylight next morn
ing
The stripes of the flags were torn apart
and one end tied to reed, around the top
of which was securely fastened the note,
The improVised flagstaff was then driven
into the log and started down the river, to
be carried to its hOped-for destination By the
current.
They viii wonder what has started all
these logs down the river," said Val as the
last Ornamented timber drifted away with
its streamer floating in the breeze; "and,
while they are trying to understand it. they
will see some Of our flags. If they get the
notes tomorrow morning, they ought to be
here by night. Oh, If we could only send a
message to father as easily"
"Don't be too sure that some one from the
schooner viii get your message said Ar
thur. Eve viii hope that at least one viii
reach there; but we mustn't feel so positive
about it as to give up trying to help our
selves The logs may not be noticed partieu-
larry. They may all run aground before they
get there, or they may go by IN the night,
so we must do exactly we would have
done if YOU hadn't thought of the scheme"
Val and Fred both admitted the wisdom
of the Young engineers reasoning, and they
continued at their work OF detaching the logs
until the lengthening shadows warned them
that it was time to make some preparations
for the night
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