Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-11
Anthony! What was anti.

threw the piece Of rock contcmp-
Sly among the bushes. But, be
borough in all that he undertook.
Eeturned to the cave and again
ucted an inquisition. The silver
vein became more strongly mark
the point where it disappeared
Inward into collection of rubble
sand. That was all. Did men
their toll, their lives. for this? So
ould appear. BE that as II might.
had more pressing work. If the
still held q secret it must remain
$ had gone back 10 her sage kncad-
Shouldering the AK, he walked to
beach. Much debris from the steam |
ms lying high and dry. 1t was an
task for an athletic man to reach |
palm tree, vet the sailor hesitated
almost imperceptible qualms.
baited rat trap" he muttered.
h he quckencd his pace With the
active spring from rock to rock
unacknowledged doubts vanished
might find stores of priceless util-
The reflection inspired him.
ping and climbing like cat. in
minutes he was near the tree.
p could now see the true explana-
of its growth in seemingly i'm
kible place. Here the bed Of the
bulged upward in small sand
which silted round the base Of n
stone rock so different in color and
nation from the coral reef Ma
whose engineering contrivances
force springs to mountain tops.
,aged to deliver to this isolated ref
sufficient supply of water to
rish the palm, and the roots. firmly
red in deep creviccs. We're well pro
ed from the waves
Ptween the sailor and the tree in
cned a small stretch Of shallow wa
Landward this submerged saddle
we'd steeply into the lagoon. Al.
Ugh the water in the cove was TWEEN
fathoms in depth. its crystal clear
was remarkable. The bottom.
posed Of marvelously white sand
broken coral. rendered other OBJ
$ conspicuous He could see plenty
fish, but not single shark, while
the inner slope of the reef was
My visible the destroyed fore part
the Sirdar, which had struck be
d the tree, relatively TO his present
ndpoint. He had wondered why no
Is were cast ashore. Now he saw
reason Three of them were sui
tened to the davits and carried
IN with the hull.
paward the water was not so clear.
waves created patches of foam,
long submarine plants swaycd gen
in the undercurrent.
o reach Palm Tree rock - antic-
ing its subsequent name-he must
SIS space Of some thirty feet and
lie up to his waist.
e made the passage with ease.
itched against the bole of the tree
a long, narrow case. very heavy.
clamped and marked with letters
black triangles and the broad arrow
The British government.
Rifles. by all the gods" shouted the
or
he Sirdar carried a consignment Of
his and ammunition from Hongkong
Singapore. Providence had decreed
t practically inexhaustble store
cartridges should he hurled across
lagoon to the island. And here
re rifles enough to equip half a COM
ny. He would not risk the precious
in an attempt to open the case. He
st 60 back for a crowbar.
What else was there in this store
use thrust by Neptune. from the
an bed? 4 chest Of tea. seemingly
damaged: three barrels of -four. ut
Y ruined; saloon chair, smashed
m its pivot; battered chronometer.
the rest, fragments of timber in
mingled with pulverized coral and
ken crockery.
little farther on the deep water
rance to the lagoon curved between
hken rocks On one of them rested
Sirdar's huge funnel. The north
st section Of the reef was bare.
hong the wreckage he found coil
stout rope and pulley. He instant
conceived the idea of constructing
aerial line to ferry the chest of tea
ross the channel he had forded.
Ie threaded the pulley with the rope
<lir hn1 hn two n16 i,,fr 4,
artistic completeness to the ruin of
trousers by the operation. He had
stoned the pulley high up the trunk
fore he realized how much more sim
II would be to break open the chest
here it lay and transport its contents
small parcels
lie laughed lightly. II am becoming
die headed" he said to himself.
nyhow, now the job is done, may
well make use of it,"
Recoiling tho rope ends. he cast them
ross to the reef In such small ways
men throw invisible dice with death.
18th those two lines he would within
few fieeting seconds drag himself
ok from eternity
Picking up the AK. he carelessly
epped into the water, not knowing
at Iris, having welded the incipient
go into fat pancake, had strolled
the beach and was watching him.
frhe water was hardly above hit
ices when there came swirling rush
ON the seaweed. A long tcntacle shot
t like a lasso and gripped his right
&. Another coled around his waist
"My God" he gurgled as horrid
ECKER closed over his mouth and nose,
e was in the grip Of n devlhsh,