Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-02-01
the house.

the mouse.
Instantly they changed their tactics
Retreating hastily TO the shade of tho
opposite clin, they seemed to await the
coming OF endorsements. The sailor
fancied that messenger was dispatch.
ed by way of the north sands to hur-
~ up the laggards, because the dis
tant firing slackened and Ave minutes
later fierce outbreak of yells among
the trees to the right heralded a com.
bined rush on the Belle Vue castle.
The noise made by the savHpes was
no great the screams of bcwildered
birds circling overhead so inccssant.
that jerks was compelled to speak
quite loudly when he said TO Iris;
"Tbey must think we sleep soundly
not to be disturbed by the volleys they
have fired already
She would have answered. but he
placed a restraining hand on her shout
der, for the Dyaks, quickly discovering
that the hut was empty. ran toward
the cave and thus came in full view
AS well as jerks could Judge tho
foremost trio Of the yelpng horde We're
lmpaled on the bayonets Of the chevai
lie frise. learning too late its formula
bic nature. The wounded men shrek
ed in agony, but their cries were
! drowned in torrent of amazed shouts
from their companions Forthwith
there was stampede toward the well.
the cliff. the beaches, anywhere to get
away from that awesome cavern whets
| ghosts dwelt and men fell manned ut
the very threshold. The sailor. lean
| ing as far over the edge of the roc:
as the girls expostulations would per-
NIT, heard couple of men groanins
! beneath, while n third limped away
with frantic and painful haste.
| What is it, whispered Iris. eager
| herself TO witness the tumult. What
! has happcnedt'
They have been routed by box Of
matches and a few dried bones" he
| answered.
There was no time for further speech.
| He was absorbed in estimating the
| probable number of the Dyaks. Thus
far he had seen about fifty. More
over, he did not wish to acQuaint Iris
with the actual details of the artifce
! that had been SO potent. Her allusion
to the box of water sodden matches
had given him the notion Of utilizing
as an active ally the bleached remains
of the poor fellow who had long ago
fallen a victim to this identical mob
| of cutthroats or their associates. He
had gathered the principal bones from
their resting place near the well, rub
bed them with the ends of the matches
after damping the sulphur again ami
arranged them with shastly effect on
the pile of rubbish at the farther end
Of the cave, creeping under the cheval
de frise for the purpose.
Though not so vivid as he wished
the pale glimmering headless skeleton
in the intense darkness of the interior
was appalling enough in all conscience.
Fortunately the fumes of the sulphur
fed on the bony substance. They en-.
dured sufficient time to scare every
Dyak who caught a glimpse of the
monstrous object crouchinG in luminous
horror within the dismal cavern.
Not even the stirring exhortations Of
the chief, whose voice was raised in
furious speech, could induce his adher
| Chto " uSdih uPPiooNh tLdl
spot. At last the daring scoundrel him.
self, still welding his naked sword,
strobe right up to the very doorway.
Stricken with sudden stupor, he Gazed
at the ftful CLEANS within. He prod.
ded the cheval de frise with the pa.
rang. Here was something definite and
solid. Then he dragged one of the
wounded men out into the moonlight
Again jerks experienced an itching
desire to send bullet through the
Dyak's head. Again he resisted the
impulse. And so passed that which il
vouchsafed by fate to few men-a sec
ond opportunity.
Another vehement harangue by the
chief goaded some venturesome spirits
into carrying their wounded comrads
out of sight, presumably to the hut
| Inspired by their leaders fearless eX
ample, they even removed the third in
jured Dyak from the vicinity of tie
cave, but the celebrity of their retreat
caused the wretch TO bawl in agony.
The next undertaking was no sooner
appreciated by the sailor than he hur
riedly caused Iris to shelter herself DO
| nedlH tne tarpauIln, WDlle ne covered
close to the floor of the ledge, looking
only through the screen of tall grasses
They kindled Il fire near the well. Soop
its ruddy glare lit up the dark roct
with fantastic chickering's and drew
scntillations from the weapons and or
naunents of the hideously picturesQu,
horde gathered in its vicinity.
They spoke n language of hard
vOwels and nasal resonance and az
what he judged to be dry fish, milleu
and strips OF tough preserved meat
which they cooked on small iron skew
ers stuck among the glowing embers
His heart sank as he counted sixty-one
all told, assembled within forty yard:
of the ledge. Probably several Others
were guarding the boats or proving
about the island. Indeed. events prov.
ed that more than eighty men had
come ashore in three large sampans
roomy and fleet craft. well fitted foi
piratical excursions up river estuaries
or along coast.
They were mostly bareegged rascals,
wearing Malay hats. loose jackets
reaching 10 the knee and sandals. ono
| man differed essentially from the 9th,