Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20

! fora the Munras. Stay here with the wo-
| men. and children, and old men But |
/ Will not stay" continued the boy. II will
! so 10 the white trader. He said he wanted
] just such boy as / am.
Remain with me. Tokee'' said Manrac,
VIII teach you to cure the sick and heal
! the wounded. Then when 1 am taken you
/ can he pale in my place.
mo one would trust me-" said Tokee.
J Old Munrac soon found that argument
| was useless He watched the boy who had
become so dear to him stride across the
/ bridge over the deep chasm and disappear
| in the gloom of the forest. When the
culver, bow and spear which Tokee had
| thrown down met the old mans eyes, he
| mutiered. He will be back" and. climb
| ing into his hammock, lay down contented-
| ly.
| Meanwhile Tokee strobe along the tam
| gled forest path, dashing aside the grace
! fui flowers and the wild vines that hung
| from the mora-tree.
Il will never go back" he muttered.
never! never!' and his knife slashed an
griiy at the shoots of a wild fig tree that
| barred his way. Suddenly the boy stood
and listened, he heard the thud of many
feet and the Swapping of dead twigs. In the
distance he caught the CLINT of spears and
waving feathers. Tokee wished to meet
neither friend nor foe, so he swung himself
into the low hanging branches of tree and
waited
Soon he could make out number of war
riors belonging to the MunraS tribe. He
enough OF their language to discover that
some trick had been practiced to draw the
Mundrucu warriors from their homes.
They spoke of the bridge and the best
manner of reaching it, one said it was the
only place for miles where this chasm could
be crossed. IF the bridge down"
thought Tokee. you would have to go back
or make another"
Then, without a thought of his own dan
ger, the boy slid from his perch to the
ground.
Instantly the race began Away sped
Tokee, under or over every obstacle, spring
ing from tufts OF long grass to knotted,
twisted roots, or wading, knee-deep.
through the spongy soil where jets OF
water spOuted out at every step.
The Munras were close behind him. But
Tokee was a swift strong runner, and
presently their foremost man found that
he needed all his breath to keep up with
the boy.
Painting and exhausted, Tokee's foot at
last struck the bridge, then he glanced
backward On the crest of the low hill
that lay between him and the forest APP
peared one dark form, the rest would soon
follow, there was no time to lose With a
shout that was heard by old Manrac and
brought him from his hammock, Tokee
scurried across the bridge of logs; then
drawing his knife he began to cut and
hack at the bands of the bohuco vine that
fastened it to the trees on the bank.
There was an answering yell from the
Munras as they came rushing down toward
HILL Int HdIEloES pduseu On Iils Di1Hh VI
the precipice; no one wished to cross the
narrow bridge with half of It's supports
severed. Tokee. without raising his head,
went on with his task. A spear whirled by
him and stuck in the ground; it was fol-
lowed by shower of arrows.
Meanwhile, old Manrac had fastened to
the village and now the alarm drums
sounded from all the neighboring settle
ments.
There was only one more band to cut
when an arrow pierced Tokee's shoulder.
The pain was almost intoerable, but the
boy set his teeth and finished his task.
Then, as the bridge, torn by its own weight
from the farther side, went crashing into
the abyss, Tolzee fell forward unconscious.
Here he was found when the Mundrucu
warriors returned. And this is how Tokee
became warrior.