Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
A Full Night,


canoe little.
II am sorry it is necessary to steal
away In this fashion" she said. and the
coolness of her tone was highly exasper-
ating to a man who could no more detain
her than he could move the Kansas I'M
aided. Il have plan which REQUIRES
only bit of good fortune to render 1t
Suarez. whose aid l am compelling. and
JssY. who is quite eager. There is no
U.S. in risking any more lives. If / do
nos return you may be sure the worst
han happened"
But what is your plan?" roared Boyle.
1T may be just sheer nonsense. Tell me
what it is, and l swear by the Nautical
Almanac i shall not prevent you from
carrying it out If it has any reason be-
hind it,
Il am going to collect all the Indian
canoes, was the amazing answer. Il
know 1t can be done. from what Suarez
has said. Once We have the canoes in
mid channel we can set most of them
adrift. and bring Capt. Courtenay and
the others back to the. ship in four or
five which We will tow to Guanaco hill
And now, goodbye again.
"One moment, Miss Maxwell broke
in Gray's quiet voice from the upper deck
you can't engineer that scheme with a
one-man crew, and he sick and unwilling
am going with you. You must take ma
aboard. wet or dry"
II am we'll armed and shall admit of no
interference" she cried.
Il promise to obey orders
IF / wanted you, Mr.. Gray, ! should
have sought your help.
1T is one thing or the other-a wriggle
down a rope or high-diving act
You have no right to impose such an
alternative on me-"
L hate it myself, and can't dive worth
a cent. You will hear a beasty flop
when 1 strike the damp
Mr.. Boyle-I call on you to hold him.
Boyle explained luridly that the Ameri-
can was doing a balancing act on the rail
eight feet above his head Elsie taking
her eyes off SuareZ for an instant, dis
cerned Gray's figure silhouetted against
the sky. She yielded.
There is rope ladder fastened to the
lowest rail. near where the canoe was
moored,' She said.
us there to be any catch-as-catch-ca can
business Boyle?" demanded Gray.
mo. All this is id unfair to me-"
You have my sympathy. friend, but
you can't leave the ship. Now, Miss Max
well. come alongside. Boyle is going to
be good. He doesn't mean half he says,
anyhow"
AS the canoe slipped out of the dense
gloom of the ships shadow Elsie heard
the wrathful chief officer interviewing the
Chilean sailors on watch on the main
deck fore and aft. That is to say, he
stirred them up from the bridge with
ritual laid down for such extreme cases.
article which the girl displayed in throw
ing him and all the others OFF their
guard. She had .maneuyered Suarez into
the canoe with the fierce and silent
strategy of a Red Indian.
The Argentine squatted on his knees
In the bows, Gray placed himself amid
Slips, and Elsie sat aft, holding the re-
vofver in her right hand and the dogs
collar In her left. The American CROPPED
for and found a paddle, which he piled
%. -.
Guess you'd better discourse, -. said he
over his shoulder. when the light craft
was well clear of the ship.
You understand Spanish, 1 think?''
Yes" = -..E
please tell Suarez to cease padding
and listen. Don't move. / can trust you,
but may have to shoot him.
BEST hand me that popgun. Miss Max
well. The gentleman in front. seems to
have a wholesome respect for you al
ready; anything you say goes. where he
IS concerned. / am taking your word for
II his name is Suarez, but he looks and
smells more like an Indian
II forced him to dress in his discarded
clothes. He may be able now to scare
any of the savages we come across. But
why should l give you my weapon, Mr..
Gray?"
Because I can hit most things aim
Nat, whereas you are more. likely to bore
Ia. hole through me preliminary.
Moreover. you have the dog with you,
wrong moment. You must have both
hands at liberty to choke his enthu-
siasm.''
do YOU pledge your word to go on
with my scheme?"
That is what am here for"
Take the revolver, then
Sure it's loaded?"
Quite sure. have fifteen extra
filling it in the dark. give it to me if you
have occasion to empty it,
You seem to have thought this thing
out pretty fully?''
II intend to succeed. Now please l
must explain what / want Suarez to do"
Speaking in Spanish, slow and clear
while the canoe drfted steadily up the
bay with the rising tide, Elsie unfolded
her project. Behind the guardian cliff
of Otter creek a ridge of rocks created a
small natural harbor. 1t was the Gus
tom of the Alaculofs, when the weather
was calm, and they meant to use their
craft at daybreak, to anchor most of their
vessels in this sheltered breakwater. At
other times the canoes were drawn
ashore, but she reasoned that such pre-
caution would not be taken during tn.
present excitement. That was the first
part of her prog! am-to capture the en-
tire fleet. including the lifeboat In any
event. she intended to go next to the
hidden cleft at the foot of Guanaco hill
trusting to the dogs sagacity to reveal
the retreat where she believed that her
lover and many of his men were hidden
If squad of Indians mounted guard
there. the reappearanca of Suarez in his
war paint. backed by the alarm of a
night attack from the sea, might mystify
the enemy sufficiently to permit of a
landing, while the frequent reports of the
revolver would certainly lead to a counter
demonstration by Courtcnay. Suarez
was the only man on the Kansas who
could act as guide, and the penalty of his
refusal would be instant death She had
provided strong, sharp knife to cut the
thongs which fastened the canoes to their
anchor stones. For the rest she trusted
to the darkness. 1t was her fixed resolve
to succeed or die
Gray listened TO the girls cool state
ment with growing admiration. The plan
began to look feasible. 1t came within
the bounds of reason The odds were
against 1t. of course, but the law of
probability Is seldom In favor of a forlorn
hope Suarez, too. making the best of a
situation which gave him no option
agreed that they had a fair chance il
once they got hold of the canoes Never
theless. he warned them that he knew
nothing of the surroundings of Guanaco
hill. He believed there were no re ifs on
that side OF the inlet, but he had never
visited 1t. Their greatest peril lay amid
the almost impenetrable trees which grew
down to the waters edge. On his advice
Gray unshipped the mast and threw ii
overheard. Then silence became I'm
perative. If aught were said they must