The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-04-11

Dewey hobbled the horses in a grassy
ravinr and turned his attention to the
preparation of the evening meal As
the proyender consisted entirely of
hard tack and bacon, his reputation as
an excellent cook was not put to the
test. Despite the hard days work
Reilly's appetite was missing. While
Dewey ravenOusly devoured the scorch-
ed bacon Reilly sat idly tossing crumbs
TO the white carrier pigeons
Reilly finally lay down to Steep. leav-
ing Dewey to stand guard. At IL
O'Clock the bearer of dispatches. who
had never closed his eyes for Il mo
ment, arose to his feet and enacted
pantomime which was supposed TO rep
resent a tired trooper shaking off sound
slumber. Taking this as the sign of hi
relief. Dewey was soon sleeping hard
enough and loud enough for two men
When Reilly twisted him to his feet at
the first suggestion of dawn he was
chatterinC in broken English about
head hunters and poisoned arrows and
such like barbarities.
What about the head hunters, Dew
ey?" said Reilly when they We're once
more on the way after hasty assault
on the hard tack and bacon
Him much there" Dewey affirmed.
pointing in direction which would
seem to indicate that they were trav
cling straight for the region of these
picturesque savages.
''No more eat native" persisted Dew
cy, glad Of an opportunity t. eXercis2
his American vocabulary. Him now
eat only white heads" And he cast
meaning glance at Rcilly's rOseate top
piece
The sembiance of trail wound in
and out, but steadily upward over rock
strewn ground and through dense I'M
dergrowth Suddenly Dewey pointed
brown finger toward Il giant tree that
stood outlined against the Sky. Mes
Ting in two of its limbs was what ap-
peared TO be mammoth bird nest
Head hunter live much high" he eX-
planned. NO can get"
oh, it wouldn't be any trouble get
ting that said Reilly, and, snatching
his revolver from the holster. he took
a snapshot at the lofty dwelling. The
report was followed by faint cry. and
Il contorted body dropped to the ground
like a stone
Reilly paused aghast Mt the outcome
of his rash act. That" he said half
aloud, is the poorest shot | ever made
in my life. If | get out Of this mess
with Il head on my shoulders it will be
because ! have more luck than
At that instant a moose dropped noise
lcssly over his shoulders, and he was
endorsed by Il sudden tightening of the
rope.
The first thought which came to Rel
ly's mind when he was set upon his
feet after being securely bound, was
one of wonder over where this myriad
of little brown men had all sprung
from. Chattering like so many mon
keys, they pressed about him. gesticu
lating wildly and no doubt threatening
the most horrible forms of vengeance.
Gazing over their heads, he caught
sight of Dewey, also Il captive. and
their horses being driven off in the
distance The little wicker cage had
evidently been broken open, and the
frightened pigeons fluttered about high
in the air.
AS the natives dragged their cap
tives toward a distant clearing the
birds followed in circling flight. This
fact evidently afforded the savages
much pleasure for they broke into a
sort of droning chant, accompanying
it with skyward gestures
The advance guard finally came to a
halt before collection of grass huts
which marked the center of the clear
ing. The prisoners We're tightly bound
to highly decorated post which had
evidently served in the same capacity
on former occasions. AS soon as they
had satisfied themselves that there was
no possibility of the victims escaping
the whole company turned their atten-
ton once more to the two carriers
which We're now skimming back and
forth scarcely twenty feet above the
ground. At a sign from the chief they
all proStrated themselves as if in wor
ship.
"What in thunder are they up to
now growled Reilly. why don't
they chop heads and get it over WITH"
Dewey was trembling with excite
ment Him gods" he explained. Head
hunter much 'fraid of white bird. Him
spirit"
At the direction of the chief huge
wooden bowls heaped with rice were
brought out and displayed invitingly.
but the birds did not respond to this
enticement The natives drew back
and were about to again PROSTATE
themselves when, TO their amaZement,
the birds darted down swiftly and
allghted with perfect confidence on the
broad shoulders of the white prisoner.
Selling upon this suspicious omen,
Dewey broke forth into Il ranting dis
course addressed to the superstltious
head hunters In their own dialect.
Beware, devil begotten head hunt
ersH' he howlcd. You have dared to
waylay a mighty god. See how the
spirits come to him when you could
not tempt them with much rice Re-
lease him before an earthquake swal-
lows you up or a typhoon blows you