Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-15
CONTINUED FROM PAGE TWO

while he bound it around Ewen's head, spoke
rapidly:
Gwen, this is bad business for us. II we
are caught Wen be held responsible for Lofty
escape. The whole school will be awake IN
few minutes. We can't get back into
the barracks without being discovered. We've
got to cut and run for it, too, or Wen
be taking Lofty's place in the guard-house.
Come or!"
He assisted his companion to rise, and
leaving Even standing bewildered, peered Tor
moment around the corner of the guard
house.
The sentinel had descended from his perch
on the high board fence and was holding an
excited conversation with the guard on the
adjoining beat.
Come oni" interiected Mcpherson,
They won't notice us"
he struck out on diagonal line for the
renee, with Even at his heels. The noise
they made scrambling over attracted the at
.ention OF the guard, who came running up
just as they disappeared in the gloom OF
the forest. They heard him shouting after
them, but gave no heed.
Mcfherson, still leading the way, pushed
rapidly ahead till he felt certain that the SEN
tlnel could not follow their movements by
the unaided sense Of hearing, and then he
stopped.
Ihe officer of the guard and the Others
are right ahead of US" said he. Whether
they catch Lofty or not, they'll be coming
back in few minutes. Wen have to make
flank movement, or we'll run into them"
I'VE can follow the fence until we reach the
bay shore, and we won't lose our bearings,
said Even.
During the remainder of that night and
the morning of the next day, they wandered
on unmolested, until driven by hunger and
fatigue about noon they emerged from the con-
cealment of the woods and applied at the door
of house that stood near the mouth OF
creek that emptied its waters into the pay,
They learned that the place had already
been visited by searching party. 1t took
half their monetary resources TO WIN the
householder over to their interests and insure
safe shelter and dinner.
In spite of the privations they were forced
to undergo, neither of them limited at des,re
to return to the academy. They feared the
jeers of their famiiars even worse than they
dreaded certain imprisonment in the guard
house.
Acting on the advice of their host, they de
cided not to attempt to enter the town, but
to seek railway station further inland.
reach the railway they did not attempt to de-
rids ayi.e then. -. -. ~ oo,a,rov ro.d along
the shore of the bay, or you can cut across
you to cut across. You can follow up the
creek, till you are safely out of reach of the
soldiers, and then take to the woods"
They accepted his advice. After delaying
an hour to rest and recuperate, they. set out
ON their tramp through the woods along the
bank of the creek. :,
They had proceeded not more than a mile
when they came in sight of the lumber shanty
where Lofty had taken refuge earlier IN the
day.
rear of the structure apprised them that the
building was inhabited. They started to
make a detour SO as to pass it by without
being seen by the inmates, and had half ac-
complished their purpose when they were
startled to hear signal that made them dart
behind the nearest tree, and listen with all
their ears.
ssassembly" whistled in shil key-a sig
nal by which they comprehended that one or
more of the cadets of Westbrook were some
where in their near vicinity.
sfThe sound came from the shanty,' said
Even nervously, to his companion, 1T
can't be any of the searching party Or
What caused this exclamation was the sight
&c ofty Rankin. who at this juncture came
around the corner of the shanty and ad-
yanced in their direction
"McPherson! Ewenip called out Lofty.
ATS, all right. Come here!"
Tbey obeyed, advancing to meet him.
Lofty was overjoyed to see them. lie
shook hands with them, as though they had
been separated for weeks, instead of hours,
merely.
of which Lofty said:
4horoh we were a hundred miles from the
snoJemv If our enemies know anything
about this place they don't consider it neces-
sarv TO visit it; not one of them has showed
up here all day, ;,