Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-23
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SYNOPSIS. son !" he said "None Of ms could ma

son, ne SalQ. none OF us cOulQ mike
out a word she uttered when first We
saw her. She loses what small amount
of Spanish she can speak when she
becomes excited, and it was sheer good
fortune that some Of the crew were
with her when she swung herself
of our danger; otherwise she might
have been shot. suppose Suarez told
you what to expect?"
you might as well be talking Alacu-
If yourself for all / can follow what
you are saying" murmured Elsie hap
ply
Whereupon Courtenay took thought
and explained that the channel which
flowed through that amazing cut in
the cliff led to the crater of an extinct
volcano, into which the sea poured
twenty feet of water each tide. An
almost everlasting maelstrOm ragged
within. as the water entered by side
long channel and sent a whirlpool spin
ming with the hands of the clock until
the enormous cistern was full and
against them until it was empty The
sailors had taken refuge on wide,
sulphur coated ledge high above the
vortex, and the presence of several
skeletons showed that many an unfor-
tunate had sought q last shelter there
against pursuit. Every Alaculof knew
of this retreat, but few dared approach
it, as the roar of the water far below
appalled, them. There was only one
path When the hunters closed that
their prey was safe. The alternative
to capture was death by starvation.
The Chileans and he himself during
the past fourteen hours had subsisted
on u bag of dried berries stolen by the
girl when she first led the sailors
thither
Didn't you see how eager we all
We're to search the lockers 2" he asked.
But the rascals had cleared every
scrap when the boat fell into their
hands again with the falling tide
She nestled close to him.
Il saw nothing" she whispered. my
mind held but one thought-that you
We're alive, though indeed l was
mourning you as dead. But now am
restored to my senses. l think / can
grasp what happened. Did Joey find
you?"
'.Yes. You can guess my bewilder-
ment when he sprang on top of me-
. was lying down. l heard our SEN
tries shouting, but paid 10 heed AS
matter of. fact, Elsie. /. toe, hid
abandoned hope. could see no chance
of escape. Great heaven-to think
of your coming to my rescue! What
| made you do it?'
please go on. Tell me all. You
shall hear my story afterward.'
'Well, jumped up, and Joey nearly
fell into the crater with delight.
was just in time to save Suarez from
being shot. Luckily he was long
| way behind the dog, and 1 recognized
his makeup"
| Though COurtenay did not allow ten
seconds to pass without a glance at
| the charming face by his side. he new
ertheless had sharp eye for events
elsewhere. He saw smoke rising from
the funnel Of the ship. A line of flags
dancing from the 1oremast told him
that Boyle had discovered them as
soon as they were clear of the deer
shadow of Guanaco hill. But there
| We're anxious moments yet In store. A
feet of canoes put off from Otter
creek. There was every prospect of 9
fight before they reached their fortress
They had long two miles to travel
and the Indians could attack them ere
they covered half the distance.
A long blare from the ships sirer
thrilled their hearts, but the excite
ment became frantic when three short
sharp blasts followed. and every sailor
knew that the chief officer had sig
nailed, my engines are going full speed
astern."
4 That was pardonable exaggera
ton, but the Kansas was certainly
moving. They could see the white
foam churned up by her propeller
5 With one accord they cheered madly
: and the oars, double handed now, tor,
the lifeboat onward at pace which
outstripped even the shallow canoes.
Then the Indians did wise thing
They spared many of their own live:
and perchance others of greater valu,
to the world by ceasing to paddle. Tit
unlocked for Interference of the grea
vessel was too much for them. The.
merely stared and cackled in amaze
while the small fiotilla dashed toward
the towering black hull, and BOyl,
} lowered the gangway-in readiness I,
receive the captain, his bride elect ant
a good half of the passengers ant
crew.
Courtenay lost not an instant Of ia
yoring tide and. fine weather. Whel
| Boyle told him that Walker couis
, work the engines under easy steam, h
dashed up TO the bridge three steps a
time. With his hand on the tele
! graph he superintendent the hosting o.
board Of the lifeboat and two of tn
canoes, which he meant to carry ava,
as trophies--be sure that Elsie's owl
special craft was one of them. Mean
|. while Boyle saw to the safe slowing Il
. the remaining canoes of the wounde,
Indians in the fore cabin. and few
furnace bars attached to a rope an
chofed them In midchannel, whenc