The Mena weekly star., 1908-12-10
cA ar4R Ix.
The Leopards' Den.


 cocoanuts, his companions leveled the stones beneath the ledges chosen by Winthrope, and gathered enough dried sea-weed along the talus to soften the hard beds.
 Soothed by the monotonous wash of the sea among the rocks, even Miss Leslie slept we'll Blake. who had in sisted that she should retain his coat, was wakened by the chilliness pre- ceding the dawn. Five minutes later they started on their journey.
 The starlight glimmered on the waves and shed a faint radiance over the rocks. This and their knowledge of the way enabled them to pick 8 path along the foot of the cliff without difficulty. Once on the beach, they swung along at smart gait, invigor- ated by the cool air.
 Dawn found them half way to their goal Blake called a halt when the first red streaks shot up the eastern sky. All stood waiting until the quick ly following sun sprang forth from the sea. Blake's first act was to glance from one headland to the other, esti- mating their relative distances. His grunt of satisfaction was lost in Win thrope's exclamation; By love, look at the cattle!"
 Blake and Miss Leslie turned to stare at the droves of animals nov ing about between them and the bor- der of the tall grass. Miss Leslie was the first to speak. They cant be cattle, Mir. Winthrope. There are some with stripes. do believe they're zebras!"
 Get downl" commanded Blake They're all wild game. Those big OK like fellows to the left of the zebras are eland Wheel wouldn't we be in 1t If we owned that water hole? I'll bet I'd have one of those fat beeves inside three days
 How should enjoy juicy steaki" murmured Miss Leslie.
 Raw or ierked?" questioned Blake.
 What is 'jerked?'
 Dried"
 "Oh, no; mean broiled just red inside"
 ''I prefer mine quite rare" added Winthrope.
 That's the way you'll get it, damned rare-Beg your pardon, Miss Jenny. Without fire. we'll have the choice of raw or ierked.
 "Horrors!"
 "Jcrked meat is all right. You cut your game in strips"
 With a penknife.' laughed Miss Leslie.
 Blake stared at her glumly That's so. You've got it back on me-Butch CT beef with penknifel Wen have to take it raw. and dogfashion at that
 Haven't heard of bamboo knives?" said Winthrope.
 "Bamboo?"
 I'm sure can't say. but as re- member. it seems to me that the var nish-like glaze"
 Silica? Say, that would cut meat But where in-where In hades are the bamboos?"
 I'm sure I can't say. Only re- HcnlbfF tidt nave seen tnenl m OlH- | CT tropical places, you know
 Meantime l prefer cocoanuts. until | We have fire to broil our steaks" re- | marked Miss Leslie.
 Ditto. Miss Jenny, longs we have 1 the nuts and no meat I'm vegetari- | an now-but maybe my mouth ain't | watering for something else. Look at | all those chops and roasts and stews running around out there,"
 "They are making for the grass" observed Winthrope. Hadn't we bet ter start?"
 Nuts won't weigh so much without | the shells. We'll eat right here" There were only few nuts left. They were drained and cracked and | scooped out, one after another The | last chanced to break evenly across the middle.
 Hello" said Blake, "the lower part | of this will do for a bowl Miss Jen- ny. When you've eaten the cream.
 Continued next week.