The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-12-17

| haven't seen any yet"
There will be millions after sun
set"
Maybe; but I bet they keep below
our roost"
But how are we to get up so high?"
| inquired Miss Leslie.
Il can swarm this drop root. and
I've a creeper ready for you two" ex-
| planned Blake
Suiting action to words, he climbed
up the small trunk of the air root and
swung over into the hollow where he
had piled the reeds. Across the
broad limb dangled a rope-like creeper,
one end Of which he had fastened to a
branch higher up. He flung down the
| free end to Winthrope.
Look lively, Pat" he called. "The
suns most gone, and twilight don't
last all night in these parts. Get the
line around Miss Leslie, and do what
you can on a boost"
81 see; but, you know, the vine is
too stiff to tie"
Blake stified an oath and jerked the
end of the creeper up into his hand.
When he threw it down again it was
| loOped around and fastened in a bow
line knot
Now, Miss Leslie. get aboard and
we'll have you up in a jiffy," he said.
Are you sure you can lift me?"
asked the girl, as Winthrope slipped
the loop over her shoulders.
Blake laughed down at them. well.
l guess yes, Once hoisted a fellow out
of a 50-foot prospect hole-big fat
Dutchman at that. You don't weigh
over 100"
He had stretched out across the
broadcast part of the branch. As Miss
Leslie seated herself in the loop he
reached down and began to haul up on
the creeper, hand over hand Though
frightened by the novel manner of as
| cent the girl chung tightly to the line
above her head. and Blake had no diff
ficulty in raising her until she swung
directly beneath him. Here, how
ever, he found himself in a quandary.
The girl seemed as helpless as a child.
and he was lying fiat. How could he
left her above the level of the branch?
Take hold the other line" he said.
The girl hesitated. DO you hear?
Grab it quick and pull up hard if you
don't want a tumble"
The girl seized the part of the
creeper which was fastened above and
drew herself up with convulsive en-
ergy. Instantly Blake rose to his
knees, and grasping the taut creeper
with one hand reached down with the
other to swing the girl up beside him
on the branch.
"All right, Miss Jenny" he reas-
sured her as he felt her tremble "Sor-
ry to scare you, but | couldn't have
made it without Now. if you'll Just
hold down my legs we'll soon hoist
his ludship."
He had seated her in the broadest
part of the shallow hollow, where the
branch Joined the main trunk of the
fig. Heaped with the reeds which he
had gathered during the afternoon it
made such a coy shelter that she
at once forgot her dizziness and fright
Nesting among the reeds, she leaned
over and pressed down on his ankles
with all her strength.
The loose end of the creeper had
fallen to the ground when Blake lifted
her upon the branch and Winthrope
was already slipping into the loop.
Blake ordered him to take it off and
send up the club AS the creeper was
again flung down a black shadow
swept over the jungle
Hello! Sunset" called Blake.
Look sharp, there"
All ready" responded Winthrope.
Blake drew in full breath. and be-
gan to hoist. The position was an
awkward one, and Winthrope weighed
30 or 40 pounds more than Miss Les
lie But as the Englishman came
within reach of the descending loop
he grasped it and did what he could
to ease Blake's efforts. few mo-
ments found him as high above the
ground as Blake could raise him.
Without waiting for orders, he swung
himself upon the upper part of the
creeper and climbed the last few feet
unaided. Blake grunted with satisfac-
ton as he pulled him in upon the
branch.
You may do, after ALL" he said.
AT any rate, we're all aboard for the
night; and none too soon Hear that"
What"
Lion, l guess Not that yelping.
Listen"
The brief twilight was already fading
into the darkness of a moonless night.
and as the three crouched together In
their shallow nest they were soon
made audibly aware of the savage ma
ture of their surroundings. With the
gathering night the jungle Weakened
into full life. From all sides came the
harsh squawking of birds, the weird
cries Of monkeys and other small crea-
lures, the crash of heavy animals
moving through the jungle, and above
all the yelp and howl and roar of
beasts Of prey.
After some contention with Win
thrope, Blake conceded that the roars
OF his lion might be nothing worse
than the snorting of the hippopotami
as they came out to browse for the
night In this, however, there was
small comfort, since Winthrope pres
entity reasserted his belief in the |