Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-11
By LOUIS TRACY,

Please don't mind me- she said quietly. T know all about the loss of the Emu. If we fall into the hands of the Alaculof tribe we shall be not only killed, but eaten"
 Each of the men admired her cool ness, but Tollemache, who had been quietly scrutinizing the nearer hills, gave painful emphasis to this grew some topic by exclaiming:
 ''There they are now-smoke sig nals!"
 Sure enough, thin columns of smoke were rising from several points on the land. It could not be doubted that these were caused by human agency. They were not visible when the party sat down to breakfast. The appear ance of the ship was their obvious ex- planation, but not a canoe or a soli- tary figure could be seen, though Cour. tenay and others at various times dur ing the day searched every part of the neighboring shore with field glasses and powerful telescopes.
 After an all too brief burst of sun shine the Land of Storms again justi- fled its name. Giant clouds came roll ing fn from seaward; the mountains were lost Tn mist; the glaciers became sullen, rock strewn masses of white brown ice; the fresh greenery of the forests faded into somber belts of blackness. Though it was high sum- mer in this desolate region, heavy showers of hail and sleet alternated with drenching rain. At low water, though the Kansas floated securely in depth of twenty fathoms, yellow current sweeping past her starboard quarter showed how accurately Courte- nay had read the tokens of the inlet. Many a swollen torrent and perhaps one or two fair sized streams at the head of the bay contributed this flood of fresh water.
 To Elsie and the doctor were in- trusted the daylight watch on deck and the care of the sick. For the latter there was not much to be done. The cook undertook to feed them, and Frascuelo, the wounded stevedore who had been discovered in a state of col- lapse, soon revived and was practical ly able to look after himself. The others, under Walkers directions, were hard at work in the engine room and stokehold, for there alone lay the chance of ultimate escape.
 rT-t- h,,& tie. The outer war of the clements was disturbing and Christobal, though unfailingly optimistic in his speech, was nevertheless prey to dark fore bodings. Elsie, worn out by the strain of the preceding twenty-four hours and notwithstanding her brief sleep in the morning thoroughly exhausted for want of rest, was persuaded to re- tire early to her cabin. She lay down almost fully dressed. Somehow it was impossible to think of state of un- preparedness for any emergency.
 She was soon sound asleep. She awoke with start, with all her nerves s-quiver. Joey was tearing along the deck, barking furiously. She heard two men run past her door with ominous haste. Then, after a heart breaking pause. there was some shoot ing. Some one-she thought it was Courtenay-roared down the salon com panion:
 "On deck, all hands, to repel board ers!''
 With a confused rush, men mounted the stairs and raced forward. She knew that nearly all of those not on watch were sleeping with the injured men in the salon. and now she under stood the reaso. The ship was being attacked by Intsans and not altogether unexpectedly. The savages had stolen alongside in their canoes under the cloak of night. Perhaps they were al ready on board in overwhelming num- bers. Poor girl. She murmured pray CT while she hurriedly drew on her boots and ulster
 There seemed to he no end to the evils which assailed the Kansas. and she dreaded this new terror more than the mad fury of the seas. But if the men were fighting for their lives and hers she must help too. That was clear She had a weapon. loaded re- volver. which she had picked up from beneath a boats tsrps Il''' lying on the spar deck. She open'd her door and peered out. She could not see any one. and the rattle of hailItorn overhead effectuslly dulled any other noise. But several shots fired again fin tho fore part of the ship were audi he above the din of the pelting hail, So she ran that way. with the fine courage of one who fears. yet goes on. and her eyes pierced the shadows with a tense despair in them. for what could so few men do against the un- seen watchers who sent up the thirty four smoke columns she had countedi
 CHATTER TX.
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