The Mena weekly star., 1908-12-24

caught me nasty nip when l went to lift her of the nest"
 Best way is to kick them of" ex- plained Blake. But the point is that we've hopped over the starvation stile Understand? The whole blessed cliff end is an omelette waiting for our pan Pass the leopardettes, Miss Jenny"
 When the last bit of meat had disap. peared, Blake raked the eggs from the ashes and began to crack them, sol emnly sniffing at each before he laid 1t on it's leaf platter Some were a trifie high" None, however, were thrown away.
 When it was all over, Winthrope contemplated the scattered shells with a satisfied air
 Do you know" he remarked, this is the first time I've felt-er-re- plenished since we found those cocoa nuts"
 How about one of 'em now to top off on?" questioned Blake.
 Miss Leslie sighed Why did you speak of them? I am still hungry enough to eat more eggs-a dozen that is, if we had little salt and but ter"
 And a silver cup and napkins!" added Blake. About the salt, though, we'll have to get some before long, and some kind of vegetable food. It won't do to keep up this whole meat menu"
 fhncn little ho han 10 were as good as they look-like kind of asparagus!" murmured Miss Leslie.
 I've heard that the Chinese eat them said Winthrope
 They eat rats, too" commented Blake
 We might at least try them" per sisted Miss Leslie. How? Raw"
 q have heard papa tell Of roasting corn when he was boy" That's so: and roasting-ears are better than boiled. Win, guess we'll Ia Les-lee."
 Winthrope took the penknife and fetched a handful of young sprouts from the bamboo thicket. They were l heated over the coals on grill of l green branches and devoured half | raw.
 Say" mumbled Blake, as he rum mated on the last shoot, we're getting on some for this smell hole of coast l house, and chicken ranch and vege- tables in our front yard. We've got old Robbie Crusoe beat, hands down, on the start-off, and he with his shipful of stun for handicap"
 Then you believe that the situation looks more hopeful, Mir Blake?'
 Well, we've at least got an exten- sion on our note for a week or two. But I'm not going to coddle you with lot of lies, Miss Jenny. There's the 1 fever coming. sure as fate. I may stave it of while; you and Win, ten to one, will be down in few days and not a smell of quinine in our commissary. Then there'll be dysen- tery and snakes and wild beasts No: : we're not out of the woods yet, not by considerable"
 By love, Blake" muttered Win thrope. q must say, you're not very encouraging"
 Didn't say I was trying to be-"
 But, Mir Blake, am sure papa will offer large reward when the steam CT is reported as lost. There will be ships searching for US" | l. o,sk oh. zL .l and I'll bet what few boats do coast along there don't nose about much among these coral reefs"
 -A>a
 'T fancy it would do no harm to erect a sigral," said Winthrope.
 "Only thing that would make \ show is Miss Leslie's skirt" replied Blake
 There is the big leopard skin" per sisted Winthrope. To his surprise the engineer took the suggestion under serious consideration.
 Well, don't know" he said. "lf we had a water background now But against the rocks and trees-no; what we want is white. I'll tell you-when Miss Jenny sets to and makes herself a dress of that skin, I'll fly her skirt to the zephyrs."
 Mir. Blakel I really think that is cruel of you!"
 "Oh. come now; that's not fair. wouldn't have said word, but you said you wanted to help
 "I beg your pardon, Mir. Blake. i- did not quite understand you. really do want to help-to do my share"
 Now you're talking! You see, it's not only a question of the signal, but of clothes. We've got to figure any way on needing new ones before long Look at my pants and vest, and Wins too Inside a month we'll all be in bide-or in hiding. That's joke Win. me by; see?"
 But in the meantime-' began Nils Leslie.
 "In inc meantime we're like to miss a chance or two of being picked up inst because we've failed to stick out A signal that'd catch the eye twice as far off as any other color than scar let. Do you suppose l worked my way up from axman to engineer, and did not learn anything about fags?
 'But it is all really too absurd! do not know the first thing about sew ing. and have neither thread noi needle"