Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1908-02-28

mighty glad to see you out" "Hope
you've got your pins under you again"
"Old man, I'm mighty glad we came
along"
The chorus of greeting was hearty
enough, but the journalist barely paid
the courtesy of acknowledgment. His
eye swept the horizon eagerly until it
rested on the cloud of volcanic smoke
billowing up across the setting sun. A
sigh of relief escaped him.
"Where are wei" he asked Barnett.
II mean since you picked me up. How
long ago was that anyway"
Yesterday" replied the navigating
officer. We've stood off and on look.
ing for some Of our men,"
"Then that's the same Volcano
Barnett laughed softly. "Well, they
aren't quite holding caucus Of vol
canoes down in this country. One like
that is enough"
But Slade brushed the remark aside.
"HeadN for it," he cried excitedly.
eve may be in time! There's man
on IndC 1SldnQ.
"a man, "Anotherw mot Billy
Edwards?" ."Not some of our boys?''
Slade stared at them bewildered.
''Hold on" interposed DR.. Trendon
authoritatively. whats his name?'
he inquired of the journalist.
"Darrow," replied the latter. "Per-
cy barrow. Do you know him?"
''Who in Kamchatka is Percy Oar
row" demanded Forsythe.
'Why, he's the assistant. It's long
story
"Of course it's long story. There's
lot we want to know" interrupted
Captain Parkinson. "Quartermaster,
head for the volcano yonder Mr..
Slade, we want to know where you
came, from, and why you left the
schooner and who Percy barrow is.
And there's dinner, so we'll adjourn
to the messroom and hear what you
can tell US. But there's one thing
we're all anxious to know-how came
you in the dory which we found and
left on the Laughing Lass later than
two days ago."
81 haven't set eyes on the Laughing
Lass for-well, I don't know how long,
but it's five days anyway, perhaps
MORE" replied Slade.
They stared at him incredulously.
ooh, I seew he burst out suddenly.
sSThere were twin dories on the schoon-
er. The other ones still there, sup
pose. Did you find her on the stern
davits"
eyes"
"Thats it, then. You see, when l
left"-
Captain Parkinson's raised hand
checked him. "If you will be so good,
Mr.. Slade, let us have it all at once,
after mess"
At table the young officers at sharp
hint from DR.. Trendon conversed on
Indifferent subjects until the Journalist
had partaken heartily of what the ply.
stefan allowed him. Slade ate with
keen appreciation.
81 tell you, that's good" he sighed
when he had finished. "Real, live
after dinner coffee too. Why, gentle.
men, I haven't eaten a civilized meal
with all the trimmings, for over two
years. Doctor, do you think a little
of the real stuff would hurt me? It's
a pretty dry EARNING"
zone glass;" growled the surgeon
mo more"
"Scotch highball, then" voted Slade
'the higher the better"
The steward braught tall glass with
ice, in which the newcomer mixed his
drink. Then for quite minute he sal
silent, staring at the table, his fingers
aimlessly rubbing into spots Of wet
ness the water beads as they gathered
on the outside of his glass. Suddenly
he looked up.
81 don't know how to begin," he con
fessed. "Its too COMPOUNDED tmproba
BILE. I hardly believe it myself, now
that I'm sitting here in human clothes
surrounded by human beings. OLE
Scrubs and the niger and Handy
Solomon and the professor and thu
chest and the-well, they were rea
enough when I was caught in thu
mess. But warn you you are not go
ing to believe me, and hanged if
blame you bit"
"We've seen marvels ourselves in tn,
last few days." encouraged Captain
Parkinson.
| Fire ahead, man." advised Barnet
impatiently. "Just begin at the begin
ming and let 1t go at that"
Slade slipped at his glass refectively
"Well," said he at length, "the bes
way to begin is to show you how
happened to be mixed up in it at ALL"
The officers unconsciously relaxed
into attitudes of greater ease. Over
head the lamps swayed gently to tn
swell. The dull throb of the screw pull
stated. Stewards clad in white move'
noiselessly, filling the glasses, defer
entially striking lights for the smok
ers, clearing away the last dishes o
the repast.
"I'm reporter by choice and de
tective by instinct" began Slade, wit
startling abruptness. Furthermore
I'm pretty we'll off. I'm what they cal
a free lance, for 1 have no regula
desk on any of the journals. 1 genel
ally turn my stuff in to the Star be
cause they treat me well. In return
is pretty well understood between u
that I'm to use my judgment in regar
to stories and that they'll stand bac
of me for expenses. You see, Nv
been with them quite awhile"
He looked around the circle a
though in appeal to the comprehensive
of his audience. Some Of the me
nodded. Others slipped from thei
glasses or drew at their cigars.
II loaf around here and there in tn
world having a good time travelling