The Mena weekly star., 1908-12-03


 crease between Blake's eyes dasnan.s and the girl hastened to utter an er. planatory exclamation: Not so tignt, MT. Winthrope, pleasel If scratches my neck"
 You'd find those thorns whole Iot worse, muttered Blake.
 TO be sure; and Miss Leslie f,,,x appreciates your kindness" interposed Winthrope.
 T do indeed, Mir. Blake I'm sure I never could go through here without your coat
 That's all right. Got the handker. chief?"
 T put 1t in one of the pockets"
 It'll do to tie up your hair"
 Miss Leslie took the suggestion knotting the big square of linen over her fluffy brown hair.
 Blake waited only for her to draw out the kerchief before he began 10 force way through the jungle. Now and then he beat at the tangled yexe. tation with his club. Though he held to the line by which he had left the thicket, yet all his efforts failed to open an easy passage for the others. Many of the thorny branches sprang back into place behind him. and as Miss Leslie, who was the first to fol- low, sought to thrust them aside the thorns pierced her delicate skin until her hands were covered with blood. Nor did Winthrope, stumbling and hob. bling behind her, fare any better. Twice he ripped headlong into the brush, scratching his arms and face.
 Blake took his own punishment as matter of course. though his tougher and thicker skin made his injuries less painful. He advanced steadily along the line of bent and broken twigs that marked his outward passage, until the thicket opened on a strip of grassy ground beneath wild fig-tree.
 By Jove," exclaimed Winthrope "a banyani"
 "Banyan? Well, if that's British for Q utAS3s you 'c uil II, lcopoHucu Blake. Just take squint up here. How's that for a roost?s
 Winthrope and Miss Leslie stared up dubicusly at the edge of bed of reeds gathered in the hollow of one of the huge fiattened branches at its junction with the main trunk of the banyan, 20 feet above them.
 Will not the mosquitoes poster us here among the trees?" objected Win. thrope
 Storm must have blown 'em away l haven't seen my 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 highT inquired Miss Leslie
 q can swarm this drop root, and I've creeper ready for you two" ex plained 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 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 last all night in these parts. Get the line around Miss Leslie, and do wha' you can on a boost"
 q 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 1t wal looped around and fastened in a bow line knot
 Now, Miss Leslie, get aboard and we'll have you up in jlffy," he said
 Are you sure you can lift meT asked the girl, as Winthrope slipped the loop over her shoulders.
 Blake laughed down at them. Well guess yes. Once hoisted fellow out of a 5O-foot prospect hole-big fai Dutchman at that. You don't weigh over 120"
 He had stretched out across the broadest part of the branch As Miss Leslie seated herself in the loop he reached down and began to haul up or the creeper. hand over hand. Though frightened by the novel manner Of as cent the girl clung tightly to the line above her head, and Blake had no dif 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 nc 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 yol don't want a tumble,"
 The girl seized the part Of the creeper which was fastened above ano drew herself up with convulsive en ergy. Instantly Blake rose to ms knees, and grasping the taut creepel with one hand reached down with th' other to swing the girl up beside hin on the branch.
 "All right. Miss Jenny he reas sured her as he felt her tremble Dsor " to scare you. but l couldn't have made it without. Now, if you'll 1us' hold down my legs we'll soon hois' his ludship."
 He had seated her in the broades' mart of the shallow hollow. where the branch joined the main trunk or tnt Ag Heaped with the reeds which nc had gathered during the afternoon .
 oo~y chaltpr that she