The Columbus journal., 1909-07-21
CHAPTER V.-Cont;eued,

TO be sure; and Miss Leslie fully
APPRECIATES your kindness" interposed
Wiuthrope.
Il DO indeed. Mr. Blake I'm sure
never could go through here without
your coat"
That's all right Got the handker-
chief"
i put it 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 to
force way through the jungle. Now
and then he beat at the tangled vege-
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 spranS
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 tripped headlOng into the
brush. scratching his arms and face.
Blake took his own punishment as
4 matter of course. though his tougher
and thicker skin made his injuries less
,.ip f,r1 10 Cd ctn
the line of bent and broken twigs that
marked his outward passage, until the
thicket opened on a strip of grassy
ground beneath a wild fig-tree.
by Jove," exclaimed WINTHROP,
"a banyan!"
'Ranyan? Well, if that's British for
a daisy. you've hit it," responded
Blake. lust take a squint up here.
How's that for a roost?"
Winthrope and Miss Leslie stared up
obviously 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.
VIII not the mosquitoes poster us
here among the trees" objected Win
tErope.
Storm must have blown EN- away.
| haven't seen any yet"
There will be millions after sun
set"
Maybe: but l bet they keep below
our roust."
But how are We to get up so high?"
inquired Miss Leslie.
Il can swarm this drop root. and
I've 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 10 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 boost
Il 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 ii down again it was
Topped 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.
guess yes, Once hoisted fellow out
Eutchman at that. You don't weigh
over l20."
He had stretched out across the
hroaGest 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
fcultv in raising her until she swung
directly beneath him. Here. how
ever. he found himself in a quandary.
The girl seemed as helpless as 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 il 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-
sTred her as he felt her tremble "Sor-
ry TO scare you, but l 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 il
made such coy shelter that she
IT once forgot her dizziness and fright.
Nesting among the reeds, she leaned