The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-07-28
CHAPTER VI.-Continued.

How wide is it," inquired Win
thiope, gazing at his swollen hands.
About 300 yards at high tide. May
be narrower at ebb."
Gould you not build raft?" sug-
gested Miss Leslie.
Blake smiled at her simplicity. Why
not a boat? We've got a penknife."
Well, then. l can swim"
Bully for you, Guess though, we'll
try something else. The river is chuck
full of alligatOrs. What you waiting
for, Pat? We haven't got all day TO
TOOL around here"
Winthrope twisted the creeper about
his leg and slid TO the ground. doing
all he could to favor his hands. He
found that he could walk without pain,
and at once stepped over beside
Blake's club, glancing nervously
around at the Jungle.
Blake jerked up the end of the
creeper, and passed the loop about
Miss Leslie. Before she had time to
become frightened he swung her over
and lowered her to the ground lightly
as feather He followed, hand under
hand, and stood for a moment beside
her. staring at the dew-dripping foil
age of the jungle. Then the remains
of the nights quarry caught his eye.
and he walked over to examine them.
Say. Pat" he called, these don't
look like deer bones. I'd say-yes;
Ia"
ANY tusks?" demanded Winthrope
Miss Leslie looked away. A heap of
bones, however clearly gnawed, is not
pleasant sight. The skull of the
Blake stumbled upon it in a tuft of
grass and kicked it out upon the open
ground. Every shred of hide and
gristle had been gnawed from it by the
jackals: yet if there had been any
doubt as to the creatures identity
there was evidence to spare in the saw
age tusks which projected from the
jaws.
"Je-rusalem," observed Blake; this
old boar must have been something
of a scrapper his own SELF
In India they have been known to
kill a tiger. Can you knock out the
tusks?"
What for"
Well. You said We had nothing for
arrow points"
Good boy, Well cinch them and
ask questions later"
4 few blows with the club loosened
the tusks. Blake handed them over to
WINTHROP, together with the whisky
flask, and led the way to the half
broken patch through the thicket. A
little more worthy of the name, and
as there was less need of haste than
or the previous evening. Winthrope
and Miss Leslie came through with
only few fresh scratches. Once on
open ground again, they soon gained
the fallen palms.
At word from Blake, Miss Leslie
fastened to fetch nuts for WINTHROP
10 husk and open. Blake, who had
Tlucked three leaves from a fan palm
near the edge of the jungle, began TO
split long shreds from one of the
huge leaves of a cocoanut palm. This
gave him a quantity of coarse. stiff
fiber. part of which he twisted in a
cord and used TO tie one of the leaves
of the fan palm over her head
'How's that for a bonnet" he de-
manded.
The improvised head-gear bore so
croteSque a resemblance to a recent
type of picture hat that WINTHROP
could not repress derisive laugh
Miss Leslie, however. examined the
hat and gave her opinion without a
sign of amusement. Il think ii is
splendid. Mr.. Blake. If We must 90
cut in the sun again. ii is just the thing
10 protect one
Yes. Here's two more I've fixed for
you Ready yet. Winthrope9"
The Englishman nodded. and the
three sat down to their third feast of
cocoanuts. They We're hungry enough
a; the start. and Blake added no little
keenness even to his own appetite by
i srim JOKE on the slender prospects |
of the next meal. to the effect that If |
in the meantime not eaten themselves !
they might possibly find their next |
meal within week.
But if We must move. could We not |
take some of the nuts with u.s. sug-
gested WINTHROP.
Blake pondered over this as he ate, |
and when fully satisfied he helped him.
self up with his club he motioned the /
others to remain seated
There are your hats and the |
strings" he said, but you won't need !
them now. I'm going to take pros
pect along the river, and while I'm
gone. you can make try at stringing
nuts on some of this leaf fiber"
But. NJ Blake. do you think it's
quite safe?" asked Miss Leslie. and
she glanced from him to the jungle.
"Safe?" he repeated. We'll. moth
ing ate you yesterday. if that's any
thing to go by. It's all l know
about it
He did not wait for further protests
Swinging his club on his shoulder he
started for the break in the jungle
which marked the hippopotamUs path.
The others looked at each other, and