Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1909-10-07
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

You'd find those thorns a whole lot
worse" muttered Blake.
ITO be sure; and Miss Leslie fully
appreciates your kindness" interposed
Winthrope
81 do indeed, Mr.. Blake! I'm sure
never could go through here without
your coat"
That's all right. Got the handller-
chief?"
81 put it in one of the pockets"
'ltll do to tie up your hair"
Miss Leslie took the suggestion,
knottng 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 q 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 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 tripped headlong into the
brush, scratching his arms and face.
Blake took his own punishment as
a matter Of course, though his tougher
and thicker skin made his injuries less
nj 10 a11 OF cp
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,
60 banyan!"
"Ranyan? Well, If that's British for
a daisy, you've hit it," responded
Blake. "Just take a squint up here.
Hows that for roost?"
Winthrope and Miss Leslie stared up
obviously at the edge of a bed of
reeds gathered in the hollow of one of
the huge flattened branches at it's
Junction with the main trunk of the
oanyan, 20 feet above them.
will not the mosquitoes poster us
here among the trees?" objected Win
:hrope.
storm must have blown 'em away.
/ haven't seen any yet
There will be millions after sun
get."
Maybe; but l bet they keep below
our roost"
"But how are we to vet up so high?''
inquired Miss Leslie.
81 can swarm thiA root, and
I've crecper ready 4 two" ex
planned Blake.
Suiting action to words no 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 q
branch higher up. He flung down the
free end to Winthrope.
Look lively, Pat" he called. "The
suns most gone, and twilight dont
last all night in these parts. Get the
line around Miss Leslie, and do what
you can on boost"
- see; but, you know, the vine is
too stiff to tie"
Blake stifled an oath and jerked the
end of the creeper up into his hand
When he threw it down again it wa!
loopcd around and fastened in bow
line knot
Now Miss Leslie, get aboard anC
wen 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
1guess yes! Once hoisted fellow ou
of 50-foot prospect hole-big fa
Dutchman at that You don't weigl
over 120"
He had stretched out across the
broadest part of the branch. AS Mis-
Leslie seated herself in the loop hi
reached down and began to haul up OF
the creeper, hand over hand. Thougl
frightened by the novel manner of as
cent the girl chung tightly to the linz
above her head, and Blake had no dii
fculty in raising her until she sWun'
directly beneath him. Here, how
ever, he found himself in a quandary
The girl seemed IS helpless as a child
and he was lying flat. How could h
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 yor
don't want a tumble!"
The girl seized the part of tn
creeper which was fastened above ant
drew herself up with convulsive en-
ergy. Instantly Blake rose to hi
knees, and grasptng the taut creepe