Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-09-09

Duponceau. 'runs
There was no doubt but IA, !
direction Of the beach we ws,s -. -. = 4,
impregnable. Invaders worlS rasealull
to climb the rocks and then Nv
througn the water, or. II they cam. S sS.a
causeway, pass the narrow assl- y u
base OF the cli6. In either Y
have ample chance TO defara sou2
and even II they succeeded in ,.'as
the Ships side we would have n. 'eals .ss
tage OF being six feet abovs - .u'a
pulled In the rope ladder ths, ..,nD, |
over the side and slowed n ,~
cupboard In the cabin. W..
done everything precaution eorH a
we three gathered on the fo-~,I
and sat with out backs to the =, :. =. "a
the shore.
The night was clear and o,y,.
was little sound beyond the rezuI,, az 70
bing of the waves on the besrL - 20
occasional distant call OF a hf,.r-
the marshes up-river. As T-,,..I
the talk of the other two, r,,II,.s J. =
Rodney was slipping under that Ur.
describable fascination of Du,ooe~,1I, !.
readily as had done.
But l say" put In Islip M l,- a.
you mean to tell me that you can. "a
way over here without any luszar. ~.
you let those chaps land you lust !. =
were, without anything elseY'
Without anything else save r..
box of papers"-DupOnceau sm5ls5-s,.,
each paper worth many Thousand i'm.
Its weight in gold"
why" said Islip, "what ki,s ~ .
curities were thosef"
"See how trust you," retun.s a.
other. eve hid the box In ii. rrD.,,
back in the woods, between two rSots )
hemlock, one pointing south BIZ A,
compass, the other west. The henlo4
Is ten PAGES west of a SCARED fir that N,
stripped Of its sea branches BY lightnlp,,
II know the tree said |.
Rodney rubbed his hands joyfully. ~.
gods and little fishes, think Of It En-
since l was a boy I've wanted to hu
my hand in a buried treasure. We usI
to hide tin cans in the back yard. int
TO dig them up again. And now to thiut
that I've come across real treasun
What would those other boys sayn
Here's one of them now" put in. Y
used to do the very same thing myself
Duponceau was smiling again. "Y@
can both take it lightly" he said, S%
cause you do not know. Many men, sys
many governments, would give alnN.
anything for a chance at that box ont
there"
Better and better. The higher u.
interest, the more sport for US" sll
Rodney. ''I've always wanted to be mi1si
up in an international affray. I'm nor
than ever glad l decided to come to tAl
Penguin, for more reasons than one; !
and he looked across slyly at me.
l could not help liking him, even Il b
was in love with Barbara; he was S
open and frank about everything.
After time Duponceau went belCV
for a two hours nap, and Islip and So
on deck, smoking and chatting. AbOu
midnight the air grew colder, and VI
walked to warm ourselves.
do you think" said Rodney, finally
that we might go on hunt for thi
tree? My eyes are fairly itching to 10
low that trail, and we might reconnOltr
the enemy's position you know "
could make tracks back to the Ship
there was any need"
"Wait till Duponceau comes up, an
we'll ask him." l suggested.
In time, at the end of his midnight maj
Duponceau came on deck, and gave
permission to take q survey Of the shor
IF l need you," he said, III make th
call of the osprey-listen :" and be sen
forth a long, quavering cry that Va
echoed back to us, from Cliff and beaca.
Armed with revolvers, Rodney and
slipped out of the Ship. forded the lax
and, keeping as close as we could TO u
rocks, for the night was bright with star
headed towards the pines.
We said not a word, but tip-toe, leal
ing, he following, we skirted the wO0'
until we came to the SCARED FIR. Insl
turned to look back; the beach lay
bright silver field sloping to the s
which rippled like quicksilver beneath U
stars. The beach was empty as ,e O'
ert, and still, save for the tapping wave
"Ten PAGES to the east" whisper
Rodney, and, with infinite caution
tiptoed through the pines. The trees y
very thick there; we felt as II plousnil
into an unknown screen. we came
the hemlock, and crouched on the sea y
of it, some instinct telling us tha' VIC y
was need of caution. On hands !"
knees crawled foot farther, ana oen'
white tent, its guide-ropes running
the hemlock's roots. Islip pulled nlmS'
up beside me.
| IT. be oontinned