The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-09-03
XIV.-(Continued.)

Duponceau and l lifted the chest be-
tween us, and as silently as we had en-
tered the woods our party of four with
drew from them. When we came 10 the
edge we halted, and after few whls-
Dered words turned towards the shelter
of the cliff. We were some quarter down
it when from the pines at our back came
n loud halloo. Almost simultaneously a
man sprang out of the shadows before US,
and called Stop"
Run :" said Rodney. and, like foot
ball player, Iunged, lantern and all,
straight at the mans knees. The two
went down in . heap, and the mans re-
volver went off without harm.
Run. Mr.. Felix :" cried Charles, and
saw him jump at the struggling men and
pull Islip free.
Duponceau and I ran, caring nothing
for shelter now, but making straight for
the Ship. The enemy must have num-
bered half dozen. There were cries be-
hind us. and a bullet whzzed into the
cliff on our left Another shout, and we
knew they were in full pursuit, with
Rodney and Charles acting as our rear
guard.
Luckily the chest was not heavy, and
when we came to the rocks we could
scramble over them without delay. Into
the water we plunged, and, reaching the
side of the Ship, heaved the chest on
board Then we scra mbled up, dripping
and we pulled our rear-guard over the
side.
Another splash and l fired straight
down into the water. At the shot the
enemy retreated, and. cursing, took him
self back to the rocks where his friends
stood. mark against the sky.
well get that prate.' one of the men
called. There was silence on the Ship.
More threats and curses followed, and
then the enemy retired, promising to rout
us out next day.
Rodney was the first of us to speak.
up anchor and off for the Spanish
Main :" he cried. Il really feel like a
pirate. Where's Duponceau?"
Here We turned and saw our gen.
tleman adventurer sitting on the chest.
Rodney burst into a laupgh. ITO think
you two carried They must have thought
that we were foraging for food"
We had all four come out Of the scrim-
mage unscathed. except for a few bruises,
but were were too much excited to sleep.
With much ceremony, we took the chest
below and placed it inside of that other
brass-bound box that had waited so long
for a new treasure. | was sure that Rod
ney was eager for look at the inside of
Duponceau's box, and, to tell the truth,
l also was hoping for a peep at it, but
Duponceau preferred to keep its secrets
entirely to himself He was communca-
tive only to certain point; beyond that
he was a very sphinx, and in some way
the facts he told us seemed to enwrap
him in more mystery.
| went up on deck, where Charles was
pacing steadily back and forth.
You saved Mr.. Islip from a very bad
position, Charles" | said. How did you
manage to quiet that fellow so soon?"
with an upper-cut l learned in the
old country, sir 1 left him fast asleep.
sir, and making himself generally disa-
greeable, and l was glad to settle the
score"
Him. so we left one trussed like pig
in the woods, and another asleep on the
beach. This begins to look serious
"Yes, Mr.. Felix: that's what I've been
saying to myself for the last haif-hour."
We spent that night in a state of sup
pressed excitement-that is. all of us ex-
cept Duponceau. who seemed to regard a
trial by bullets as nothing out of the u.s.
nal