The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-08-11
crept Back Down the Trait.

to at all The suns hot enough to fry
eggs. Well 90 back to shady place
and pick up sticks on the way"
Though there was shade under the
cliff within some 600 feet. they had
10 60 some distance to the nearest dry
wOOd-a dead thornbush. Here they
gathered a quantity of branches, even
Miss Leslie volunteering to carry a
load
All was thrown down in heap near
the cliff. and Blake squatted beside it.
penknife in hand. Having selected the
dryest of the larger sticks. he bored a
hole in one side ard dropped in a
pinch of powdered bark. Laying the
stick in the full glare of the sun, he
thrust a twig into the hole and began
to twirl it between his palms. This
movement he kept up for several min
utes; but whether he was unable to
twirl the twig fast enough or whether
the right kind Of wood or finder was
duce a spark.
Unwilling to accept the. failure,
Winthrope insisted upon trying in
turn. and pride held him to the task
until he was drenched with sweat.
The result was the same.
Told you So" jeered Blake from
where he lay in the shade. Wed
stand more chance cracking stones to-
gether.''
But what shall We do now" asked
Miss Leslie. Il am becoming very
tired Of cocoanuts. and there seems to
be nothing else around here. Indeed.
I think this is all such a waste of
time. If We had walked straight along
the shore this morning We might have
reached town"
We might. Miss Jenny. and then.
again. we mightn't. I happened to
overhaul the captains chart-Quili-
name. Neutrality-suspicious. all for hum
dreds of miles. Towns on this coast
are about as thick as hen's-teeth."
How about native villages" de-
manded Winthrope.
oh. yes; maybe I'm fool enough to
go into q wild Niger town without
gun. Maybe I didn't talk with fel-
lows down on the Rand"
But wha, shall We do?' repeated
Miss Leslie. with a little frightened
catch in her voice. She was at last
beginning to realize what this rude
break in her sheltered. pampered life
might mean. What shall We do? It's
its absurd to think of having to
stay in this horrid country for weeks
or perhaps months-unless some ship
comes for u.s."
Look here. Miss Leslie" answered
Blake, sharply yet not unkindly: sup
pose you Just sit back and use your
thinker q bit II you're your daddy's
daughter, you've got brains some
where down under the boarding-school
stuff
What do you mean. SIR?
Now. don't get huffy. please: It's
q question of think. not of putting on
airs. Here We are. worse OF than the
people of the stone age. They had
fire and flint axes: we've got nothing
but our think tanks and as to lions
and leopards and that sort Of thing.
il strikes me we've got about as many
on hand as they had"
Then you and Mr. Winthrope
should Immediately arm yourselves"
'How?-But well leave that till
later. What else?
The girl Sazed at the surrounding
objects. her forehead wrinkled In the
effort at concentration. We must
have water Think how We suffered
yesterday! Then there is shelter from
wild beasts. and food. and
"AIl right here under our hands, il
We had fire. Understand"
Il understand about the water. You
would brighten the leopard away with
the FIRE; and if it would do that. it
would also keep away the other ami
mails at night. But as for food. unless
We return for cocoanus-"