The Columbus journal., 1909-08-04
CHAPTER V.-Continued.

CHAPTER W.-Continued.
Along the south side of the cliff the
sea extended in twice as far as on the
north. From the end of the talus the
coast trended OF four or five miles Il
the south-southwest in a shallow
blight. whose southern extremity wa!
bounded by a second limestone head
land. This ridge ran inland parable
to the first, and from a point some lit
tie distance back from the shore was
covered with growth of leafless
trees
Between the two ridges lay a plain
open along the shore. but short dis
lance inland covered with jungle
of tall yellow grass, above which
here and there, rose the tops of scrub
by, leafiess trees and the graceful
crests of slender-shafted palms
Blake's attention was drawn to the
latter by that feeling of artificiality
which their exotic appearance SO often
wakens in the mind of the northern
bred man even after long residence in
the tropics. But i'm moment he
turned away with growl. More OF
those darned feather-dusters!" He
was not looking for palms.
The last ragged bit of cloud. with
its showery accompaniment, drifted
past before the breeze which followed
no h. ~ IN
was proclaimed by a deafening chorus
Of sQuawks and screams along the
higher lodges of the cliff. Staring up
ward. Blake for the first time observed
that the face of the cliff swarmed with
seafOwl
That's luck" he muttered Guess
haven't forgot how to rob nests. Bet
our fine lady'll shy at sucking them
raw! All the same. she'll have to If
don't run across other rock than this
poor girl"
He advanced again along. the talus.
and did not stop until he reached the
sand beach. There he halted to make
a careful examination. not only of the
loose debris. but of the solid rock
above. Finding no sign of flint or
quartz, he growled out a curse and
backed of along the beach to get a
view of the cliff top. From point a
little beyond him. outward to the ex-
tremity of the headland, he could see
that the upper lodges and the crest
of the cliff. as well, were fairly
crowded with seafowl and their nests.
His smile of satisfaction brOadened
when he glanced inland and saw, less
than half a mile distant. a wooded
cleft which apparently ran up to the
summit of the ridge From a point
near the top a gigantic baObab tree
lowered up against the skyline like
cabbage.
Say. We may have run for our
money. after ALL he murmured
Shade. and no end of grub. and. by
the green of those trees. spring
limestone water at that. Next thing,
I'll find a flint
He slapped his leg, and both sound
and feeling reminded him that his
clothes were drenched.
Guess we'll wait about that flint"
he said. and he made for a clump of
thorn scrub little way inland.
AS the tall grass did not grow here
within a mile of the shore, there was
nothing to obstruct him. The creeping
plants which during the rainy season
had matted over the sandy soil were
now leafiess and withered by the heat
II the dry season. Even the thorn
scrub was half bare of leaves.
Blake walked around the clump to |
he shadiest side. and began to strip. !
n quick succession one garment after |
another was flung across a branch
where the sun would strike it, Last |
# all, the shoes were emptied of rain |
water and set out to dry. Without |
,ause. he then gave himself quick. |
light rundown. just sufficient to in i
iigorate the skin without starting the
Physically the man was magnificent.
lis muscles were wiry and compact, /
ather than bulky. and as he moved
hey played beneath his white skin
With the smoothness and ease of a
iger's.
After the rundown he sQua:ted on
is heels and spent some time trying
0 bend his palm-leaf hat back INTO
hape. When he had placed this also
ut in the sun he found himself be-
inning to yaWn. The dry. sultry air
ad made him drowsy. A touch with
is bare foot showed him that the
and beneath the thorn bush had al
eady absorbed the rain and offered a
~ surface. He glanced around. drew
is club nearer and stretched himself
ut for q nap.