Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-09-23
CHAPTER xIv.-(ContInued, +,

| ponceau and | lifted the chest ha-
tween u.s. and as silently as we he'd ON.
,ereo the woods our party of four with
urew from them. When we came 70 tho
euee we halted, and after a few wb;s.
pered words turned towards tbo sboitor
OF tne cliff. We were some quarter down
wnen from the pines at our back came
loud halloo. Almost simultaneously q
man sprang out of the shadows before no
and called "Stop!" vs.
Run !" said Rodney, and, like a foot.
oaii player, lunged, lantern and all
straight at the mans knees. The two
went down in q heap and the mans re-
Voiver went off without harm.
nun, MIR. Felix !" cried Charles, and I
saw him jump at the struggling men and
pull Islip free.
Duponceau and l ran, caring nothing
for shelter now, but making straight for
the Ship. The enemy must have num-
bered half dozen. There were cries be-
nina US, and bullet whizzed into the
clif 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 scrambled up, dripping
and we pulled our rear-guard over the
side.
Another splash, and 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.
We'll get that pirate !" 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. "I really feel like a
pirate. Where's DuponceauW
Here" We turned and saw our gen.
tleman adventurer sitting on the chest.
Rodney burst into )aupgh. ITO think
that not one Of them knew what it was
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 few bruises,
but were were too much excited to sleep.
With much ceremony, we took the chest
below and placed 1t inside of that other
brass-bound box that had waited so long
for q new treasure. l was sure that Rod
ney was eager for look at the inside Of
Duponceaus box, and, to tell the truth,
I also was hoping for a peep at 1t, but
Duponceau preferred to keep its secrets
entirely to himself. He was communica-
tive only to a certain point; beyond that
he was very sphinx, and In some way
the facts he told us seemed to enwrap
him in more mystery.
l went up on deck, where Charles was
pacing steadily back and forth.
"You saved Mr.. Islip from a very bad
position, Charles" l said. "How did you
manage to quiet that fellow so soonT
"With an upper-cut learned in the
old country, sir. l left him fast asleep.
He'd been prowling round the kitchen,
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"
ayes. Mr.. Felix; that's what I've been
saving to myself for the last half-hour."
We spent that night in 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.
ual.