The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-04-05
CHAPTER iv.-Continued.

CHAPTER iv.-Continued.
At first his throat was so dry that
he could no more than rinse his mouth.
With the first swallow his swollen
tongue Knocked him with the salt,
bitter taste of sea-water The tide
was flowing! He rose, suffering and
choking and gasping He stared
around. There was no question that
he was on the bank of a river and
would be certain of fresh water with |
the ebb tide. But could he endure the
agony Of his thirst all those hours?
He thought of his companions.
Good Cod" he groaned, they're
goners, anyway"
He stared DULY up the river at the
thousands of waterfowl which lined its
banks. Within close view we're herons
and black ibises, geese, pelicans, fla
mingoes, and a dozen other species of
birds of which he did not know the
names. But he sat as though in a
stupor, and did not move even when
one OF the driftwood logs on a mud
shoal few yards upstream opened
an enormous mouth and displayed two
rows of hooked fangs. 1t was other
wise when the noontime stiffness was
broken by a violent splashing and
loud snortings downstream. He
glanced about and saw six or eight
monstrous heads drifting towards
him with the tide.
What in Vince! a whole herd of
hippos," he muttered. That's what
the holes mean"
The foremost hippopotamus was
headed directly for him. He glared
at the huge head with sullen resent
ment For all his stupor he perceived
at once that the beast intended to
land; and he sat in the middle Of its
accustomed path. His first impulse
was to spring up and yell at the crea-
ture. Then he remembered hearing
that a white hunter had recently been
killed by these beasts on one OF the
South African lakes. Instead of leap
ing up he sank down almost fat and
crawled back around the turn in the
path. Once certain that he was hid
den from the beasts he rose to his
feet and fastened back through the
jungle.
He was almost in view of the spot
= where he had left Winthrope and Miss
Leslie. when he stopped and stood
hesitating.
81 can't do it," he muttered; Il cant
tell her-poor girl"
He turned and. pushed into the
thicket. Forcing way through the
tangle of thorny shrubs and creepers
until several yards from the path ne
: began to edge towards the face of the
Jungle that he might peer out at his
: companions unseen by them
There was more of the thicket be
fore him than he had thought, and ht
g was still fighting his way through i
when he was brought to stand by
neculiar cry that might have been thu
bleat of young lamb: "Ba-ba!'
D whats that" he croaked.
" He stood listening, and in a momen
he again heard the cry, this time NOR
distinctly: "Blak,-Blak.
There could be no mistake. 1t wa
: Winthrope calling for him, and call
I ING with a clearness of voice tina
would have been physically Impossible
L half an hour since. Biake's sunkel
/ ewes lighted with hope. He burs
t through the last screen OF jungle an
e stared towards the palm under whicl
l. no had left his companions. The
/ were not there.
4 Another call from Winthrope q
" rooted his gaze more seaward. IN
h Two were seated beside a fallen palm
IL and Miss Leslie had a large round OF
p iect raised to her lips. Winthrop wa
' waving to him.
Fl "cocoanuts," he yelled. Come on!
Three of the palms had been ovel
thrown by the hurricane, and whe
Blake came up he found the eroun
Id strewn with nuts. He seized tne nrs
is he came to; but WINTHROP held OF
n one already opened. He snatched
il from him and placed the hole 10 III
o swollen lips Never had champaign
n tasted half so delicious as that COCO;
I'd ,,t milk Before he could drain Tn
last of II through the little openin
ell Winthrope had the husks torn fro'
Il Tho ends of two other nuts, ana III
70 convenient germinh spots souse
te omen with his penknife.
8 plake emptied the third before n
he spoke. Even then his voice wa
re hoarse and strained. How'd yo
ey strike 'emg" ,,.
w 81 couldn't help it," explained WI
al chrome Hardly had you disappeare
,ls when | noticed the tops OF the Iaiie
,e ,a,ns and thought of the nuts. Inei
he was one in the grass not ~ rect iro'
,il where we lay 49,.
IL Lucky for you-and for me. TOO,
oe.- said Blake. I'VE we're