Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-10-21

he's having pleasant dreaimt~ he de-
manded. You're worse than an alarm
clock!"
Look around and go dream again"
growled Larry.
Johnny sat up. Safety razors!" he
cried. What's become of them?"
What's going to become of us?'
grunted Larry. "Benoni said he'd be
back"
Then think he WILL" allowed
Johnny. did he leave us anything to
eat7"
There's some dates, that confound-
ed meal cake they make in this coun-
try and some figs" itemized Larry,
and, say, Johnny. these look like
hens eggs!"
We'll, you can sample them, /
won't!" declared Johnny with visions
OF the stomachic illness that had be-
set him early on the route, thanks 20
an overly curious appetite. 'Tll stick
to the viands that have come the least
near to killing me during our African
peregrination. Were we fools to come,
Larry, or not?"
"Oh, I don't know, quit your kick
ing" said Larry IT suppose If Be-
noni don't come back we might stay
here all night"
Il reckon we WILL" added Johnny.
grimly.
For the want Of a better occupation,
their meal finished, they fell to play
ing mumble-peg in the clearing where
camp had been struck. Mumble- peg
failing as time-killer, they tried roll
ing marbles out of the soft clay, and
had put up very passablo game of
"Mibs" when they heard q rustling
and cracking in the brush and foliage
around them.
BETS on lion," said Johnny.
"Oh, make it a cannibal king or a
boa constructor" suggested Larry.
Something novel;"
Benoni appeared Mt the edge Of the
clearing.
Larry wins" was Johnny's greet
ing. Il bet on q Homie said twas
cannibal king approaching"
I'm neither" answered Benoni. II
want to sleep. worked all night
while you fellows rested Will you
keep watch for me? Wake me at the
slightest sound And If I'm not up ~
starlight, call me then. Don't forget"
Long before that hour, though, the
great black was up and ready. All of
their luggage he stacked In a great
heap and set fire to it. They waited
till the pile gave signs of thorough ig-
milton, then led by Benoni the trio set
out through the jungle.
The walk was a fight for breath
There were briars that pricked. gnats
that stung, knotted vines that trapped
unwary feet. Sometimes the foot
stepped upon a sodden snake. causing
the reptile to coil around the ankle in
a horrifying snarl. But Benoni paused
for nothing. With one arm plunged
forward, with the other he grasped
hold OF Larry and babe him pull John
ny In their wake. This nightmare
struggle lasted not longer than a ouar-
ter OF an hour, but when they had
come out Of the jungle Larry was
shaking like leaf in the wind and
Johnny was too far gone for words.
tramp over an arid plain brought
them to loathsome, turgid stream.
From small cove in the bank Benoni
punted out flat-bottomed scow with
small sail. He leaped into it and babe
the others follow. Then began a pull
to which the struggle through the inn
gle was as child's play. The DAYS and
the nights had all the furies' tortures
far outdone. And through it all thew
lived! This was the wonder that came
to Larry afterward. For thew fought
hand to hand battles with snakes And
hideous water reptiles, fat crocodiles
leered at them and more than once
sent them scurrying high on the hank
Once the punt overturned and Benoni
stood breast high in water, a black
Shiny ooze that reached to Harry's chit,
and almost overlooked into his month
Poor Johnny, the shortest of the thraA
was carried Off his feet and almost
drowned, but they got ashore somehow
but all their food except two tins NJ
biscuits in waterproof canisters were
soaked. This happened their third dav
on the river, and they had yet anoth.
er days travel ahead of them. The
next day the rains commenced and the
river teemed with the floods. Renoni
moored the punt at the mouth of =
cave that yawned from a little hillock
on what had once been the rivers
bank.
Ito be contlnued.)