Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-10-27
Two days later they reached . nauv.

borders OF an immense jungle. BenOn1
hired beaters to break the way for
them, and for a week they journeyed in
a setting of tropic grass and dusky
skins. One morning Larry awoke to
| find the camp deserted of all but Be-
noni and Johnny. The horses were
gone and even the little Arab had dis.
| appeared.
What! are we lost in this jungle
| Betrayed and deserted?" questioned
Larry.
mo, indeed. sent them away. We
cannot leave here till nghtfall, so
sleep again or lounge till return" re-
piled Benoni. Il will be back in q few
hours"
Divesting himself of his garments.
Benoni swathed his loins with a girdle
of flexible grass, and strobe away in
to the Businesses of the thicket.
Larry reused the sleeping Johnny
rudely. "Firehead. get up, and tell me
what you think of it," he commanded
Johnny, roughly disturbed from
dreams of home. kicked viciously in
Larry's grasp.
Cant you let a fellow sleep when
he's having a pleasant dream?" he de-
manded. You're worse than an alarm
clock!"
Look around and go dream again."
growled Larry.
Johnny sat up. Safety razorsl" he
cried. What's become of them?"
Whats going to become of us?"
grunted Larry. "Benoni said he'd be
back"
Then 1 think he WILL" allowed
TnhnnN hA to
eat?"
There's some dates, that confound
ed meal cake they make in this coun-
try and some figs" itemized Larry,
land, say, Johnny, these look like
hens eggs!"
WELL you can sample them, 1
WON'T" declared Johnny, with visions
of the stomachic illness that had be-
set him early on the route, thanks 10
an overly curious appetite. I'll 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, 1 don't know, quit your kick
ing" said Larry. Il 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 better occupation,
their meal finished. they fell to play
ing mumble-peg in the clearing where
camp had been struck Mumble-peg
failing as a time killer, they tried roll
ing marbles out of the soft clay, and
had put up a very passable game of
"Mibs" when they heard a rustling
and cracking in the brush and foliage
around them.
Bets on a lion." said Johnny.
"Oh, make it a cannibal king or
boa CONSTRUCTOR" suggested Larry.
Something novel;"
Benoni appeared at the edge of the
clearing
Larry wins" was Johnny's greet
ing. Il bet on a lion-he said twas
a cannibal king approaching"
I'm neither" answered Benoni. 'I
want to sleep. 1 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 y
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
horrifying snarl. But Benoni paused
for nothing. With one arm plunged
forward, with the other he crashed
hold of Larry and babe him pull John
ny in their wake. This nightmare
struggle lasted not longer than a quar-
ter of an hour, but when they had
come out of the jungle Larry was
shaking like a leaf in the wind and
Johnny was too far gone for words.
A tramp over an arid plain brought
them to loathsome, turgid stream.
From small cove in the bank Benoni
punted out a fiat-bottomed scow with
small sail. He leaped into it and babe
the others follow. Then began a null
to which the struggle through the Jun
gle was as child's play. The DAYS and
the nights had all the furies' fortunes
far outdone. And through it all thew
livedi This was the wonder that came
to Larry afterward. For they 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 bank.
Once the punt overturned and Benoni
stood breast high in water. a black.
Shiny ooze that reached to Harry's chin
and almost overlooked into his mouth.
Poor Johnny, the shortest of the three
cd off h