Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-10

palm tree, and started for the lagoon From the
pistol shot away. Somers glanced into the bushes
and checked an exclamation of surprise.
Curious, that! don't recollect seeing macaw
with the plumage of scarlet tanager before. By
George! that's Malay headdress, half dozen Of
'em! The Moros wear white. Those fellows must
have landed the other side of the island and
crossed over to what trouble they could pick up.
And little while ago was praying for action!"
HE broke off, swerving toward the waters edge.
IL making for a little hillock of sand In the
bushes the gaudy native headdresses with the sun
glintng from as many polished spears, spread out
before and behind him. Involuntary SOmers' hand
dropped to his jacket pocket and he swore softly.
Three cartridges And single barreled popgun
rifle that wouldn't kill rabbit let alone those beg
gars in the bushes! Ali would you, my frend?"
A spear whizzed his head a brown body in
cautiously showed itself in the bushes and the little
rifle cracked spitefuly.. Somers dropped down be-
hind his protecting sand heap chorus OF der1sive
yells greeted the shot
Il might know it wouldn't carry. Oh for ma
chine gun from the old Buffalo and hopper of :44s
You'd sing different tune, my high and mighty
Malay gentlemen! All, here they come, creeses and
all Now for the chop suey!
He jerked out the empty she'll and showed another
tiny cartridge into place. The natives in plain
sight now, openly contemptuous of the puny rifle
Suddenly half dozen men punched together and
sped across the beach with shout. Somers fired
into the thick of them and ducked instinctively be-
fore the poised native spears.
At the same moment the whining crack of rifle
came from the lagoon, the storming party took to
their heels and big red bearded man splashed
the shallow indentation and pumped himself
down at Somers' side.
p EINFORCEMENTS arrived just in time, mag
~ inc, he painted. I'D have got that tall chap
in the motor centers, if he hadn't jumped and bolted
All, they're all levantingl The heavy rifle spoke
twice in quick succession, and the big chucked
Guess they didnt expect such warm reception eh.
Lieutenant"
spoken moved except to stare moodily at the red
bearded giant who had SO unexpectedly fallen into
the breach. But when the rescuer casually gave
him his rank he started and shifted his gaze to the
keen gray eyes which looked down into his
Somers had seen Dane Thorsen aforetime, and Thor
sen not to be forgotten.
You know me, Lieutenant, see the big man
said pleasantly. 1--WE had little dispute the
coast once, 1 believe, cutting out party or some
thing of the sort.
Somers remembered that cutting out expedition
an attempt to capture the freebooters schooner
which had cost him rundown boats and
tongue flashing from the commander of the Buffalo.
And the man he was after then was this same viking
with the flaming beard. who smiled down at him.
he nursed his murderous looking Winchester with
George Somers U. S. N, an officer and a gentle
man., owed his life to this renegade of the ocean,
The thought cut him to the quick and reused all his
resentment.
The big schooner master watched him, with his
cold sailors eyes screwed up to pin points, though
reading the young officers Utmost thoughts
The unexpected always happens, Lieutenant
Somers he said with smile that showed all his big
white teeth Besides, birds of feather flock to-
gether, you know. l happened to hear your shot
down shore; SO investigated.
Somers flushed angrily under his bronze coating
at the classification. " You We heard-what hap
pened to me, them"
posted all over the islands. The Buffalo took pre-
cious good care of that The whole coast knows that
Lieutenant George Somers abandoned his men
der Moro fire court martialed dismissed his ship
and put ashore Sulu island. Remarkable 1eniency
l call that. Of course you had your own plans for
the future not contemplated in navy regulations
I'D be an invaluable ACQUISITION to anV man who