Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-10-22

her having a pssasant drsanr he g.
mandsd- Your worse than An alarm
clockl"
growlsd Larry.
Johnny sat UP. Safety razorsl" he
cried. Whats become of themf-
Whats going to become of us7"
gruntsd Larry. "Benoni said he'd be
back"
Then I think he WILL" allowed
Johnny. Did he leave US anything to
satf"
There's some dates. that confound-
ed meal cake they make in this coun-
try and some hgs." itemixed Larry,
and. say, Johnny. these look like
hens eggs!"
We'll. you can sample them,
won'ti" declared Johnny, with visions
OF the stomachie illness that had be-
set him early on the route. thanks 70
an overly curious appetite. I'll stick
to the viands that have come the least
! near to killing me during our African
Reorganization. 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 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 a timex killer. they tried roll
ing marbles out of the soft clay, and
had put up very passabls game OF
''Mibs" when they heard rustling
and cracking In the brush and foliage
around them.
| Bets on a lion," said Johnny.
"Oh, make IT a cannibal king or n
boa constructor" suggested Larry.
Something novel;"
| Benoni appeared at the edge Of the
| clearing.
Larry wins" was Johnny's greet
ing. Il bet on q lion-he said twas
a cannibal king approaching"
I'm neither" answered Benoni. 81
want to sleep. i worked all night
while you fellows rested. Will you
keep watch for me? Wake me at the
slightest sound. And IL 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 1t. 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 ir
horrifying snarl. But Benoni paused
for nothing. With one arm plunged
forward, with the other he graspec
hold of Larry and babe him pull John.
ny In their wake This nightmar,
struggle lasted not longer than a quar-
J ter of an hour. but when they has
como out OF the jungle Larry wa
shaking like a leaf in the wind an,
Johnny was too far gone for words
A tramp over an arid plain brouEh
. them to loathsome. turgid stream
, From a small cove in the bank Benon
t punted out fiat-bottomed scow witt
[ small sail. He leapsd into 1t and bad
5 the others follow. Then began a pull
to which the struggle through the Jun
. gle was as childs play. The days an
the nights had all the furiss' torture
: far outdone. And through 1t all the
| llVeul Inls was the wonder that cam
$ to Larry afterward. For they Tough
e hand to hand battles with snakes an
y hideous water reptiles. fat crocodile
leered at them and more than ono
4 sent them scurrying high on the banl
= Once the punt overturned and Benor
:, stood breast high I'm water, a blacl
= Shiny ooze that reached to Harry's chi
;. and almost overfiowed into his mouth
S Poor Johnny, the shortest OF the tire,
was carried Off his feet and almos
drowned but they got ashore somehow
: but all their food except two tins G
g biscuits In waterproof canisters wer
: soaked. This happened their third da
, on the river, and they had yet anoth
Q er days travel ahead of them. TIL
=" next day the rains commenced and tn
: river teemed with the floods. Benor
1. moored the punt at the mouth of
= cave that yawned from a little hilloc
It on what had once been the river
bank.
y Ito be contnued-)