Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-01-21


Il fear the branches that overhang
the cliff are too slender to bear any
weight"
And it's too Internally high to
climb up to this overhanging haobab
liah.'
Il say ventured winthrope. IF we
had an AK. now. we might cut up one
OF the trees, and make ladder
''Oh. yes; and II we had ladder,
we might climb up the cliff"
But, Mr.. Blake. Is there not some
way TO cut down one of the trees?
The tree itself would be ladder IL II
fell in such a way as to lean against
the cliif"
There's only the penknife." an
swered Blake. so ! guess we'll have
10 scratch eggs on our menu card
Spring leopard for oursl Now, II you
really want to help, you might scrape
the soup bones out OF your boudoir,
and fetch a lot more brush. ft'll take
big fire to rid the l.ole OF that cat
smell"
win not the tree burn?"
NO. these hollow baobabs have
green bark on the inside as well as
out Funny thing, dat. We'd have
TO keep a fire going a long time to
burn through"
yet II would burn In timer"
yes; but we're not going to-"
Then why not burn through the
trunk of one of these small trees, In
stead OF chopping It down."
"By--heck, Miss Jenny, you've got
an American heaGfi eel Come on.
Sooner we get the ting started. the
better"
Neither Winthrcne ror Miss Leslie
was reluctant to lcave the vicinity of
the carcasses. i'aty followed close
after Blake. arouad The monstrous
bole of the baobab li.tle beyond 1t
stood group Of slender trees, whose
trunks averaged eight inches at the
base Blake stopped at the second
one, which grew nearest to the sea
ward side of the cleft
Here's our ladder. ne said. Get
some. firewood Pound the bushes,
though, hefoee you so poking into
them. May be snakes here"
'Snakes?--o cried Miss Leslie.
and she stood shuddering at the dan
ger she had already incurred.
The fire had burnt itself out on a
bare ledge Of rock between them and
the baobab, and the clumps OF dry
brush left stand ng In this end Of the
cleft were very suggestive of snakes.
now that Blake ad called attention
to the possibility of their presence
He laughed al his hesitating com
panions. Go on, go on! Don't squeal
till you're bit. Most snakes hike out,
If you give them half chance. Take
stick each OF you. and pound the
bushes"
Thus urged, both started to work.
But neither ventured into the thicker
clumps. When they returned, with
large armfuls Of sticks and twigs,
they found that Blake had used his
! glass to light a handful Of dry bark,
out in the sun, and was nursing 1t in
to small fire at the base of the tree,
on the side next the cliff.
Now, Miss Jenny he directed,
you're to keep this going--not too big
a fire-understand? Same time you
can keep on fetching brush to fumi-
gate your cat hole. 1t needs 1t, all
right"
''Wil not that be rather too much
for Miss Leslie?" asked Winthrope
well, If she'd rather come and rub
brains on the skins,Indian tan, you
know, Or"
How can you mention such things
before a Lady," protested Winthrope.
Beg your pardon, Miss Leslie! you
see, I'm not much used to ladies' com
pany. Anyway, you've got to see and
hear about these things. And now I'll
have to get the strings for Wins
bamboo bows. Come on, Win. We've
got that old tabby to peel, and lot
more besides"
Miss Leslie's first impulse was to
protest against being left alone, when
at any moment some awful venom
Gus serpent might come darting at her
out OF the brush or the crevices In
the rocks. But her halfparted lips
drew firmly together, and after a mo
ment's hesitancy, she forced herself
to the task which had been assigned
her. The fire. once started, required
little attention. She could give most
of her time to gathering brush for the
fumigation OF the leopard den.
She had &C lected quite a heap of
fuel at the entrance of the hollow
when she remembered that the place
would first have to be cleared of its
accumulation of bones. A glance at
her companions showed that they
we're in the midst of tasks even more
revolving. II was certainly disagree
able to do such things; yet. as Mr..
Blake had said, others had to do them.
1t was now her time to learn. She
could see him smile at her hesitation.
Stung by the thought of his half
contemptuous pity. she caught up