Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-01-07


thing Down Below"
Blake was the first to recover and
In the jungle and the ferocious growls
directly beneath them.
Lie still" he whispered. We're
all right. It's only beast that killed
something down below u.s."
All sat listening, and as the noise of
the animals in the thicket died away
they could hear the beast beneath
them tear at the body Of its victim.
''The air feels like dawn" whispered
Winthrope. Wen soon be able to see
the brute"
And he u.s. rejoined Blake.
In this both we're mistaken. During
the brief false dawn they were puz-
zled by the odd appearance of the
ground. The sudden flood OF full day
light found them staring down into a
dense white fog.
80 they have that here!" NUT
tered Blake-"fever-fog,"
"Beastly shame!" echoed Winthrope.
I'm sure the creature has gone off"
This assertion was met by an out
burst of snarls and yells that made all
start back and crouch down again in
their sheltering hollow. AS before
Blake was the first to recover.
Bet you're right" he said. "The
big one has gone off, and pack of
these African coyotes are having
scrap over the bones"
you mean jackals. 1t sounds like
the nasty beasts"
IF it wasn't for that fog I'd go down
and get our share of the game"
Would it not be very dangerous,
Mr.. Blake?" asked Miss Leslie What
a fearful noise!"
I've chased coyotes off calf with a
rope; but that's not the proposition.
You don't find me fooling around in
that sewer gas of a fog. Well roost
right where we are till the sun does
for it. We've got enough malaria in
us already"
viii 1t be long, Blake?" asked Win
thrope.
Huh? Getting hungry this quick?
Wait till you've tramped around
week, with nothing to eat but your
shoes"
Surely, Mr.. Blake, it will not be so
bad!" protested Miss Leslie.
Sorry, Miss Jenny; but cocoanut
palms don't blow over every day and
when those nuts are gone what are we
going to do for the next meal?"
Gould we not make bows?" sug
gested Winthrope. There seems to
be no end of game about
"Bows--and arrows without points,
Neither of us could hit barn door,
anyway"
We could practice"
"Sure-six weeks training on air
pudding. | can do better with hand
full of stones"
Then we should go at once to the
cliffs" said Miss Leslie.
Now you're talking-and it's Pike
Peak or bust for ours Here's one
night to the good; but we won't last
many more if we don't get fire. It's
| flints we're after now"
Could We not make fire by rubbing
| sticks?" said Winthrope, recalling his
| suggestion of the previous morning.
I've heard that natives have no
| trouble"
"So've l. and what's more, I've seen
| EN- do it. Never could make go of
it myself, though"
But if you remember how it is
done we have at least some chance
| Give you ten to one odds! No; Wen
scratch around for flint good and
plenty before we waste time that
way"
The mist is going" observed Miss
Leslie.
That's no lie. Now for our coyotes
Where's my club?"
They've all left" said Winthrope
peering down. Il can see the ground
clearly, and there is not sign of the
beasts"
| There are the bones-what's left o.
them" added Blake. IT'S a small deer
suppose. Well. here goes"
He threw down his club and dropped
the loose end of the creeper after it
AS the line Strengthened he twisted the
upper part around his leg and was
about to slide to the ground when he
remembered Miss Leslie
Think you can make it alone?" hi
asked.
The girl held up her hands, sore anC
swollen from the decorations of the
thorns. Blake looked at them
frowned, and turned to Winthrope.
I'm! you got it, too, and in the
face" he grunted. 'How's you
ankle?"
Winthrop wriggled his foot abou
and felt the injured ankle.