Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-12-01


voiced young fellow of twenty. but he
won Joan's admiration in advance
when Sheldon told her that he ran the
ketch all alone with black crew
from Malaita. And romance lured and
beckoned before Joan's eyes when she
learned he was Christian Young. a
Norfolk islander. but direct descend
ant of John Young. one Of the original
Bounty mutineers The blended Ia
hitian and English blood showed in bis
soft eyes and tawny skin. but the Eng
lish hardness seemed to have disap-
peared. Yet the hardness was there.
and it was what enabled him to run
his ketch single handed and to wiring
a livelihood out of the fighting Solo
mons.
Joan's unexpected presence embar-
rassed him until she herself put him
out at bis ease by u frank. comradely
manner that offended Sheldon's sense
of the fitness of things feminine.
News from the world Young had not.
but he was filled with news OF the
Solomons. Fifteen boys had stolen
rifles and run away into the bush
from Lunga plantation. which was
farther east on the Guadalcanar coast.
And from the bush they had sent word
that they were coming back to wipe
out the three white men in charge.
while two of the three white men, in
turn. were hunting them through the
bush. There was strong possibility.
Young volunteered. that il they were
not caught. they might circle around
and tap the coast at Berande In order
to steal or capture whaleboat.
II forgot to tell you that your trader
at Ugi has been murdered he said to
Sheldon. "Five big canoes came
down from Port Adams. They landed
in the night time and caught Oscar
asleep. What they didn't steal they
burned The Flibberty Gibbet got the
news at Mboli pass and ran down to
Agi. was at Mboli when the news
came"
II think I'll have to abandon Ugh
Sheldon remarked.
"It's the secoud trader you've lost
there in a year." Young concurred
ITO make 1t safe. there ought to he
two white men at least. I've got Il
dog for you. Tommy Jones sent 1t
up from Neal island. He said he'd
promised 1t to you. It's first class
niger chaser. Hadn't been on board
two minutes when he had my whole
boats crew in the rigging. Tommy
calls him Satan. Jack Henley was
killed at Marovo lagoon two months
ago. The news just came down ON
the Apostle"
where Is Marovo lagoon?' Joan
asked
New Georgia. couple of hundred
miles to the westward" Sheldon an
swered. "Bougainville lies just be-
yond."
His own house boys did It," Young
went on: but they were put mp to 1t
by the Marovo natives His Santa
Cruz boats crew escaped In the whale
boat to Choiscni. and Mather. In the
Lily. sailed over to Marovo. He burn
ed a village and got Henley's head
back. He found 1t In one Of the houses
where the niggers had 1t drying. Ana
that's all the news I've got. except
that there's lot Of new Lee EntieIds
loose Oh the eastern end Of YsabeI. No
body knows bow the natives got them
The government ought to investigate.
Ah-oh, yes-a war vessels in the
group. the Cambrian. She burned three
villages at Bina-on account Of the. MI
nota. you knOw-and shelled the bush.
Then she went to Sio to straighten out
things there"
The conversation became general.
and just before Young left to SO on
board Joan asked:
How can you manage all alone.
Mr.. Youngy"
His large. almost girlish eyes rested
N her for a moment before he re-
piied. and then it was in the softest
and gentlest Of voices.
"Oh. get along pretty well with
them. OF course. there is bit OF
trouble once in awhile. but that must
be expected. You must never let them
think you are afraid. I've been afraid
plenty of times. but they never knew
it."
"You would think he wouldn't strike
a mosquito that was biting him."
Sheldon said when Young had gone
on board. ''All the Norfolk islanders
that have descended from the Bounty
crowd are that way. But look at