The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-08-31
'[EKfO IN ZAIZR RDlKIRT

VHI To- 4" /M~ h(LHH
got out and. balancing on the log.
worked the canoe across 1t. A swarm
Of mosquitoes settled down on them
Not breath Of wind could reach them
and the perspiration poured from
their bodies. Pushing. pulling. polling
and padding. they advanced their
craft. Lifting 1t over sunken logs
and forcing 1t under low-hansing
branches. they gained ground BY
inches. And all this time they were
nghting . cloud Of vicious, blood.
hungry insects. The handle Of the
professors paddle hit limb Just over
bis head and, from a hornets nest At
its further end poured forth q war
party Of these merciless fighters.
Overheard. quick!" yelled Frank.
and both men tumbled into the water
and sank out Of sight. rising again
just enough to keep nose and mouth
above the surface, while the angry
hornets buxzed around the canoe and
crawled over its contents.
The war party dissipated its energy
by flying hither and thicker and max
ing the air vibrate with muttered
threats Of vengeance. At last they
quieted down and returned to the nest
Slowly Frank lifted himself from the
water, reached for his shotgun in the
canoe. fred both barrels point blank
beneath the water. But there was NO
need OF the second submersion, for
the shots had destroyed nest and in.
habitants.
"Donnerwetter! Let's go back,
Frank" exclaimed the dripping man
at the bow Of the canoe as he climbed
aboard. Isn't there some other way
to the rookery?"
Nope. The plume hunters keep
the creek blocked up. SOS to shut
out other fellers. We're over the
worst now. we'll soon be in the bay"
Even obstructed creeks Of cork
screw tendencies have beginning
and an end. We finally emerged in
bay about mile in diameter. In
the middle were tw" small mangrove
keys. over which Gultitude of birds
were soaring. The shores Of the bay
were an unbroken line of green; ;
neither entrance nor exit was visible.
for the mangrove trees extended to
the waters edge.
Even as we looked a puff OF smoke
came from the little island. followed a
second later by the report Of a gun
We saw a stricken bird fall to the
water and cloud Of white. blue and
pink ones rise suddenly from the trees
OF the key.
Gosh! The plume hunters re here
now" exclaimed Frank, excitedly
looks like We mought have trouble.
You-all better get in t'other canoe and
lemme go alone and talk to EN-"
Frank padded toward the island.
A charge OF shot spattered the water
ahead of him.
"Heish, Jackson! Don't you know
me? I'm Frank Brown Put up yo
gun. we're not after you!" shouted
Frank. standing up in his canoe with
arms outstretched.
| A gruff voice mumbled something
that didn't reach us and we heard
Frank say:
Put up yo' gun! I'm coming to
talk to you. You know me-"
A skin. swiftly coming from behind
the island. just showed as it rounded
| point.
They're two to one. now" re
marked the professor Il wish l werl
in that canoe"
| You're good sight better of right
here, and SO is Frank" commented
the man at the stern OF my canoe
| Frank knows those fellers and car
talk to 'em, but they would load yor
with shot first and talk afterward.
At last Frank appeared padding hii
craft over our way.
"Fellers, it's all right. They ga,
We can come and camp with 'em on.
night. but I'll be a sight easier in m,
mind when we're clear Of 'em. didn'
expect to nnd 'em here or l wouldn'
a. come. That's the livin' truth. Tha
feller jackson is wanted by the sheriff
somethin' fierce. and he's bad 'ul
all right. However. we're four ant
they amt likely to do nothin' foolish
We took ~ few things a. possibl,
out of the canoe and even forebor'
to exhibit our rubber mattresses.
! Wen use your hre. II you-all DON