Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-16


of her bombs, l had her blown up
ana we returned to the rocks.
! 1t was now o'clock The sun was
I getting over the horizon. and It was
/ time to run down our quarry. l cared
/ little about the two men They might
escape, and welcome, If only l could
capture the pirate himself. 1 meant
to keep after him a week or ten days,
If necessary. and for that purpose 1
had taken possession of the unused
batteries of the Chameleon. which suf-
feed to replace all that the Crow had
exhausted up to this time
The three men who had been left at
the scene of the last nights adventure
had arrived at the rocks, bringing
along their wounded comrede, who
was seriously shot through the breast
They also brought Payton's pack of
provisions. which had been left on the
ground. This delighted me exceeding
~. for it vastly increased the chances
. of his capture.
l had. including myself and Peters.
ten available men. | decided to leave
Peters and f,e1r men at the rocks. with
plenty of provisions. and one of the
electric guns, placing Helen in their
charge until the arrival of the party
from the Osprey or until my return. /
directed Peters to keep a flag flying,
for l felt confident that our friends
would soon come. and probably with
the aero. since my engineer had as
sured Peters that he could repair the
steering gear.
For the search. my idea was to rise
to a good height with the Crow and
start off SYSTEMATICALLY southwark. in
order that Payton. if he were watch
ing. as be doubtless would be. might
conclude that we were satisfied with
the recovery of Miss Grayman and
were making for home. When. to use
an old nautical phrase. we should be
hull down" from the rocks | meant
TO put about. going round by the east
to northeast and keeping full fifty
miles beyond the point where Payton
had escaped.
Then l would drop down near the
ground and search it right and left
over a breadth of at least fifteen miles.
creeping gradually inward toward the
critical point Since he was compel
led to travel on foot l did not believe
that Payton had been able to go any
thing like fifty miles over the brush
tangled and more or less swampy
ground. But / wanted TO be sure.
So OF l started. after a tender part
ing from Helen, whom | encouraged
with the hope of soon seeing her IA 4
Their and TO whom 1 had related all
the particulars OF the manner in which
we bad found Payton's lodge and of
our adventures up TO the time OF the
battle in the clouds. She in turn gave
me a vivid description of her expert
ences on the Chameleon. where she
and Susan had been kept locked in
the cabin most OF the time. Once or
twice only they had witnessed the
chase.
But / did not know who my res
cuer was TO be-" she said. smiling
lrchly
When we had attained a point be-
tween fifty and sixty miles northeast !
of the rocks we began the search in
earnest. We had long been running
ow. but now 1 dropped within twenty
Yards OF the ground and began to de-
scribe n series of endless iDterlocking I
'pira!s about fifteen miles in length,
ike SO many fat. intertwined figure .
lights lying on their sides. one over !
mother
This enabled Us to inspect the ground /
20 uinuteIy that woodchuck could
hardly have escaped being seen Even
5 here II WIS covered with brush we
'oaid usually see fairly well. and
when we came upon Ihickecs OF cIumps
= sfunted trees / ordered Ethan to
'Top shells into them. an employment
Eat afforded MIN great satisfaction.
This beats coon huntin' In Con-
lecucut ali houer." he said. when 1