Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-12-19

~AHEY were deep in game Of
billiards the next morning
after the II o'clock breakfast
when Viaburi entered and an
nounced:
big fella schooner close up"
Even as he spoke. they heard the
rumble of chain through hawse pipe.
and from the veranda saw big black
painted schooner swinging to her just
caught anchor.
"It's a Yankee" Joan cried. "See
that bow! Look at that elliptical stern!
Ah, thought so"- as the stars and
stripes futtered to the masthead.
Martha, San Francisco" Sheldon
read, looking through the telescope.
tits the first Yankee 1 ever heard OF
in the Solomons. They are coming
ashore, whoever they are. And. by
Jove, look at those men at the oars.
It's an all white crew. Now, what rea-
son brings them here2"
They're not proper sailors" Joan
commented "I'd be ashamed of crew
of black boys that pulled In such
fashion. Look at that fellow in the
bow--the one just jumping out; he'd be
more at home on cow pony"
The boats crew scattered up and
down the beach. ranging about with
eager curiosity, while the two men who
had sat in the stern sheets opened the
gate and came up the path to the bun
galow. One Of them, tall and slender
man. was clad In white ducks that fit
The other man. In nondescript gar
ments that were both of the sea and
shore and that must have been uncOm-
fortably hot, slouched and shambed
like an overgrown ape. To complete
the Illusion. his face seemed to sprout
in all directions with a dense bushy
mass of red whiskers. while his eyes
were small and sharp and restless.
Sheldon. who had gone to the head
OF the steps. introduced them to JOAN
The bewhiskered individual. who
looked like Scotchman. had the Teu-
tonic name Of Won Blk and spoke
with an American accent. The tall
man in the well fitting ducks. who
gave the English name of Tudor-JOhn
Tudor-talked purely enunciated Eng.
lish such as any cultured American
would talk, save for the fact that it
was most delicately and subtly touched
by faint German accent.
Won Blk was rough and boorish. but
Tudor was gracefully easy in every.
thing he did. or looked. or said.
They were on a gold hunting ex-
pedition. He was the leader and Tudor
was his lieutenant All hands-and
there were twenty -eight-were share.
holders, in varying proportions. In the
adventure. Several we're sailors. but
the large majority were miners, culled
from all the camps from Mexico TO
the Arctic ocean. IL was the old and
ever untiring pursuit of gold and they
came to the Solomons TO get IL Part
OF them, under the leadership OF Tudor.
were to go up the Balesuna and pene-
trate the mountainous heart OF GuadaI-
canar. while the Martha. under Won
Blk. sailed away for Malaita to put
through similar exploration.
"And So" said Won Blk, for Mr.
Tudors expedition we must have some
black boys Can we get them from
youY'
In the first place we can't spare
them" Sheldon answered. I'VE are
short OF them on the plantation as 1t
ls."
"WeT' Tudor asked quickly. Then
you are firm or a Partnership
at Guvutu that you were
alone that you had lost your partner"
Sheldon inclined bis head toward
Joan, and as be spoke she felt that be
had become a trine stlf.
Miss Lakeland has become inter.
asted In the plantation since then. But
10 return to the boys. We can't spare
them. and. besides. they would be Of
little use. You couldn't get them TO
accompany you beyond Blnu. which Is
short days work with the boats from
lere. They are Malaita men. and they
ire afraid OF being eaten. They would
iesert you at the nrSt opportunity.
iou could set the Binu men TO ac-
'ompany you another days Journey
Trough the grass lands. but az the nrst
Oh Of the foothills look for them 10
Urn back. They likewise are disln.
lined 70 being eaten" #