The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1912-03-08
CHAPTER XVII,
AN OFFER OF MARRIAGE

there as 1t was coming on
and laid there the whole week and
traded for grub with the niggers.
When we got to Tulagi there she was
waiting for us and scrapping with
Burnett. ! tell you. Mr.. Sheldon. she's
wonder. that girl. a perfect won
Ser"
Munster refilled his glass. and while
Sheldon glanced across at Joanis
house. anxious for her coming. Spar
rowhawk took up the tale.
Gritty! She's the grittiest thing.
man or woman. that ever blew into
the Solomons. You should have seen
Poonga -Poonga the morning we arriv.
ed-Sniders popping on the beach and
In the mangr0ves. war drums booming
In the bush and signal smokes raising
everywhere. Its all up says Cap
tain Munster. Up your granny she
says to him." Sparrowhawk went on.
"'Why. we haven't arrived yet. much
less got started. Wait till the an.
chor's down before you get afraid
THAT'S what she said to me- Nun
ster proclaimed. And Of course it
made me mad. SO that didn't care
what happened. We tried to send
boat ashore for powwow. but it was
fred upon. What we want says
Miss Lakeland. 'is a hostage. I'm 60
ing ashore tonight to fetch Kina- Kina
himself on board. and I'm not asking
who's game to go with me. for I've
got every mans work arranged for
him. I'm taking my sailors with me
and one white man OF course I'm
that white man. said. for by that
time was mad. OF course you're
not says she. You'll have charge of
the covering boat Curtis stands by
the landing boat. Fowler goes with
me. Brahms takes charge Of the Flib
berty and Sparrowhawk of the Emily.
And we start at I o'clock
MY word. 1t was a tough job lyinE
there in the covering boat ! never
thought doing nothing could be such
hard work. We stopped about fifty
fathoms on and watched the othei
boat 60 in.
"Of course there was . row. 1t had
to come. and knew it. but 1t startled
me Just the same. l never heard such
screeching and yelling in my life. The
niggers must have just dived for thu
bush without looking to see what wal
up. while her Tahitians let loose. shoot
ing In the air and yelling to hurry ZEN
on. And then heard them coming
through the mangroves and an oal
land laugh. and knew everything
was all right We pulled on boart
without q shot being dred. And Their
was old kina-kina himself. beini
hoisted over the rail. shivering ans
chattering like an ape. The rest wa
easy Kina- Xmas word was law
and he was scared to death. And VI
kept him on board issuing proclama
tons all the time We we're in Poonga
Poonga.
''It was q good move. too. in othe
ways. She made kina- Kina order hi
people to return all the gear they.
stripped from the Martha. 6he-her
she comes now"
It was with a shock Of surprise tina
Sheldon greeted her appearances. Th
ready made clothes from Sydney ha'
transformed her. A simple skirt an
shirt waist Of some sort Of wash good
set OF her trim figure with a hint o
elegant womanhood that was new I
him. Brown slippers peeped out a
she crossed the compound. and b
once caught a glimpse to the ankle Q
brown openwork stockings. Some
how she had been made many time
the woman by these mere extraneOu
trappings.
1--WE opened up a new field" sh
said as she began pouring the coffee
"Old kina -Kina will never forget nj
I'm sure. and can recruit there wher
ever | want. saw Morgan at Guvutl
He's willing to contract for thousan
boys at 40 shillings per head. Did
tell you that I'd taken out a recruitin
license for the Martha? did. and til
Martha can sign eighty boys ever
trip"
Sheldon smiled trife bitterly I
himself. The wonderful woman wh
had tripped across the compound l
her Sydney clothes was gone. and b
was listening to the boy come bac
again.
"Well." Joan said. with a sigh. "1'v
shown you hustling American metl
DDS that succeed and get somewhere
and here you are beginning your mut
ding again"