The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-02-01

MI OHNE
her 10 shillings for it If nor wester
blows up, and it's about time we had
one"
What schooner? Where is it? How
did she happen to buy it?"
First, the schooner Martha" the
skipper answered, checking his replies
Off on his fingers; second. the Martha
is on the outside reef at Poonga -Poon-
ga. looted clean of everything portable
and ready to go to pieces with the first
bit of lively sea. and. third. Miss
Lakeland bought her at auction She
was knocked down to her for IS
quid by the third assistant resident
commissioner. | ought to know.
bid so myself for Morgan and Raff
My word. weren't they hot!
Twenty says for my bid 'Twen.
ty-nve,' says the little girl. Thirty
says |. Forty says she. Fifty says
|. 'Fifty-fve.' says she. And there
was stuck. Hold on. says /; wait
TIL l see my owners No, you don't,
says she. It's customary. says /.
Not anywhere in the world. says she
Then It's courtesy In the Solomons,
says l. And then she smiles at Bur.
nett as well-you know. one of thoss
fetching smiles, and damme If Burnett
doesn't begin singing out, Coin. goin'
goin-last bid-goin'. goin' for So soy.
ereigns-goin', goin', goneto you. Miss
--er-what name. pieaseT
Joan Lakeland says she with q
smile to me, and that's how she bought
the Martha"
The Martha. a finer schooner thar
the Malakula and. for that matter, the
finest I'm the Solomons-she was Just
the thing for recruits. and she wat
right on the spot. Then be realized
that for such craft to sell at auction
for f55 meant that there was small
chance for saving her.
.But how did 1t happenT' he asked.
"Weren't they rather quick In selling
the Martha?"
Had TO. You know the reef al
Poonga-Poonga. She's not worth tup-
RtANC va ~ IL any ANU VI Il SEA All ks
up, and it's ripe for nor'wester any
moment now. The crowd abandoned
her completely. You know Malaita,
and you know Poonga- Poonga. That's
where they cut Off the Scottish Chiefs
and killed all hands. There was moth
ing to do but take to the boats. The
Martha missed stays going in. and in.
side i've minutes she was on the reef
and in possession The niggers swarm.
ed over her, and they just threw the
crew into the boats. | talked with
some of the men. They swear there
were 200 canoes around her inside half
an hour and 5000 bushmen on the
beach. Said you couldn't see Malaita
for the smoke of the signal fires. Any
way, they cleared out for Tulagi.r
"But why didn't they 6ghtg Shell
don asked.
1T was funny they didn't. but they
got separated. You see. two-thirds OF
them were in the boats. without weap-
ons, running anchors and never dream.
ing the natives would attack. They
found out their mistake too late"
"But what is Miss Lakeland intend.
ing to do
Captain Auckland grinned.
"She's going to try to get the Mar.
t.hia o'i. ! should say. or else why did
she pay IS quid for her? And If
she fails she'll try to get her money
back by saving the gear spars. you
know, and patent steering gear and
winches, such things. At least that's
what I'd do II was in her place.
When l sailed the little girl had char
tered the Emily. I'm going recruit
ing says Munster He's the skipper
and owner now. And how much will
you net on the cruiser asks she. oh.
90 quid.' says he. Good. says she
You bring your Emily along with
me and you'll get 10. You know
that big ships anchor and chain
piled up behind the coal sheds? She
was just buying that when | left
She's certainty hustler. that little
girl of yours"
''She is my partner" Sheldon cor
rected
''Well. she's a good one. that's all
and a cool one. My word. A white
woman on Malaita and at Poonga
Poonga of all places! Oh, forgot TO
tell you. She palayered Burnett into
lending her eight rifles for her men
and three cases of dynamite. You'd
laugh TO see the way she makes that
Guvutu gang stand around. And to
see them being polite and trying TO
give advicel Lord. Lord. man. that
little girls wonder. a marvel. a-a a
catastrophe That's what she is-a
catastrophe. She's gone through Gu
vutu and Tulagi like hurricane
Every last swine OF them 10 love with
her. except Raj He's sore over the
auction. and he sprang his recruiting
contract with Munster Oh her And
what doe, she do bur thank nim and
read 1t over and point ont That. white
Munster was pledged 10 deliver all re-
cruits arran and Ran. there was
DO cian~a ~ The document forbiddinr
him from charfering the Emily
There's your contract. says she.
passing Il faek And > frft good fs'n
tract # Is The neat tine soa draw