The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1912-01-25

when Viaburi entered and an
nounced:
big fella schooner close up"
Even as he spoke. they heard tina
rumble OF chain through hawse pipe.
and from the veranda saw a big black
painted schooner swinging to her just
caught anchor.
ITS Yankee" Joan cried. See
that bow! Look at that elliptical sternl
All, | thought So as the stars and
stripes futtered to the masthead.
Martha. San Francisco" Sheldon
read, looking through the telescope.
"It's the first Yankee ! 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 hereT
They're not proper Sailors" Joan
commented. I'D be ashamed of crew
of black boys that pulled in such a
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. a tall and slender
man. was clad In white ducks that fit.
ted him like a semi military uniform.
The nf hnr In pf
ments that were both of the sea and
shore and that must have been uncom-
fortably hot, slouched and shambled
like an overgrown ape. To complete
the Illusion, his face seemed to sprout
In all directions with 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. VITO
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
fish such as any cultured American
would talk. save for the fact that ii
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-
petition. 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 were sailors. but
the large majority were miners. culled
from all the camps from Mexico to
the Arctic ocean. 1t was the old and
ever untiring pursuit Of gold and they
came to the Solomons to get IT, Part
of them. under the leadership of Tudor.
were to go up the Balesuna and pene
trate the mountainous heart OF Guadal-
eanar. while the Martha. under Won
Blk, sailed away for Malaita to put
through similar exploration.
And So" said Won Blk. "for MIR
Tudors expedition we must bave some
black boys Can we get them from
your"
"ln the first place we can't spare
them" Sheldon answered I'VE are
short OF them on the plantation as II
is
"WeT' Tudor asked quickly. Then
you are a firm or a partne rshipf /
understood al 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 triie stitf
"AIiss Lakeland has become inter
ested In the plantation since then. But
10 return 10 the boys We cant spare
them. and besides. they would be Of
little use. You couldn't get them 10
accompany you beyond Binu. which IS
2 short days serk wi;h tie boats from
here They are Maiaita men. and thea
are afraid OF being eaten They would
desert you at the frsi opportunity
You could get the fsinu men 10 &C
COMPANY you another days Journey
through the grass lands. bat ~ lhe nfsa
roll Of the foothills iook for them 20
turn hack They llktwise are dis.n
cilned q belng eaten
rs 4 us bad a. thaiT asked Won
ttlix
The interior q GuadslcsnaF has