The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-02-07
BY
JACK LONDON
Copydsht. 1910. BY Strsst q Smith
CopydfhA. 1911. By the Mscmif1sn Csopsnl
, MESSAGE FROM THE BUSH.

be abandoned. Papehara was
left in charge, while Joan and
Sheldon and the remaining Tahitians
pushed ahead on foot. An hour later,
following along n wild pig trail Shell
don suddenly halted The bloody tracks
had ceased. The Tahltlans cast out
In the bush on either side, and a cry
from Utami appraised them of a find.
Joan waited till sheldon came back.
Its Mauko," he said. "Kwaque did
for him. and he crawled In there and
died. That's two accounted for. There
are ten more
Crossing one of the quiet jungle
spaces. where naught moved but a vel
vety twelve inch butterfly, they heard
the sound Of shots.
"Eignr, Joan counted. at was only
one gun. 1t must be Papehara."
They hurried on. but when they
reached the spot they were in doubt.
The two horses stood quietly tethered.
and Papehara. squatted on his hams.
was having peaceful smoke. Ad-
vancing toward him. sheldon tripped
on body that lay in the grass. and as
he saved himself from falling his eyes
lighted on second. Joan recognized
this one. Ii was Cosse, one of Go
goomy's tribesmen, the one who had
promised to catch mt sunset the pig
that was TO have baited the hook for
Satan.
'No luck. missile" was Papehara's
greeting, accompanied by disconso-
late shake of the head Catch only
two boy. | have good shot at Co
goomy only | miss"
But you killed them" Joan chided.
"You must catch them alive"
The Tahitian smiled
"How?" he queried. II am have q
smoke. think about Tahiti. and
breadfruit and jolly good time at Bora
Bora. Quick. just like that. ten boy he
run out of bush for me. Each boy
have long knife. Gogoomy have
long knife one hand and Kwaque's
head in other hand. l no stop to catch
'em alive. | shoot like h. How you
catch 'em alive, ten boy, ten long knife
and Kwaque's head?"
The scattered paths OF the different
boys. where they broke back after the
disastrous attempt to rush the Ia
hitian, soon led together. They traced
Ii to the Berande. which the runaways
had crossed with the clear intention Of
burying themselves in the huge man.
grove swamp that lay beyond.
IL 70
Their" Sheldon said. "Seelee will turn
out his village and hunt them out OF
that"
Never had runaways from Berande
been more zealously hunted. The
deeds of Gogoomy and his fellows had
been bad example for the $50 new
recruits One by one the boys were
captured Gogoomy alone remained
at large. and, as the pursuit closed in
on him. he conquered his fear of the
bushmen and headed straight in for
the mountainous backbone Of the is
land. Sheldon, with four Tahitians.
and Seelee, with thirty of his hunters.
followed Gogoomy's trail dozen miles
into the open grass lands. and then
Seelee and his people lost heart. He
confessed that neither he nor any of
his tribe had ever ventured so far in
land before, and he narrated for Shell
don's benefit most horrible tales of the
bushmen.
"GOgoOmy he finish along them fella
bushmen," he assured Sheldon. My
word, he finish close up. kai-kai alto
gether."
So the expedition turned back. Moth
ing could persuade the coast natives to
venture farther. and Sheldon, with his
four Tahtians. knew that it was mad
ness TO 20 on alone.
That night. after dinner. Sheldon and
Joan were playing billiards when Satan
barked in the compound and Lalaperu.
sent TO see brought back tired and
travel stained native who wanted to
talk with the big fella white marster."
Sheldon went out on the veranda to
see him.
what name you come along house
Belong me sun he 20 down."
'Me Charley" the man muttered |
apologetically and YEARLY. ME stop
along Binu."
"Ah. Binu Charley. Ell? Well. what |
name you talk along me? What place
big fella marster along white man he
stopT
Joan and Sheldon together listened |
to the tale Binu Charley had brought |
He described Tudor's expedition up |
the Balesuna. the dragging Of the boats
up the rapids. the passage up the river
where 1t threaded the grass lands. the
washlngs OF gravel by the |
white men In search OF gold. the first |
rolling foothills. the man traps OF |
spear staked pits In the jungle trails.
the first meeting with the bushmen
who had never seen tobacco and knew |
not the virtues OF smoking. their friend |
liness. the deeper penetration OF the
Interior around the tanks Of the Lions |
Head. the bush sores and the fevers Of ]