The Washington times., 1912-07-16
CHAPTER vi.
Facing the Unknown.


lowed instantly by a piercing squeal,
caused even Blake to- start up in
panic. Miss Leslie, too terrified to
scream, clung to Winthrope, who
crouched on his launches, little less
overcome. .o.., =,
Blake was the first to recover and
puzzle out the meaning of the crashing
in the jungle and the ferocious growls
(which sounded directly Beneath them
Lie STILL" he whispered. We're all
isnmtts,d Iight It's only q beast that killed
All sat listening, and as the noise of
the animals in the thickets died away
they could hear the beast beneath them
The air feels llke dawn" whispered
LWinthrope- Wen soon be able to see
the brute"
And he u.s." rejoined Blake.
In this both were mistaken. During
the brief false dawn they were puzzled
by the odd Appearance of the ground.
The sudden flood OF full daylight found
Them staring down into a dense white
$50 they have that here!" muttered
Biake. Fever fog!"
"Beastly shame!' echoed Winthrope.
I'm sure the creature has, gone off,
This assertion was met by an outburst
iof sRrls and yells. that made all start
sheitering hollow. As before, Blake
was the first to recover.
Bet you're right" he said. THE big
one has gone off and a pack of these
african coyotes are having scrap over
the bones"
You mean 5ackals. 1t sounds like
the nasty beasts"
IF 1t wasn't for that fog ia go down
and get our share of the game"
Would not that be very dangerous
Mr.. Blake?'' asked Miss Leslie. What
a fearful noise!'
i've chased coyotes off a calf with
Q rope, but that's not the proposition.
You don't find nte fooling around in
that sewer-gas of a fog. Wen roost
for it. We've got enough malaria in
us already"
will 1t be lons?' asked Winthrope.
wait w'fnss15E lin sonTe HraSp tamp,d 'nS around 'A
week with nothing to eat but yonr
"sHrely. Mr.. Blake. It will not be SC
tad7" protested Miss Leslie.
Sorry, Miss Jenny. but cocoanut.
palms don't blow over every day, and
when those nuts are gone. what are
we g0nE TO do make aSr he mex!
winthrope. There seems to be no end
OF game about here
"Bows-ard arrows without points
Neither of us could hit a barndoor. any
way"
I'VE could practice
"Sure-six weeks training on air pud
ding. !, can do better with handful oi
Then We should go at once to the
cliffs" said Miss Leslie.
Now. you're talking-and It's Pike!
Peak, or bust. for ours. Here's on'
night to the go)d, but We won't las
many more If we don't get fire. IT,
iints were after. now
sticks" said Winthrope. recalling hi
suggestion of the previous morning. -
have heard that natives have no trou
BILE"
'cm dc it. Never could MAKE 20 o
It myself, though
But Il you remember how it's. done
we have ut least some ch6nce-
Give you 10. 20 l odds NO: wei
scratch around for n flint good an
pienty before we waste time that way.
THE mist is ogoing," observed Mis-
That's no lie. Now for our coyotes
They've all left" said Winthrope
peeriog down. II can see the groun
clearly and there is not sign OF tn
"rhers are the bones-Tnat's .Ti left ttoo' 9
them" added Blake. ITS a sna
deer. ! suppose: Well mere 9 goes S,o,n.
the loose end of the creeper after It. A
the lire straiEhtened he twisted the up
per part around his leg and was aeou
to slide to the ground when ne remen'
lbered Miss Leslie. .,,
Think you can make 1t asone'
asked.
Swollen from the decorations of tn
thorns Blake looked at them, frowne'
and turned to Winthrope. -,
"whee! You got It; too. and IN, IN ts
Winthrope wriggled his foot about an
felt the injured ankle.
"I fancy 1t is much better" he al
nounced; There seems TO @ oe no swei
tsrhat's lucky; though, like as no
itri tune up later. Take slide nov
We've got to hustle our feed and the
And a way to get over the river
How vide is it?" inquired VIII
ttbrope, gazing at his swollen hands:
about 800 yards at high tide M'
be narrower at ebb u.,
Miss Leslie. ,,,,,
Blake smiled at her simplicity: WI
not boat? We've got penknife'
''WeN then l can swim.
"Bully for you! Guess. though, we
try something else. The river is chu'
full of alligators What you waitii
for. Pat?. We haven't got all day
WintRrope twisted the creeper abo
his leg and slid to the ground, doing
he could to favor his HANDS; he fou
~ once stepped over beside Blak
club. glancing nerVously around at
Jungle.
and passed the loop about Miss Lesl
Before she had time to become frigl
ened he swung her over and lower
her to the ground as lightly as
He Followed. hand over hand a
stood for a moment beside her, start
at the dew-dripping foliage OF the j.
gle Then the remains of the nigh
quarry caught his eye and he WalE
over to examine them.
Say, Pat" he called, these do
look like deer bones I'd say-yes, ther
the feet--it's a pig"
ANY tusks?" demanded Winthro
approaching slowly for fear Of his
kle.
Miss Leslie looked away. A heap
bones, however cleanly gnawed, is
a pleasant sight. The skull of the a
NAL seemed to be missing, but Blf
stumbled upon 1t in tuft of grass Q
kicked it out upon the open ground.
ery shred of hide and gristle had b,
gna wed from 1t by the jackals; yet
there had been any doubt as to
creatures identity. there was evide,
to spare in the savage tusks which p
tho