The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-04

and from the veranda saw a big black
painted schooner swinging to her just
caught anchor
Its a Yankee" Joan cried. See
that bow! Look at that elliptical stern!
All, l thought So as the stars and
stripes futtered to the masthead.
Martha. San Francisco" Sheldon
read, looking through the telescope
Its 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 a crew
Of black boys that pulled In such
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. tall and slender
man, was clad In white ducks that ft-
ted him like a semi-military uniform.
The other man, In nondeScTpt gar
ments that were both of the sea and
shore and that must have been uncom-
fortably hot slouched and sbambled
like an oyergrown ape. To complete
the Illusion. his face seemed to sprout
In all directions with a 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. who
looked like a otchman. had the leu
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 ohm
Tudor-talked purely enunciated Eng
hsh such as any cultured American
would talk, save for the fact that it
was most delicately and subtly touched
by faint German accent.
Won Blk was rough and boorish. but
Tudor was gracefully easy In every
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-
canar. while the Martha. under Won
Blk. sailed away for Malaita TO pu,
through similar exploration.
And So said Won Blk, for Mr.
Tudor's expedition We must have some
black boys, Can we get them from
youg"
In the first place we can't spare
them," Sheldon answered We are
short of them on the plantation as IL
is
"We?' Tudor asked quickly. Then
you are q firm or a partnership?
understood ar Guvutu that you were
alone, that you had lost your partner
Sheldon inclined his head toward
Joan, and as be spoke she felt that be
had become a trife stiff.
Miss Lakeland has become inter
ested in the plantation since then. But
to return to the boys. We can't spare
them. and. besides, they would be OF
little use. You couldn't get them to
accompany you beyond Biuu, which Is
a short days work with the boats from
here. They are Malaita men, and they
are afraid of being eaten They would
desert you at the first opportunity
You could get the Binu men to &C.
company you another days journey
through the grass lands. but at the first
roll OF the foothills look for them tc
turn back. They likewise are disin
clined to being eaten
rs it as bad as that?' asked yor
Blk.
THE interior of Guadalcanar ha:
never been explored" Sheldon explain
ed. THE bushmen are as wild meI
as are to be found anywhere in the
world today. | have never seen one
| have never seen man who has seeL
one. The Austrian expedition-scient
lists, you know-got part way in before
= was cut to pieces. The mcnumen1
is up the beach there several miles
Only one mau got back TO the coast u
tell the tale. And now you have al
or any other man knows of the inside
OF Guadalcanar."
But gold-have you heard of gold ?
Tudor asked impatiently. DO yot
know anything about goldF'
Sheldon smiled. while the two visitors
hung eagerly upon bis words.
You can go two miles up the Bale
suna and wash colors from the gravel
I've done 1t often. There is gold IN
doubtedly back In the mountains"
Tudor and Won Blk looked trium
phantly at each other.
"Old Wheatshears yarn was true
then" Tudor said, and Won Blk nod
ded And If Malaita turns out a:
WE'LL
Tudor broke of and looked at Joan
lit was the tale Of this old beach
comber that brought Us here" he ex
planned "Von Blk befriended hin
and was told the secret" He turned
and addressed Sheldon II think ".