The Washington times., 1912-07-15
THE TIMES, DAILY SERIAL STORY
INTO THE PRIMITIVE
ROBERT AMES BENNETT
Copyright. 1912 Frank A. Munsey Coz

, The girl seized the part of the creeper
which was fastened above and drew
herself up with convulsive energy. In
stantly Blake rose to his knees, and
grasping the taut creeper with one hand
reached down with the other to swing
the girl up beside him on the branch.
"All right, Miss Jenny, he treasured
her, as he felt her tremble. Sorry TO
scare you, but couldn't have made il
without. Now, If you'll hold down my
legs Wen soon toist his ludship.7'
He had seated her In the broadest part
of the shallow hollow where the branch
Joined the main trunk of the fig.
Heaped with the reeds which he had
gathered during the afternoon, II made
such a cozy nest that she at once for
got her dizziness and fright. Nesting
among the reeds, she leaned over and
lessed down on his ankles with all her
strength.
The loose end OF the creeper had fallen
to the ground when Blake lifted her
upon the branch and Winthrope was
already slipping into the loop. Blake
ordered him to take it off and send up
the club.
AS the creeper was again flung down
,"Hello-sunset" called Blake. Look
sharp, there"
"All ready, SIR"
Blake drew in a full breath and began
to hoist. The position was an awkward
one, and Winthrope weighed thirty or
forty pounds more than Miss Leslie
But as the Englishman came within
reach of the descending loop he grasped
1t and did what he could to ease Blake's 8
efforts.
A few moments found him as high
above the ground as Blake could raise
him. Without waiting ror orders he
swung himself upon the upper part Of
the creeper and climbed the last few
feet unaided. Blake grunted with sat-
isfaction as he pulled him In upon the
branch.
You may do, after ALL" he said. at
any rate. we're all aboard for the
ni@ghtEand @ none too soon. Hear that"
Listen!"
The brief twilight was already fading
into the darkness Of a moonless night,
and as the three crouched together in
their shallow nest tney were soon made
their surroundings.
With the gathering night the jungle
seemed to waken into full life. From
all sides came the harsh sluawking OF
other small creatures, the crash OF
heavy animals moving through the jun
BILE. and above all, the yelp and howl
and roar of beasts. of prey.
After some contention with Winthrope
Blake conceded that the :oars Of his
lion might be nothing worse than the
snorting of the hippopotami. -
comfort, since Winthrope presently re-
asserted, his belief in the climbing abil-
ity of leopards, and expressed the opin-
ioln that, whether or not there were
lions in the neighborhood, certain of
the barking roars they could hear came
from the throato OF the spotted climb
ers
Even Blake's hair bristled as his
imagination pictured one OF the great
cats creeping upon them in the dark
ness from the far end of their nest
limb.
The nerves of all three were at their
highest tension when a dark form
yard OF their faces. Miss Leslie ut
tered stified scream and Blake
brandished his club. But Winthrope.
who had caught glimpse of the
GUS laugh.
Its only a fruit bat" he explained
In the reaction from this false alarm
both men relaxed and began to yield
to the effects of the tramp across the
mud flats. Arranging the reeds as
best they could, they stretched out
on either side of Miss Leslie and fell
asleep in the midst of an argument
on how the prospective leopard was
most likely to attack.
Miss Leslie remained awake for two
or three hours longer. Naturally. she
was more nervous than her compan-
ions and she had been refreshed by
her afternoons nap.
Her nervousness was not entirely
due to the wild beasts Though Blake
had taken pains to secure himself and
his companions in loops OF the creep
er fastened to the branch above, Win
thrope moved about so restlessly in
his sleep that the girl feared he would
roll from the hollow.
At last her limbs became so cramped
that she was compelled to change her
position. She leaned back upon her
elbow, determined to rise again and
maintain her watch the moment she
was rested.
But sleep was close upon her. There
was a lull in the louder noises of the
Jungle. Her eyes closed and her head
sank lower. In a little while 1t was
lying upon Winthropes shoulder and
she was fast asleep.
A Continuation of This Story VIII
BE Found In TOmOrrOw's
Issue of The Times.