Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
By James Francis Dryer

were too busy pulling and every minute the
sun climbed higher up that blue bowl that was
over us, and the higher we climbed, the more
darts re stuck into the back of our backs.
Pancakes and peppermint wasn't II tough?
We felt as if a million little arrows tipped with
carbolc acid were being pushed into our
shoulder blades, but Cameron kept us going,
doing his turn with the rest, and taking a
glance ahead if he expected land to appear
at any minute.
Mackey saw it first.
Land ahead" he roared, and we took
three minute spell to look at it 1t was there
sure. A small island by the look of 1t, but we
didn't care how small it was just then. We
wanted sand patch the size Of Harlem fiat
where we could stretch ourselves out at full
length to get the kinks out of our bodies.
We grounded the boat on a sandy beach that
between the water and the scrub tina
stretched inland to the foot OF a black rock
that ran like big fish fin across the island
and dived into the water about 800 yards from
the spot landed it.
"Uninhabited,' growed Cameron one OF
the smaller islands of the Cook Group. guess
it's not more than few acres in area"
We started to walk along the beach after
we had pulled the boat out of reach of the wat
err. That stretch of white sand looked mighty
inviting after the boat
We walked to the point where the black vol
canic rock dipped into the ocean. The. tide was
out, and only few feet of Shiny coral lay be-
tween the straight face of the rock and the
water; but Captain Jack who was in front,
started to climb the slippery track TO get
peep at what lay on the other side of the
point,
He got about half way when he stopped
suddenly. dropped on his knees and started to
roll up the sleeve of his jacket.
What is it?' asked Steele
Cameron didn't answer He was fiat on his
stomach then, with arm thrust into a lit
tie basin of water that the tide had left in a
hollow in the rock. Presently he got up and
turned toward us and as he turned, the sun
flashed something he held in his hand. Gee!
| certain that the girl was a clairvoyant
Just then! She had been watching Cameron,
breathing quickly as II she suspected that some
thing going to happen, and when the sun
light fell upon the little article he held in his
hand, she let out a shrek and sprang toward
him.
Its hers!"
That was intuition Of the 2O-carat brand,
sure. I'll wager she never enough Of that
locket to identify It frcm the spot where she
was standing, but she had hit the bulrs-eye by
saying that 1t belonged to her sister. That lit
tie bit of gold that Cameron he'd ished out OF
1.-The basin. had on 1t the initials "B f., Octo-
Der 90" and Miss Barbara had told us the night
before that Beatrice was is years old on that
date
cried II is hers Oh, she must be herel"
Cameron caught her by the arm and put up
his finger BE quiet" he said. Your voice
can be heard half-mile away"
He drew the girl iato the shelter OF a patch
Of grub and we follow ed mighty quick. The
finding OF that little locket right after the sleep
walking stunt Of the early morning was rather
mystifying That beach looked as lonely as
Coney Island in a blizzard, and that barrier OF
rock the sort or Feeling You get Wneu
you see something wriEgling under a blanket
II looked as II It hid things
When we had climbed into the shelter Of the
scrub where the Llama vines were plated that
thickly that you couldn't see the white beach
Cameron turned to Barbara Ellotson;
when did your sister have that loeketF' he
asked
when we we're at St Kiida pier" sobbet
the girl. Il haven't seen her since then. You
know, we were confined in separate cabins"
Captain Jack strangled curse word that
atfempt to come vent TO MI
temper then he turned 10 the rest Of us.
Hamilton has haunt in this group o.
islands" he said. land II looks as II we've beer
lucky enough to fall upon IT, II. NJ. s. Vultur.
chased him around her last year when he had
a cargo Of niggers that he was carrying up tc
Queensland and n he's here Well, I'm fol
making a call
We nodded our heaCs.
Anybody who likes to stay here can stay
continued Captain Jack. There's a path up the
other side OF that rock II my eyes didn't de-
ceive me. Miss Ellotson" he said, turning e
the girl you had better stop under cover I'll
She didn't speak She Just sat staring al
that Bit of gold, and the look on her face made
Murphy that mad thar he nearly broke his nech
over Llama vine rushing toward the foot OF the
rock.
We climbed across the coral rocks to the
foot OF the rock and there was the path just
as Cameron had said. Spirits OF nitrel Wasn't
n a path2 II curled round the rock like a little
four-inch shelf OF stone and 1t was as slippery
as a politician before election. We held on by
our toes clinKing 10 the roots OF creepers and
cutching at bits OF rock that projected here
and there from the smooth face.
II wasn't nice job climbing that path. Not
much! II got narrower We climbed higher
and at last we had 70 turn sideways and Greer
along II with our faces jammed hard against
the rock And the thought Of the darned abyss
behind II we slipped backward didn't i'm
prove our nerves.
Moxon stopped when we had gone about
halfway and he looked at Cameron. Il guess
I've had enough" he snarled. I'm not Sir
Galahad"
Captain Jack giared al him without speak
ing but Steele, who was climbing behind the
mate had his say. You'll have 10 get bach
by climbing over me. you lubber" he cried Tn
going straight on. and IL you don't move II
push you Off the SHELF"
Moxon looked at The little American engineer
for a minute, made a movement as II to turn
back. then changed his mind suddenly and went
on again But Il was tough climbing Just there
Cameron turned elbow in the track. and
for half a minute he vas out OF our view Mac
kew was next TO Captain Jack. and when he
reached the corner Of the trail he stopped and
whistled softly and We crawled up to where he