The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-12-05

cusnions 10 mane mo : comfortable
ssat on the long, broad bench.
The old priest could express his
thoughts 20 plainly that 4 understood
him almost a. well a. II We were able
to converse. and when was IN doubt
he took board and made drawings In
i childlike but expressive way.
Il soon realized that he considered
me sent as messenger BY their god
Itxcoatl. A prophecy made hundreds
OF years before By one Of their great
men told them that deliverer would
come as bird. That reminded me Of
my Eagle that had. during my Illness,
been haunting me, as feared 1t had
been damaged beyond repair. In spite
OF all 1t meant to me had not asked
about 1t. / was led by the priest to
the church, through the wide doors
of which my Eagle had been carried
and placed before the altar. looked
1t over carefully and found that It was
in good condition. except that the
wings had lost their magnetism. /
inspected 1t and found one wing coat
ed by pale yellow varnish-it was
the wing that had been touched by the
liquid from geyser.
1T caused a perfect isolator. and II
/ had had the presence Of mind to use
my dry battery at the crucial moment
I would not have had the fall; but
everything turns out for the best
when / was able to work sue
ceeded in cleansing the wings, and the
machine was in working order again.
Yesterday / thought was strong
enough to leave and I babe my host
goodby with the promise that would
return and bring help.
This is short recital Of my doings
during the two months past, and now,
my dear Astra, will you tell me all
that Is new here?"
Napoleon had heard a few things
from Whistler in Ciryne that disQuiet-
ed him, and he was anxious to know
the truth. That Astra could tell him
best of all. So she began to relate
all the important happenings while
Napoleon listened attentively, making
notes from time to time. Astra spoke
of the European decree and all the
facts that were officially communicat-
ed to her. Then she told OF the news
paper rumors concerning the aerodro-
none fleet and the preparations for
war that were supposed to be occupy
ing the time of the European rulers.
I'VE have nine days at our disposal
will be very busy. for the next few
days, but next Monday will be ready
to appear in the congress as the presi-
dent of the international peace com
mittee.'
Early next morning Napoleon COM
municated with his brother workers
in the peace committee, and then left
the capital. He spent some hours at
work designing device to be used
on the aerodromones. With six ma
chimes, equipped with men and bar
rels, he headed for the valley Of Xiuh
that evening.
They landed In the valley the next
morning and after a peaceful negotia-
ton with the high priest they caught
large supply of the liquid that had
put the Eagle out of commission and
returned to .Ciryne. While Napoleon
analysed the liquid his workmen made
several trips between the valley and
Ciryne, carrying the liquid away In
vast quantities.
Napoleon, after thorough examina-
ton, sighed. Here is something new.
It puzzles me, but it solves the ques-
ton Of superiority in the air"
Napoleon's next move was to try
out the new swallow-type machine. It
was smaller than the Eagle, but the
wings and the tall rudder we're COM
paratively larger. It had not the
grace Of the Eagle In flight, but its
speed was something unprecedented
1t shot through the air like streak.
Two more days passed. The third
found every aerodromone equipped
with a long tube very similar to the
old style fire extinguisher. To this
tube was connected small automatic
gun. which protruded through a spe-
cial aperture in the body of the aero
dromone. The lever controlling this
gun was within easy reach Of the
aeroman, and the gun itself was SO
arranged that it could be pointed in
any direction.
The four aerodromones that had
been sent toward the west were re-
porting every few hours. They had
seen nothing so far that was out Of
the ordinary.
It was Saturday evening that the
last of the aerodromones was made
ready for prompt action. Turning the
command of the island over to Whis-
tier, Napoleon returned to Washing
ton. The Swallow made the trip in
two hours.
eTo BE CONTINUED