Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-04-30

light. Somewhere Il pariah dog barked.
Dick took three steps toward the lit
tie window and paused.
Out of the night came the distant
%throbbing of the thunder birds cry.
His guard. who had timidly returned
to his post under the window, uttered
a yelp Of dismay.
'Ai YAH" he quavered. "'Tis the
thunder bird. 1t is the friend Of the
foreign devil. We shall be d%estroyed.'
Dick heard the bars Of the door slip
aside. then the padding of the cow
ards footsteps as he scuttled back to
his howell.
Saved by the thunder Bird" ejacu-
lated Dick us he pushed open the door
and stepped into the moonlit night. His
first act WIS to pick up a stout stick
from the ground. and his second was
to try to locate the thunder bird. and
then. seeing it flying as though it came
straight out of the zoe itself. Dick
turned about and Went to meet it.
1t was still many miles away. and he
had to leave the village far behind and
to climb up and down many hills be-
fore he came within close view Of it.
1t was flying low-perhaps a hundred
feet above the %ground-and the closer
it came. although it grew larger and
more awe inspiring. the more relieved
was Dick Forsyth Of the United States
and Shanghai, China.
Dick jumped up and down and
shouted. He tore off his soiled white
linen coat and waved it frantically.
He swore Justify in four languages as
it appeared not to heed his calls.
For an instant he was batf1ed.
Then he put his hands to his lips and
forced all his waning strength into the
believing roar Of his college yell.
There was a queer. siren-like re-
Spouse from the thunder bird. The
thunder dulled to a purring throb.
growing slower and slower until the
thunder bird descended in lessening
circles and tapped on the ground.
The thunder bird was a grotesque
creature. 1t had a wing spread Of
forty feet. Its wings were Of canvas.
it's bones and tendons of steel and
aluminium. and it's feet were four rub
Der tired landing wheels. Yes. it was
an aeroplane.
Moreover, it was an aerOplane IA
miliar enough to Dick Forsyth. for it
belonged to Benny Dorr. who had
been one of the first foreigners in
Shanghai to startle the natives with
tbo ciuht IF q Avipr machine
1t was Benny DORIS flying machine.
and there was no doubt in Dicks
mind that it was Benny who was dis
%entangling himself from the drivers
seat and coming toward him with cx
tended hands.
This explained Benny's escape. He
had gone away so as to be able to re-
turn and save his friend. But how
about Blakely and Remington?
"Well. old chap. might have missed
you if it hadn't been for that zip. zip
zip of yours" cried Benny tearfully Il!
they wrung each others hands. 1--WE
been scouting around this God forsak
en- hole for two days now. hoping for {
glimpse of you. Blakely has been hid
den in a ruined temple back of thu
town here to keep an eye on You. 81
was to rush in and clean up the tow
if they harmed you. Remington wen
back to Shanghai with me so that il
case n Of us dropped out the othel
could go through and give the wore
about these naughty Chinks.. We go
there all right. and I came back il
this affair. thinking l might discove
some way of aiding you to escape h,
it's means. Remington is up there il
the temple with Blakely. and the,
have a dozen husky. trusty men be
hind them in case you needed help il
getting away. How is it you're wan
dering around here instead of bein:
locked up?"
In a few words Dick told him abour
the thunder bird and the evil name il
had gained among the terrified Chi
nese. Then he went in to confess how
bitterly he had resented the apparent
desertion of his friends.
81 don't deserve this. Benny
groaned. Dick as he gripped DORIS
hand.
Don't deserve it. eh?" laughed Dorr
Don't you suppose we remember how
you stayed awake two nights withou'
a wink of sleep when we were taking
that cruise in the south Pacific
Blakely and l were about all in. ant
you-oh, if you object to hearing YOU
good deeds recited. why, don't wondel
why we did it!
Just follow the thunder bird. Coco
name. eh? l guess I'll call it that here
after. Just follow the thunder birG
and it will lead you to Blakely's
temple. Here's a gun for you in cast
any of the natives get over their scare
and attempt to interfere. SO long
Dick!"
In another moment the propeller OF
the thunder bird was buzzing merrily
and the big machine was rocking owe,
the uneven ground preparatory tt
flight. Then it arose o%bliquely anl