Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-07-23


age, which he belted around his chest
under his clothing. He cooked and
ate an enormous quantity of rice and
fish; then he threw himself into his
hammock and slept heavily until 10
o'clock.
He shook himself into w~akefulness,
slung a jug of cold tea from his Shout
der and went into the garden.
In one hand he carried a large bath
sponge tied to a strong stick. In tho
other hand he carried a bottle of
chloroform. At the nearest gate be
paused and looked through at the out
stretched form of the jungle cat. She
was accustomed to Mason's presence
there and did not even stir. With
steady hands he soaked the big sponge
with chloroform-the bottle was large,
and the sponge was dripping.
Carefully he poked the stick between
the bamboo uprights and pressed 1t
close to the nose and mouth of the
sleeping tigress. She stirred and, as
If enjoying the unaccustomed sensa-
ton, grasped the sponge in her huge
paws and muzzled 1t sleepily. She did
not even stir when Mason squeezed
a heavy duck bag through the palings
and tossed 1t over her head.
He fastened to the gate at the end
of the garden and performed the same
operation with the fiercer male beast.
His hands were trembling now, for
he must make haste. He could not
hope that the an~aesthetic would do
more than stupefy the beasts for
awhile. There was not enough of 1t.
and the conditions were not favorable.
"Just ten minutes-give me ten min
utes' start and I'll take my chances
with sharks rather than stay here an
other minute!" he muttered ~savagely.
The garden gate opened, and he step
ped over the inert form of the striped
guardian.
He slipped and slid down the muddy
bank until he reached the waters edge.
The full moon guided him to the group
of fishing boats drawn up on the beach.
In a moment he had pushed off from
shore and was polling his frail craft
into the track of moonlight hat led to
freedom.
VII W Liz SO0lACdoL LhCAO q
faint light-some northbound steamer.
So fearful was he that he might miss
the precious opportunity and SO alb
sorbed was he in the management of
the strange boat that Mason failed to
notice the ominous silence that brood
ed oyer the waters; the ~shuddering,
licking sound of the oily waves.
Suddenly the moon was blotted out
by a swift onrush of inky clouds and
the hot breath of the wind.
Surely death stared him in the face.
1t was riding now on the wings Of the
approaching typhoon.
And all the while that red light bob
bed and disappeared, and now the
steamer showed a blessed green light.
He could see them Acknowledgment
and starboard. She had changed her
wind, straight toward the tiny sampan
tipping up and down on the swell.
One minute after Mason had been
rescued by the great ocean liner the
typhoon struck with shrieking force.
Perhaps the tidal wave hat follow
ed tossed the sampan back on its ma
tive shore; perhaps the hungry IVA
leaped the embankment and tore away
Mason's hut and the snarling guard
ians. He never knew. He never
cared.
They put him in a cabin and gave
him what he asked for-hot water and
SOAP and clear garments-and he cared
not for fifty typhoons. He was back
among civilized people. He was free
from hat mysterious Imprisonment
.
A year later he had almost forgotten
it. He was back in New Hampshire,
going daily to his business in Concord.
His family welcomed him home as one
from the grave, and his children play
ed with the straw toys he had bought
from the street vender.
Albert Mason had other troubles
now. Business was bad, and bank
ruptcy stared him In the face. Unfor-
tunate investments had depleted his
assets. The years he had wasted In
the hut on the China sea had under
mined his prosperity.
He went home and talked 1t over
with his wife, a helpmate indeed.
They smiled at the children playing
on the floor. The youngest brought a
broken toy to his father. 1t was n
Of the straw animals Mason had
brought home from China.
1.-THE frog and the cat and the bird
are quite WELL" said the baby earnest
ly, "but my dwagon feels very sick!"
1.-THE dragon, eh?" repeated Mason,
examining the hollow interior of the
curly tailed, red fanged toy. 81 don't
wonder. Molly, look at that!"
He withdrew his fingers and dangled
before his wife's amazed eyes a golden
chain, from which hung a magnificent
girdle clasp of jade set with diamonds
and rubies, the insignia OF some Chi