The L'Anse sentinel., 1916-08-30


OF writing on that"
'I'll have my lawyer draw up form
of contract and mail It after you to
morrow" promised the doctor with q
crafty look,
"No. you wo-" began Average
Jones; but he broke of with a smile
Very WE'LL" he amended. "If things
work out as figure them, that will do
And" he added. dropping into his sig
nificant ,drawl and looking the doctor
fatty in the eye, don't you-er-bank
on my-er-not understanding your
ffer-and-er-you."
Average Jones bought ticket for
Yuma
Discriminating at the Yuma station
three days later, Average Jones
blinked in the harsh sunlight at a
small, compactly built, keen-eyed man
roughly dressed for the trail.
I'm Captain Funcke," said the
stranger. His speech was gentle, slow
even hesitant; but there was some
thing competent and reliable in his
bearing which satisfied the shrewd
young reader of mems characters from
the outset. "Your wire got me two
days since and came right up"
ANY trace" [\
Left here two days ago."
Three of them?"
eyes. Flat-bottomed, narrow-beamed
boat. sloop-rigged pretty light"
IL
"Only the big one. Calls himself
Colonel Richford. Had fake copper
outfit in the mountains east of Ala
mo-"
Where do you think they're headed
for?"
| Probably the widest country they
can find, IL they want to get rid OF
young Hon." said the other, who had
been apprised of the main points OF
the situation. THAT would be the Pin
to range, to the southwest of the Lag
una"
Suppose it's the Pintos. then. How
do we get there?"
"Hard-ash breeze" returned the
other succinctly. Our rowboat is out
fitted and waiting. Sixty miles to the
turn of the Laguna. There's a four
mile current to help. They've scani
two days start, and we'll catch uI
some"
All that day and all the night the
two men swung at the oars; swung
until every muscle in the young east
erner's back had turned to live nerve
fiber and the flesh had begun to striI
from the palms of his hands.
Meantime, between spells at the
oars, Average Jones had outlined the
case in full to Funcke. After long and
silent consideration the captain gave
his views.
'It isn't bunco. It's hold-up. They
get him off in the mountains, out OF
sight of the lake, so he'll have no land
mark to go by. Then they scare him
into signing co-partnership papers
and make him turn over those certified
checks to them. All they'd do ther
would be to quit the boy while he was
asleep. A tenderfoot would die o.
thirst over there in short time.
rs there no water?"
There's a tenaja-rock-ba basin holdint
ainwater"-explained the hunter. II
they find the tenaja empty they'll have
barely enough in the canteens they
pack to get them to the next water
the Tenaja Poquita, around behind thu
mountains and across the desert int
the next range"
Get me to young Hoff, then, cap
tain. You're in command from the mo
ment we land"
1t was broad day when the kee
pushed softly into the muddy bottom
of a long, shallow arm of the lake
Captain Funcke rose, stretched tn,
kinks out of his back, and jumpe,
ashore.
You say I'm in commando" he in
quired. ~
Absolute" j
"Then you roll up under that mes
quite and fall asleep. I'm going to cas-
about for their trail"
To the worn-out oarsman, il SCENE,
only few moments later that an in
sistent grip on his shoulder arouse,
him.
I've found their boat" said Captain
Funcke. "The trail heads for Pintos
They're travelling heavy. l don't be
lieve they're twenty-four hours ahea
of u.s."
| Average Jones stumbled to his feet
I'm ready" he said.
Its a case of travel light" TIL
hunter handed over a small bag Q
food and large canteen full of water
He himself packed a much larger loat
including two canteens and a powerful
field-glass. Taking a shotgun from tn
boat, he shouldered 1t and set out at
long, easy stride.
To Average Jones the memory @
that day has never been wholly cleal
Sodden with weariness, dazzled an
muddled by the savage sun-glare, b
followed, with eyes fixed, the rhythmic
| alIv m0n0tonouaIv mOving feet Of hi