Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-04
NEAL OF
THE NAVY
CONTINUED from Last Issue.)


lips
Me signed Hernandez. follow me.
DO what | do
For one instant he looked about him,
getting his bearings. Then he started
on. For many minutes the party skirt
ed the edge OF the jungle, never once
showing itself, and moving always ST.
lently as the grave itself. At length
Hernandez once more halted-this time
on the edge of grove of palms Hold
ing his canabal crew back, Hernandez
beckoned to the chief to advance alone.
The chief obeyed. With the swiftness
of two savages, Hernandez and the chief
darted behind the trunks of two separate
trees Hernandez poitned toward the
beach. The chief took one long, salts
flying look.
He turned and laghed silently, iend-
ishly at his Portuguese companion. Her
nandez leered, and the leer was of the
devil.
white meat, you old Gourmand."
whispered Hernandez, white meat. And
very tender
Down OH the beach, busying them
selves about their self-appointed tasks,
were Annette and her foster mother.
There were several members of the
| fruit steamers crew-all white. There
was Inez Castro--also white-but an
outcast, sitting, brooding by herself.
Hernandez counted the men.
We need four to one, at least, he
said to himself Then he nodded to the
chief and held up the fingers of both
hands several times. The chief under
stood. He was warrior. He knew
that much safety lay in his men and
gave them orders They crept back ST.
lently through the trail.
| Hernandez and the chief wriggled
back into the underground and then sat
down to wait
| Hernandez reasoned darkly with him
| self. MY life or theirs he said, my
| life or theirs I stand alone. I've lost
Ponto. I've lost the jackal Welcher.
I've go, to fight them single-handed.
I'll do it, Safety first--and afterwards,
the stake. And what a stake-Lost
| Isle"
While he pondered, Annette's party
suddenly made up is mind to decamp.
| The discovery of the skull upon the
beach was a disturbing fact.
1T may mean only some shipw-ecked
sailor" said Annette, and it may mean
foul play, TO say the least Let's go
somewhere else and hide. Here we can
be seen from almost anywhere. I'm III
| favor of the jungle"
A sailor shivered Snakes" he said
Give me skulls-alive or dead"
when Neal comes" went on An
nette.
fright" said a sailor, well put it
up to him"
| He glanced casually toward the grove
of palms, this sailor. Then with an
oath he sprang to his feet.
Boys" he cried aloud, feeling for a
weapon, we're in for it. Women IN
the shed Look here they come"
The other sailors, with the swiftness
of seamen in a sudden squall, were upon
their feet, each with weapon in his
hand. They forced the women into the
hut and formed a circle, guarding IT,
And then broke the storm.
With the yell OF a thousand demons
the black man-eaters were upon them
upon them, four to one. Their spears
and battle clubs aloft they danced round
the hut, closing in and then retreating
| like a flash. -.u ..- -
stand together, boys" said sailor,
| and don't forget the women
! In another instant he was wallowing
4 in his blood. His fall caused a gap in
the defense. and before it could be
/ closed. ten cannibals, in a superb flying
wedge formation, had broken through
the ring. One warrior seized Inez in
his grasp, and with a cry of triumph
darted with her toward the jungle. A
sailor who followed was stricken down.
But 1t was Hernandez who stopped the
captor. He darted after him and
caught him by the arm.
Back" he ordered, with a sign
that spelled fury, back there. This
woman belongs to me-"
The warrior, with an exhibition of
submission and humility that puzzled
Inez even in her hysterical condition,
relinquished her to Hernandez and dart
ed back to fight.
"Senorita," said Hernandez suavely,
bearing to a place of comparative Sc
curity, '1et us be noncombatants for
once. Get others working for you, is
nv motto. AS for us, why-safety
! first"
Inez shivered. She dragged Her
nandez toward an opening between the
trees.
Look. look" she cried her face rigid
with terror, "its horrible, horrible, hor-
rible."
A short. time later, by the side of
Hernandez, she stumbled bllndly
through the jungle--in the midst of
bowling, painting mob of half-naked
warriors. The warriors were the vic
tors. And they bore with them the
spoils-two women, still alive. small
SQUAD of torn and battered sailors, and
a few silent fgures-silent forever.
Hernandez shrugged his shoulders.
It's out of my hands," he said, but
] I've got to see it through. I've got to
know what happens. I've got to be
/ there-or else they'll get me too. Wen
be lucky to escape But We'll escape,
Won and I. never fear. I've arranged for
il. I'VE arranged for-safety first"