Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-25
THE CHEERFUL CFERUB

I | gA2J
darkness had scarce fallen ere the entire
camp seemed wrapped in slumber And
still oda Yorimoto sat with his saInural
upon the cliffs summit, with beady eyes
fixed upon his intended prey.
For an hour he sat thus in silence,
| until, assured that all were asleep below
him, he arose and with a few whispered
| instructions commenced the descent of the
cliff toward the cove below. Hardly had
he started, however, with his men string.
| ing In single file behind him. than he came
to sudden halt, for below him in the camp
| that lay between the girls shelter and the
| westerly camp figure had arisen stealth
| lily from among Its fellows.
| It was Theriere Cautiously he moved 70
| a sleeper nearby whom he shook gently
until he had awakened him.
Hush, ByrneW cautioned the French
| man. 1T Is /, Therere. Help me awaken
the others--see that there is no noise"
Whats doin'7" queried the mucker.
I'VE shall break camp and occupy the
| new location before those others awake"
whispered Theriere in reply, "and" he
added. I'VE shall take the salvage and the
| girl with us"
|
''Geer' he said. Wont they be sore
| bunch In de mornin'7"
| Tho work Of awakening the remainder of
| the party required but a few minutes and,
when the plan was explained to them all
| seemed delighted with tho prospect of dis
comflting Skipper Smms and Squlnt-Eye.
1t was decided that only the eatables be
| carried away on the first trip, and that IL
n second trip was possible before dawn the
| clothing, canvas and cordage that had been
I N.1a. a..
| loined.
| Miller and Swenson were detailed 70
| bring up the rear with Miss Harding, as.
| sisting her up the steep side of the cliff.
| Divine was to act as guide TO the new
camp, while Therlere took general COM
mand of the little column, lending a hand
| wherever necessary in the scaling Of the
heights with the loot
Cautiously the party, with the exception
| of Divine, Miller and Swenson, crept to-
ward the little pile Of supplies that were
| heaped so or so feet from the sleeping
mombers of Simms' faction. The three left
| behind walked in silence to Barbara Hard
| ing's shelter.
Here Divine scratched at the piece Of
sailcloth which served as n door until he
had succeeded in awakening the sleeper
within And from above Oda Yorimoto
watched the activity In the little cove with
interest and unwavering eyes.
The girl, reused from a fitful slumber,
came to the doorway of her primitive abode.
alarmed by this nocturnal summons
"It is I, Larry" whispered the man.
| "Are you dressed?"
YES" replied the girl. stepping out into
the moonlight. what do you want? what
has happened?"
1--WE are going to take you away from
| Simms-Theriere and l." replied the man.
land establish u safe camp OF our own
where they cannot molest you. Theriere
| how
now and as soon as they return we shall
commence the ascent OF the cliffs II you
have any further preparations to make
Barbara please make haste. as we must
get away from here as quickly as possible
Should any of Simms people WAKE up
there is sure TO be fight.
Tho girl turned back into the shelter
,o gather together handful OF wraps
that had been saved from the wreck
Down by the salvage, Theriere Byrne,
Rony Sawyer, Red Ssnders. Blanco ana
wilson were selecting the goods that they
wished TO carry with them. IL was FOUND
that two trips would be necessary to carry
off the bulk of rations, so Theriere sent
the muclSer to summon Miller and Swenson'
"Weu carry all that eight OF us can
90 the ton OF the cliffs" he said: hide
n there and then come back for the
remainder We may be able TO get 1t later
n we are unable TO make two trips 10
the camp tonight"
While they were waiting lOl iSsAAlO ~
return with the two recruits one OF the
sIeeners in Slmms' camp stirred.
Instantly the five marauders dropped
stealthlly to the ground behind the boxes
and casks. Only Theriere kept his eyes
above the level of the top OF their shoulder
40 that he might watch the movements
of the enemy.
The figure sat up and looked about. II
was Ward.
SLOWLY he arose and approached the
l.. Ii aWvgIaFE
pile of salvage. Theriere drew MS revolver
holding It in readiness for an emergency.
Should the first mate look in the direction
of Barbara Harding's shelter he must
certainly see the four figures waiting there
in the moonlight.
Theriere turned his own head in the
direction Of the shelter TO learn how
plainly the men there were visible. To
his delight no one was In sight Either
they had seen Ward. or for the sake
of greater safety from detection had moved
TO the opposite side of the shelter,
Ward was quite close to the boxes
rpon the other side of which crouched
the nlght.raiders. Theriere's finger found
the trigger of his revolver. He was
convinced that the mate had been dis
turbed by the movement in camp. and
was investigating.
Ward stopped at one Of the watercasks
He tipped it up, filling a tin cup with
water, took a long drink set the cup back
on the top OF the cask, and, turning,
retraced his steps 10 ms planhel-
Theriere could have hugged himself.
The man had suspected nothlngl He had
nasfeIy been thirsty and come over for
a drink-in another moment he would
be fast asleep once more.
Sure enough, before Byrne returned
with Miller and Swenson, Theriere could
hear the snores of the first mate.
on the first trip to the cllff-top eight
men carried heavy burdens Divine alone
remaining TO guard Barbara Harding
The second trip was made with equal
dispatch and safety. No sound or move
ment came from the camp of the enemy
other than that OF the sleeping men.
on the second trip Divine and Theriere
each carried a burden up the clins, Miller
and Swenson following with Barbara Hard
ing and as they came oda Yorimoto and his
Samurai skunk back into the shadows. that
their prey might pass unobserved.
Theriere had the bulk of the loot hidden
In a rocky ereyice just beyond the cliffs
summit Brush torn from the mass OF
luxuriant tropical vegetation that covered
the ground was 6treWn over the cache.