Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-06
THE ~,,,>,''''','
LOST
WORLD
BY
A. CONAN
DOYLE
Copyright. 1912, by A. Conan
Doyle
CHAPTER XII.

p.,.trsting Maple White Land.
AND now we had to decide upon
m our immediate movements. We
u shifted our position from among
b M the tick laden bushes until we
s IN small clearing thickly sur
s.erdsd by trees upon all sides. There
-. some fat slabs Of rock in the cen
:. with an excellent well close by,
- there we sat in clearly comfort
MIS- we made our first plans for the
--ssion Of this new country. Birds
~.,p calling among the foliage. espe-
..,nv one with a peculiar whooping
- which was new to US, but beyond
tsese sounds there were no signs of
lie
Orr first care was TO make some sort
4 list Of own own stores, so that we
rlght know what we had to rely upon.
Wbst with the things we had our
salves brought up and those which
g.mbo had sent across on the rope we
we're fairly well supplied. Most i'm
portant Of all. in view Of the dangers
which might surround US, we had our
aur rifles and 1900 rounds; also a
shotgun, but not more than $50 medi-
IN pellet cartridges. In the matter of
vrovisions we had enough to last for
several weeks, with a sufficiency of
tsbacco and q few scientific nipple
rents. including a large telescope and
Z good fieldglass. All these things we
collected together in the clearing, and
IS g first precauuon we cut down with
or Ratchet and knives q number of
th1rny bushes, which we piled round
circle some fifteen yards in diam
ger This was to be our headquarters
t1r the time-Our place of refuge
against sudden danger and the guard
house for our stores. Fort Challenger
re called it.
The peaceful penetration of Maple
White Land. which We called the new
country, was the pressing subject be-
fore US. We had the evidence of our
tFR eyes that the place was inhabited
by some unknown creatures. and there
vas that of Maple Whites sketchbook
to show that more dreadful and dam
eeFons monsters might still appear.
That there might also prove 10 be
hman occupants and that they We're
O malevolent chara cter was sug-
sssted by the skeleton impaled upon
tie bsmboOs. which could not have got
there had it not been dropped from
ab9Fe. Our situation. stranded with
Get possibility Of escape III such a
Ind was clearly full of danger, and
car reasons indorSed every measure
e caution which Lord Johns expert
ence could suggest. Yet it was surely
impossible that We should halt on the
edge Of this world of mystery when
or very souls were tingling with i'm
PATIENCE TO push forward and to pluck
The heart from it.
We therefore blocked the entrance
70 our zareba by filling it up with sew
eFal thorny bushes and left our camp
With the stores entirely surrounded by
this protecting hedge. We then slowly
and cautiously set forth into the I'M
Known. following the course of the lit
tie stream which flowed from our
spring, as it should always serve US
Is guide on our return.
Hardly had we started when we
cane across signs that there were in
ueed wonders awaiting us. After
lew hundred yards of thick forest con-
uinlng many trees which We're quite
unknown TO me. but which Summer
zee who was the botanist of the par
y recognized as forms of conifera
and Of cycadaceous plants which have
i0hg passed away in the world below.
We entered region where the stream
"ioened out and formed a considerable
p'g. Suddenly Lord John. who was
waking first, halted with uplifted
hand
Look at this!' said he. by George,
tls must be the trail of the father OF
all BIRDS
An enormous three toed track was