The Delta independent., 1916-07-07
CHAPTER XIV.
For Once I Was the Hero.

HAVE dwelt up to now upon the
terrors of Maple White Land. but
there was another side to the sub
ject, for all that morning we wan
dered among lovely flowers. mostly. a.
I observed. white or yellow In color,
these being, as our professors explain
ed, the primitive flower shades. In
many places the ground was absolute
ly covered with them, and as we walk
ed ankle deep on that wonderful yield
ing carpet the scent was almost intox-
icating in its sweetness and intensity.
The homely English bee buzzed every
where around us. Many of the trees
under which we passed had their
branches bowed down with fruit, soNe
Vt which were of familiar sorts, while
other varieties were new. BY observ-
ing which of them were pecked by the
birds we avoided all danger of poison
and added delicious variety to our
food reserve. In the jungle which we
traversed were numerous hard trodden
paths made by the wild beasts. and In
the more marshy places we saw a pro
fusion OF strange footmarks, including
many OF the iguanodon. Once In "a
great creatures grazing. and Lord John
with his glass was able to report that
they also were spotted with asphalt.
though in different place from the one
which we had examined in the morn
ing. What this phenomenon meant we
could not imagine.
We saw many small animals. such as
porcupines. n scaly anteater and q
wild pig. piebald In color and with
long. curved tusks. Once. through n
break in the trees. we saw a clear
shoulder of green hill some distance
away. and across this large dun COL
ored animal was travelling at a consid-
cradle pace. II passed so swiftly that
we were unable to say what II was.
but II It were deer. ms was claimed
by Lord John. II must have been as
large as those monstrous Irish elk
which are still dug up from time to
time in the bogs OF my native land.
Ever since the mysterious visit
which had been paid TO our camp we
always returned to It with some mis-
givlngs. However on this occasion
we found everything In order.
II was about this time that had an
inspiration. My eyes chanced to light
upon the enormous gnhrled trunk OF
the glngbo tree which cast its huge
branches over u.s. Surely II Its bole
exceeded that OF all others its height
must do the same. IL the rim OF the
plateau was indeed the highest point.
then why should this mighty tree not
prove to he watchtowcr which COM
mnDdcd the whole country Now.
ever since ran Wild ns n lad Ia Ire
land | have been n bold and skilled
tree climber. Ny comrades might be
my masters on the rocks. but I knew
that would be supreme among those
branches. Could only get my legs on
to the lowest OF the giant offshoots
then II would be strange indeed II I
could not make my way to the top.
Ny comrades were delighted at my
idea.
"Our young friend" said Challenger.
punching up the red apples OF his
cheeks. ''is capable OF acrobntic exer.
tions which would he Impossible to a
man of more solid though possibly
Of a more commanding appearance.
applaud MS RESOLUTION.
by George. young fellah. you've put
your hand on itr' said Lord John. clap
ping me on the back. How we never
came to think OF II before I can't I'm
aginc. There's not more thnn nm hour
OF daylight left. but n you take your
notebook you may lie able to get some
rough sketch Of the place. II we put
these three ammunition cases under
the branch I will soon hoist you on
TO IT,"
He stood on the boxes while I faced
the trunk and was gently raising mo
when Challenger sprang forward and
gave me such n thrust with his huge
hand that he fairly shot me into the
tree. with both arms clasping the
branch. ! scrambled hard with my feet
until had worked. Erst my body and
then my knees. on to II. There were
three excellent ofrshoots, like huge
rungs OF ladder. above my hend and
taDglc OF convenient branches be-
yond. so that clnmbered onward with
such speed that I soon lost sight OF
the ground and had nothing but foli-
age beneath me. Now and then ! en-
countered check. nnd once ] Ind to
shin up creeper for eight or ten
feet. but ] made excellent progress.
and the booming OF Chnllcngers voice
seemed to be n great distance beneath
me. The tree was. however. enor-
nous, and. looking upward. could see
no thinning OF the leaves above my
hend. There was some thick. bushlike
clump which seemed TO be parasite
upon II branch up which ! wns swarm
Ing. | leaned my head round II In or
der to see what was beyond. and I
nearly fell out OF the tree I'm my sur