Evening star., 1917-11-11

what Eh? What's that again:
Nonsense! He's just playing some
trick on you. In the attic. maybe. or
out to the garage. You have? Well
don't get panicky. He must be some
where around the house at this time
of night
But he isn't" insists Sadie. "I tell
you. Shorty. he's gone
And she finally beat it into my head
that she meant it. Sully was missin'.
Yes. he'd been sent to bed. all right.
But he wasn't in 1t now. Hadn't been
at all.
"And I don't know what to do" says
Sadie. a. bit trembly.
Easy. now" says I. I'll be right
amt likely. but Say. just take a
look in his room for that scout cos-
tune and the rifle.
Il hadn't thought of that" says Sa-
die. I'll look"
And after a two-minute wait she re-
ports: They're gone. Shorty"
HUH. says I. Then I'll go to the
camp first. I'll let you know soon as
can. Don't get foamed up over it. old
girl"
Then I skips back into the whittle
lfb.ry. grabbin' my straw lid as I went.
It's the .youngster. He's mtssin'.''
Your boy?" says Whitt1e. Out? In
storm like this!'
I mods: Most likely sneaked Off with
tHoSe 1901 SOlQIeTS, says /. Hers
been talkin' a lot lately about their
night duty. Maybe he's tryin' 1t with
'em. I'll soon know"
'But-can't We help?" asks whittle.
Thanks. I guess not" says 1, and
makes dash out into the rain.
is still rollin' around and the lightnin'
flashes are comm frequent I may
have trod little impulsfve on the ac-
ceelerator goin' up from the Point. I
know I did some fancy skiddin' as I
turned off the Post road.
There's a short cut to the camp across
the fact'ry grounds when the gates are
open daytimes. but now they are
locked. I couldn't wait to drive around.
SO left the car at the truck entrance
and started skirtin' along the nine-foot
picket fence: stumblin' over Stag heaps,
splashin' through puddles and crashin'
into bushes, If it hadn't been for the
lightnfn' I'd made worse mess Of
myself than I did. AS it was. lost the
straw lid early in the game and caught
trouser leg on some barbed wire.
But I kept plnngin' ahead for the
tents. I knew the camp was some
and that as soon as I got past the
first angle I should strike path. AS
I remembered. there was little brook
ran into the company's grounds about
there. with a plank across 1t. I ought
to be able to tell when I got near by
the slope of the ground. Yes: here it
was. I'd slowed down. and was sort
OF feelin' my way, incidentally gettin'
tangled up with c'ump of cat-brier
when all of 4 sudden out of the dark
comes hail from a thin. pipin' voice
that's maxim a swell bluff at bein'
:sruff and harsh.
Halt, YOU it sings out
And say. maybe I wasn't glad to
hear it,
"Friend" says l.
'Who-what friend?" is the challenge
"Only your pop. You young tarrier."
says I. What the blazes do you think
you're mp to here. Sully?"
Sorello." says he. They-theyve got
him. pop"
"Whaddye mean, got him?" says 1.
"'Here where are you? Where's that
blamed plank? All"
A flash came just then that showed
me the whole thing. 1t was only a
glimpse. but / want you to understand
It's some vivid picture-one I sha'n't
forget very quick, either.
There's little Sully. standin'- ready in
the middle of the path. the water rum
min around his ankles and drippin' off
the brim of his scout hat. but grippfn'
his dinky rifle firm and holdin' his chin
well up. He's wet and scared and
bit unsteady about the lower lip; but
toward him through the bushes he
hadn't given an inch. He'd been right
there with the stern Halt" stun.
And back of him, lyin' In a heap. with
,ne leg twisted under the other. and
his head hangin' limp to one side. is a
form. I was across in two jumps and
down beside him. No. he hadn't been
finished OFF. He was breathin', all
right. It was Joe Sorello.