Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-20
By Ellis Parker Butler.

the discomfort OF the heavy, mosquito
infested air; For one moment MI.
came out Of 1t rubbing his eyes and
coughing.
Let's 60 to bed" he said Immediate
~, but with forced cheerfulness. Il
haven't slept in q tent since was q
boy. Let's turn In"
David held open tho tent flap. slap
ping with his hand as q warning to
mosquitoes that they were not wanted.
Tens, hundreds, perhaps thousands, Of
them did not heed the warming. They
entered with Mr.. Lloyd. buzzing mer-
rily.
"Cireat, Caes--," Mr.. Lloyd began,
as he felt the greater heat Of the tent
interior press against his face, but he
caught himself in time. "Well, this
looks nice and coy" he said instead.
What's the matter with that lantern?'
"It generally smokes like that" said
David. 1--WE don't have to have it. I
thought, maybe, you would like to sit
up and read awhile. =
One side Of the lantern flame was
doing all the work. That side shot
upward tirelessly. pouring a stream Of
smoky flame against the lantern globe.
The other side of the flame was sulk-
ing. It sputtered and gasped and gave
forth nothing but rich odor Of low
grade petroleum, partially stewed.
+
globe the rich black smoke eddied,
dropping greasy SCOT everywhere,
"Put it out!' said Mr.. Lloyd, and
then, remembering that he was being
a boy, he said: IT will be more fun
pajamas2"
ACROSS your cot" said David. "but
I'd better kill the mosquitoes before
put out the light, hadn't II"
Mr.. Lloyd looked at the roof Of the
tent ana thought he had. There were
standing blissfully upside down on the
canvas Of the tent, waiting for the
real party to begin. Mr.. Lloyd helped
David slaughter them. They killed
several army corps. In the smoke
scented Mr. 81 o the 1 tent was 1ea hot
Once he suggested opening the tent
flap to admit air, but he Immediately
withdrew The suggestion; it would be
impossible to spend the night in al
ternately opening the tent to admit
them. He disrobed, put on his pa
jamas and got into bed.
whats the matter with this cot"
he asked. and Immediately got out Of
1t again. -
the matter with it?" s,%$s5
IT thought it was going down with
me-" said Mr.. Lloyd. The cot had
seemed to heave like ship on
stormy sea and sink like boat slids
ing down the side of q great wave,
felt the legs of the cot. 5g
-. "Nothing's the mat" he began.
II know" he exclaimed 1.-The legs
went down into the sand" :. I'D
Mr.. Lloyd tested the cots stability.
1T can't go very far" said David.
TT it goes very far you'll be down to /
farther. If you want to can put the
shelves under you and then it can't /:
any farther than 1t is now, because
you'll be on the shelves. Shall ~. = d
Don't bother. said Mr.. Lloyd, and
1t creal1ed complainingly. For mar
as rotund as Mr.. Lloyd 1t was most
uncomfortable cot. The legs, In sinking,
into the sand, had given it something Of
a hammock shape-a hammock with
hard edges--and parts Of Mr.: Lloyd
pressed against the hard edges. The
temperature Of the tent gave. no reason, /
for a covering, but the mosquitoes mace
ono imperative; usually the breeze was
from the sea- and a blanket was CRATE
Lloyd drew his blanket to his chest: A
mosquito bit him on the neck and ne
drew the blanket to his chin. Another
or the sanle-mosquito bit the top OF
his head. Mr.. Lloyd drew the blanket
over his head. One or more mosquitoes,
taking advantage Of the shifting OF the
lie.lket bit Mr.. Lloyd on the feet. He
got out Of the cot and tucked the blanket
in at the foot.
ny, "Wha atssn the matter father?" asked
Nothing, Davy: just getting COM;
Good night"
1t was insufferably hot under the
blanket. The pillow was too fiat and
hard. The sides Of the cot were mad
denihg in their persistent pressure. Mr.
Lloyd sat up in. the cot and stared mis-.
erably into the darkness. He felt the cot
sink to windward:, He steadied it and
felt it go down by the bow He cautious
His head was now lower than his feet
He felt like a man lying head down on
q slanting roof. He got out of the cot.
tucked the blanket in at the head, put
his pillow at the foot and got In agai'
He closed his eyes and felt like q. ma
lying head up on a slanting roof. Al
most involuntarily he put out q ham
and grasped the rail Of tho cot A. mos,
quito Immediately bit the lmuckle Of
his forefinger. Mr.. Lloyd groaned
David was breathing deeply and peaet
fully. "
Mr.. Lloyd drew his knees up al
Shut his eyes. with stern resolutfNi
The wool of the blanket irritated Il -
unaccustomed skin and suggesteds =
myriad Of ants crawling over him. -
turned on his other side. He turnedie %
his face. He tried lying on his bag
lie became obsessed with the idea TT
an ant was crawling OH his left leg, a.
sat on the side Of the. cot and tried