The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1918-06-14
lBf MSADvENTURE|
BY GERTRUDE |. TunELlus.

i "Ho was LOWS employer, had reaSO
60 thank this loyal, industrious youn
Fellow for keeping his small and stru,
gilng business afoat through all kind
OF vicissitudes.
Mr.. Pearce had been too ill for
year to do much more than assume til
direction of affairs. He owned barge
clumsy, old, and safe for close coas
service only. He lived few league
down the Australian coast from Me-
bourne, and for twenty years had 70
lowed the conveying of merchandis
from port to port, especially bulk stuff
cutting steamer rates. The barge ha,
a sail and tiller and was scarcely sea
worthy. and could be operated by on
man.
I've got q cargo-ice," reported
Pearce one day. 1.-THE consignors viii
load and all care taken off your hand,
at the other end. Pick out spell O.
clear weather for the go. Rufus, for
hardly think the craft will stand many
more voyages"
Rufus started on his voyage weel
later. Above the hold, Grated, were
two hundred ice cream freezers and
several barrels of coarse rock salt, fol-
the cargo was designated for firm en-.
gagged In the manufacture of ice cream.
i think. myself, the old tub is at its
last gasp" Rufus told Ada. IF fate
downs her on this trip, maybe 1t will
De good thing, fer we make so little.
l would like to strike out into some
new field. It's this wretched pinching
and scraping to get dollar ahead that
is putting of our marriage"
But 1t doesn't wear out our love,
DEAR" reminded Ada sweetly.
Everything augured an easy, pleas
ant voyage. The old barge behaved adj
mirably for two days. The third night.
however, fifty miles from any port. Ru-
fus found himself In the grasp of
fierce storm. With dfsmay he let the
unwieldy craft drift. the plaything of
the waves, for there was nothing else
to do. With daybreak there came
dense fog and stern northeaster that
drove the barge ahead like an arrow
shot from bow. The straining craft
groaned and shivered. No land was in
sight, the great broad sail had been
ripped to tatters and the rudder had
burst its lashings. Rufus had lost ac-
count Of bearings, the fog did not lift
and that night the wind Increased. In
the utter darkness, just before day
break, with crash the barge struck
rocks, the PROV was battered into
kindhng wood, the bulky mass turned
over on its side and Rufus chung to the
upper rail. awaiting daybreak.
Its q coral reef ana an island be-
yond," he calculated, as morning
showed him a coastline fringed with
trees. He had made up package Of
food and, strapping half dozen of the
freezer pals together. utilized them az
a float to get ashore.
Rufus sat down and rested when he
reached the beach. The tropical air
told him that he must have voyaged
many hundred miles. He was blocking
out blind course along the coast
when blaring trumpet blast, followed
BY the clash Of cymDals, caused him to
observe procession at short dis
tance. Borne in a palanquin shout
Tered by half a dozen dusky fellows, all
hands nearly nude, was great, portly
savage. decorated with metal orna-
nents.
The inference was palpable. Rufus
had landed on some isolated island In
,abited by savages-this was their au-
,ust monarch on a Journey. They might
De cannibals, and at this thought Blu
us started to hide, but he was OBJ
served and put on 4.bold front, await
ng the approach of the procession.
following it were some cattle yoked
ogether. The procession halted and
he king, alighting, studied Rufus with
Then he inquisitively point
d to the ice cream pals.
A bright thought struck Rufus.
Through gestures he impaired to the
husky monarch that he would swim to
he barge and return with something
hat would explain the situation. The
ing nodded and Rufus struck out for
he wreck. He returned, floating a
reat cake Of ice ahead of him, and
led to his shoulders the canister that
ED the crafts supply OF sugar.
One hour later Rufus was at stage
f wild jubilation He had made Of
ne king a real friend and the latter
OF only rewarded him richly but indi- :
ated that he should be conveyed to
ne mainland.
Yes, I'm here and the barge and its
argo demolished or devoured," report
] Rufus to Ada, and her father one
lonth later, and he told OF the wreck.
And then" he recited, II treated
lem. They had cows. and therefore
lilk. had sugar and Ice. / made
lem freezer full of Ice cream. The
feet was magical. They had never
listed the dainty before and were en-
'anced. They halted right there. I'M
aiding Ice and freezers from the
arge. They sent to their camp and
hole army fiocked to the spot. There
as such an Ice cream festival as was
ever heard Of before. They kept