The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-08-13

tut WHAT II Known us the Wlue Optu-
inS. a sort of estuary into which
listless stream or two crawl through
mangrove bushes from the interior
swamps.
Here, a short distance from the
bank, on some slightly ascending
rocky ground, under the spreading
shade of something like stretch Of
woodland, Charlie, several years ago,
had built rough log shanty for his
camp-one of two or three camps he
had thus scattered for himself up and
down the tout islands," where nearly
all the land is no mans, and so every
mans land. The particular camp at
which we now arrived he had not Wis
tied for long time.
Here Tom brought us our dinner
and the dark began to settle down
upon US. thrlllIngly lonely, and full of
strange, desolate cries of night crea-
lures from the mangrove swamps that
surrounded our little oasis for miles.
Sailor lay at our feet dreaming of to-
morrow's duck. His masters thoughts
were evidently in the same direction.
"How are you with gunT he
asked. turning to the boy.
"Oh. / won't brag. had better wait
. till tomorrow. But. of course, you will
have to lend me a gum"
II have beauty for you-just your
weight" replied Charlie, his face
beaming as it did only at the thought
of his guns. which he kept polished
like jewels and guarded as jealousy
as violInist his violin, or an Arab his
harem.
Dawn was Just breaking as felt
Charles great paw on my shoulder
next morning. He was very serious.
For moment, as I sat up. still half
asleep. thought he had news Of To-
bias. But Ii was only duck.
/ was scarcely dressed when Tom
arrived with breakfast, and In few
minutes We had shouldered our guns
and were crossing the half mile Of
peaty waste that divided US from the
mari lakes. Ahead of us, the crew
were carrying the skiffs on their shout
ders. and very soon we were each
seated In regulation fashion on can
vas chair In front Of our respective
sklffs, with our guns across our knees
and a negro behind us to do the pol
ing.
Charlie went ahead, with Sailor
standing in the bow quivering with ex-
element. The necessity Of absolute
silence, of course, had been impressed
upon us all by the most severe of all
sportsmen. Tom (who was polling me)
and / understood that our job, and
also that of my companion, was to
steal behind one mangrove copse after
another till we had got on the other
side of a quacking flock of teal
which might then be expected to- take
flight in Charles direction and rush
by him In a terrified whirlwind. This
not very easy feat of stalking we were
able to accomplish, thereby winning
Charles immense approval and put
ting him i'm a splendid temper for the
rest of the day; for, as the wild cloud
swept over him, he was able to bring
down no less than seven. Like true
sportsman, In telling the story after
ward In John Saunders snuggery, he
averred that the number was ninel
The days that now followed for q
week might be said to be accurate
copies of that first day. But they were
none the less delightful for that-for
there is a sameness that Is far indeed
from monotony-though will confess
that, for my own tastes, toward the
weekend the carnage of duck began
to partake little of that latter quail
ity. Still, Charlie and Sailor were so
happy that I wouldn't have let them
suspect that for the world.
Besides, had my wonderful young.
friend, to whom gew daily more at
tached. found myself feeling drawn
to him as can imagine young ia
Their is drawn to young soni and
sometimes seemed to see in his eyes
the suggestion of confidence he was
ON the edge of making me--a whim-
sical bordering expression, as though
wondering whether he dare to tell me
or not.
"What Is 1t, Jack?" 1 asked him for
once when, early in our acquaintance.
we had asked him what we were to
call him, he had answered with a
laugh: "Oh, call me Jack-Jack Hark-
away. That is my name when 1 60
on adventures. Tell me your adven-
ture names. 1 don't want your prosaic
everyday names" SWELL" I had re-
piled. entering into the lads humor.
my friend here is Sir Francis Drake,
and I. well--rm Sir Henry Morgan"
what is 1t. Jack?" repeated.
But he shook his head.
mol" he replied, II like you ever
so much-and wish could; but /
mustn't"
Somebody else's secret again" I
ventured.
"Yesi' And he added: "ThIs time
it's mine, too. But-some day per-
haps; who knows?-" He broke on |