The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-05-14


outlaws retreated several yards
through the dry grass, which they set
on fire, then rode away. leaving their
victims to be choked or burned as the
wind drove the flames against the cliff.
Into this tragic scene Diaz rode and
seeing the six helpless victims tried
to urge his horse through the flames
to them, but the animal reared and
finally carried his rider away out Of
sight.
There is nothing left but to try
10 meet death bravely and pray for
swift end" said Dick, and the others
nodded. But even as he spoke
knife flashed through the air and
buried itself In the tree an inch from
his hand. And as he looked, wonder
ing, a second knife severed the ropes
at his wrists. 1t was easy, then, to
free himself and the others, who in
a short time were revived by the cool
waters Of brook near by.
On the shore of the Gulf of Mexico
there lived one Lopez, full-bloOded
Mexican Indian, who now and then
took loads Of lumber across the gulf
in his two-masted schooner And one
afternoon, Scarface and his gang, with
the automobile and horses, came to
I.opez's shack, and hired the boat to
take them across. Leaving the car
and horses, with the wireless and
other Of Dicks equipment In the Lopez
corral, all hands set sail for the buried
treasure.
AT about the same time at a fishing
settlement not far distant, Diaz hired
a cat-boat and set sail, telling no one
of his plans. While scarcely had Lo-
peas schooner disappeared around the
point, Dick and his companions ar
lived at the Mexican's shack and were
told by his wife in answer to ques-
tons as to Scarface:
"No wind. You catch um around
point-maybe."
Sure enough, less than a mile of
shore, her sails tapping idly, lay the
schooner in fair view Of Dicks party
lying behind sand dune. Only To-
pei, smoking cigarette, could be
seen on deck, and Dick rightly sur
missed the others were below asleep.
Quickly deciding to capture the boat
at any cost, he set up the wireless
and sent this message:
American prospectors marooned,
shore of gulf, twenty miles south of
Yaqui river. Provisions and arms
stolen-on schooner. Wife with me.
Find us here or on schooner-cap-
tured or captors. Help, quick.
RICHARD VAN BRUNT.
Dick and Stebbins then started to
swim out to the schooner, telling the
others to remain behind the dune for
further orders. It was an easy mat
Ter to reach the vessels deck by the |
anchor rope and as easy to steal up
on and fell the browsing Lopez, whom
they hurled down the hatch, which |
they slammed down and secured, pen |
ming the awakened outlaws in the
cabin.
Guarding the latch with rife
found on the deck. Dick sent Steb-
bins ashore for Polly and ohu, and
on their arrival he set out for the
dune to pick up Teel and Tomas and
the remainder Of the equipment.
Awakened by the landing In their
midst of the unconscious body of Lo-
peg the outlaws were aware that
something had gone wrong, but not
until they had revived the skipper, did
they learn how the tables had been
turned. An attempt to force the hatch
was quickly abandoned when Stebbins
sent couple of rifle bullets through
it, Then Lopez, his wits returned,
called the outlaws together:
Lumber ports-forward," he said.
Creeping forward, Scarface stealthily
lifted hatch and could see Polly
and Stebblns and Chu chatting by
the rail aft, Gaining the deck, the
,uffians stole back and by a quick
rush overcame the three and were
again masters Of the boat.
Then seeing Dick and the other
two putting out from shore, they hid
below the railing and as they stepped
on deck covered them with pistols
and their triumph was complete. And
so engrossed We're they in these ex-
citing events that none saw away to
the south big airplane sweeping in
their direction.
Scarface took only few minutes to
devise a new way of disposlng of his
prisoners. He had plank run out
over the rail and ordered the SIX
lined up by It. Then he said:
swell since fire failed, Wen try
the water route"
Tomas first was led to the plank,
his bonds cut, and at the point of
pistol forced TO drop into the sea.
Stebblns. Chu. Teel and Dick followed.
Meanwhile, Polly, unnoticed, had
gained the deck and Selling life
buoy threw it to the struggling men.
Then she rushed to the ratlInes, up
which she began TO climb, while Scar
face angrily ordered her to descend.
On she climbed until she had reached
the top mast-end.