Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-13

these Internal rocks--If 1t ever was
carved there ut all---that's one thing
certain, Tom; but look at the rocks!"
Over twenty miles of rocks north
and south, and from two to six from
east to west. A more hopeless Job the
mind of man could not conceive. Ton
shook his head, and scratched his
graying wool.
II so most by the ghost, sar." he
said. "All these men had never been
killed IL the ghost hadn't been some
where near. Mark me- II we find the
treasure it'll be by the ghost"
That's all very WELL" laughed.
but how are we going TO get tho
ghost to show his hand? He's got
such bloodthirsty ways with him."
THEY always have, snr," said Tom,
no doubt with some ancestral shudder
of voodoo worship In his blood. Eyes.
sar, they always cry out for blood. It's
oil they've got to live on. They drink
1t like YOU and me drink coffee or
rum. It's terrible to hear them in the
night"
swell, Tom," remarked, "you may
be right, but Of one thing I'm certain;
If the ghosts going to get any one. 1t
sha'n't be you."
We've both got one good chance
against them" Tom was beginning.
Don't tell me again about that old
sucking fish,"
mind you keep 1t safe, for all that"
said Tom gravely. II wouldn't lose
mine for thousand pounds"
well, all right. but let's forget the
damned old ghosts for the present"
We decided to try plan that was
really no plan at all; that is to say, to
seek more or less at random, till We
consumed all our stores except Just
enough to take us home. Meanwhile
we would, each of US, every day, cut
sort Of radiating swathe, working sim
gle-handed, from the cove entrance.
Thus we would prospect as much Of
the country as possible in sort Of
fan, both of US keeping our eyes open
for compass carved on a rock. In
this way we might hope to cover no in
considerable stretch of the country In
the three weeks, and, moreover, the
country most likely to give some re-
suits, as being that lying In a semicir-
Gle from the little harbor where tho
ships would have lain. It wasn't much
Of plan perhaps. but 1t seemed the
most possible among the impossibles.
Harder work than we had under
taken no men have ever set their hands
to. 1t would have broken the back Of
the most able-bodied NAVY; and when
we reached the boat at sunset We had
scarce strength left to eat our supper
and roll into our hunks. A machete
Is heavy weapon that needs no little
skill in handling with economy Of
force, and Tom, who had been brought
up to 1t, was, In spite Of his years, .
better practitioner than !.
have already limited at the kind Of
devils underbrush we had to cut our
way through, but no words can do Jus
tice to the almost intelligent stubborn
ness with which those weird growths
opposed us. 1t really seemed as though
they were inspired by diabolic will
force pitting itself against our will.
vegetable incarnation of evil strength
and fury and cunning.
Day after day Tom and returned
home dead beat, with hardly tired
word to exchange with each other.
We had now been at Il for about
fortnight, and loved the old chap
more every day for the grit and cour-
age with which he supported our ter
rible labors ana kept up his spirits.
Once or twice we had made fancled
discoveries which we called of the
other to see, and once or twice we had
tried some blasting on rocks that
seemed to suggest mysterious tunnel.
,ngs into the earth. But 1t had all
proved vain thing and WEAKNESS
Of the flesh. And the ghost Of John 2.
Tobias still kept his secret.
(To Be Continued.)
at.r2-