Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-07-30

ago when he had first begun to realize
that he was playing out, instead of it
now when it might be too late, when
the steamer might be already gone!
He couldn't speak the Malay tongue,
but MacKnight would have told the
man why they were, crossing the
island. He could send the Malay on
ahead, and follow himself as fast as
he could
might even get them to send him help
from Pobi.
He felt in his pockets. Nothing |!
Well, the Malay was an intelligent fell
and written message after all
wouldn't make any dlfference-it all
depended On the ships skipper.
The skipper would wait, or he
wouldn't, after hearing the Malay's
story just as readily as he would for
signs, pointing to the other, then in
the direction of Pobi, then to himself,
and then to the ground, indicating
that he would stay behind.
"And e'z--Pobi," Wallen
ended anXiousrS.
yhe Malay nodded.
''Pobi - quick he repeated - and
started off at a run along the oath.
Walton watched rhe man disappear,
and after il littls AAt,@ >tartcd on
again Il" : M
completely. He was down and out,
and he was furiously angry with him
self for the state he was in.
There wasn't anything to do but
wait He might make mile before
the Malay got back-but what good
was that milei
One thing was certain, any further
exertion would bring serious conse-
quences, if the serious consequences
,, were not already an established fact.
A tropical island was no health re-
sort for a fever-shOt body, and re-
lapse of the slow fever that had fol-
lowed his recovery from yellow jack
would be-he put it pithily in his
mind nOW-gOOd night to Singapore
and everything else.
He might as we'll admit it to him
self-he wasn't fit to work his pas
sage. He began to regret that he had
not accepted MacKnight's offer Of
money. After all he could have paid
it back to the trader by mail sooner
or later.
Dub hot In
hadn't taken the money-the thought
that he would not be able to work his
passage if necessary had never en-
tered his head And now, even sup
pose he reached the ship, would they
take, not only a penniless passenger
but a sick one as well?
He had no means of judging the
time there in the forest, save that it
grew hotter as the morning advanced,
nor had he any idea how long it had
been since the Malay had left him,
when at last at the sound of voices
he raised up suddenly, supporting
himself with his back against the
trunk of a tree.
Came then the pad-pad of horses
hoofs, and the Malay, running, burst
path few yards away, while girls
| laugh rang Out-and was instantly
| checked as she and man riding be-
| side her also came into view.
"Oh!" she cried. There's someone
here! That must have been what the
iY,II hn'c
| hurt. Quick, Mr. Mott"
| She had slipped from her saddle
and was running toward nina little
figure in white, brOwn-haired, brown
eyed, whose face was nov very anX-
! iOusly puckered up in dismay and
| concern. Wallen wondered a little
vaguely who these people could be,
where the Malay had found them-and
somehow he didn't like the mans face.
''Hellor' exclaimed the man. "What's
wrong? Hurt?"
mo-" said Wallen little weakly !;
"done up, guess, that's all. Nothing
serious. I Could you tell me if
that steamer that came into Pobi yes
terday is still there? I Overdid it q
bit trying to get in from MacKnight's
across the island in time to catch
/ her"
"MacKnight's y echoed the girl
quickly. "Why, that's where we're
going. Isn't 1t, Mr.. MOTIF"
Eyes," her companion answered,
looking curiously at Wallen.
| Then to Wallen: "We met this ma
| tive fellow on the road, but couldn't
make out what he wanted. He was
| going toward the town, but turned and
came back with us, and kept running
on ahead You needn't worry about
! the steamer-We're from her our
selves. Pm second Officer-but, say,
I you're too seedy to stand up there
and talkw
Wallen was swaying unsteadily as
he leaned against the tree.
I'm all right" he said. "Just giddy
for moment. Pm-pm rather anx-
ious to make the Ship
"Well, there's no hurry now" Mott
returned "She won't sail without us.
Look herei You've come from Mac
Knights, you say. We heard at Pobi
that there was a survivor from the