The Monmouth inquirer., 1920-12-30
A. F ~ &

open and less grewsome than the
coquina house. Yes, people would
know about that naturally. Been say
ing Captains Island would grow civil
lied again, but don't hear of any
parties going down, and expect both
The Morgans and the Andersons have
friends in Martinsburg."
Miller smiled,
'eThe invasion begins. I'm running
down in my small boat this afternoon
How far is it?"
about twenty-five miles altogether
but if you get strong tide behind
ou it doesn't take long"
my boat needs waterfall"
The agent picked up paper and
turned to the marine page.
"Tides on the turn now. 1t runs
three to four miles an hour between
here and the mouth of the river"
"Then could make it by night Mil
Ter said. II suppose need a pilot?"
"Yes. There's no entrance directly
from the river. You have to take a
channel across the Marshes
The agent hesitated
"They call it the Snake"
He cleared his throat, adding apollo
getically:
'That's because it twists and turns
So"
lots of silly things there's no ac-
counting for" the agent replied. "And
you can't realize the reputation the
islands got around this part of the
country. And, see here! Don't you be
putting me down as foolish too. I've
told you what they say. l don't know
anything about spooks-neyer saw
one. All l do claim is, there's a kind
of spell on Captains Island that
reaches out for you-and sort Of
scares you. That's all say--a sort
of spell you want to get away from.
Maybe you're right and it's just the
climate and that jungle, and the lone
liness.''
"And l." Miller sad, "have been pic
turing it as a popular winter resort" "
you'll have to ask the snakes and
the spooks about that" the agent
laughed.
He turned to an entering customer
Miller went back to the Dart, telling
himself that the problem of Ander-
sons note was as undecipherable as
ever. He would have to wait for an
explanation until he had seen Ander-
-on that night. Therefore he was all
the more anxious to start. He had
lad enough experience with tie nj
tives to accept as final the agents
prophecy about the pilots. Tony, who
knew SO much river lore, however,
might furnish a means if he were han
died properly AS soon as he had
stepped aboard he called to the man.
The natives bearded face appeared
in the companionway. He climbed to
the deck, wiping his hands on a ball
Of waste.
"Tony," Miller said. "do you know
the Snake channel?"
Tony started. His hands ceased
tearing at the waste.
"It's near the mouth of the river
Miller added
Tony nodded. He moved uneasily.
His eyes questioned,
"Think you could get US through
without piling us on an oyster bank?"
The native waited a moment before
nodding again with a jerky motion.
These signs were not lost On Miller.
'pye altered my plans" he said
'1nstead of abandoning you and the
Dart here in a few days as l had in
tended, I've decided to go little far
ther north by water"
Tony's satisfaction was apparent IN
smile.
Miller felt it was important to let
that impression, which was more or
.ess TRUE, stand II would explain his
desire to navigate the Snake. Once
through the Snake and in the, inlet
he would find ways to iaugh Tony GU
of his superstitious fears
80 well cast off" he said, 'and go
through the snake this afternoon"
Tony's smile faded. The bearded
lips half opened as thought he was
about to speak. But his eyes caught
the high sun and evidently he chang
cd his mind, for he went down The
ladder, and after moment the en-
gine was Indignantly thrashing.
Miller sighed.
Tony reappeared, cast off, took his
rlace at the wheel, and backed the
dart into the river.
Miller seated himself in his desk
chair. The city, whose warm. hurried
life had just seemed to welcome him,
LET him go now indifferently to far
greater loneliness than that with
which he had thought himself done.
He realized this with surprise before
three O'Clock. The short distance be-
tween Captains Island and the me-
tropolis had deceived him. He had
been unable to conceive the desolale
nature of that narrow stretch. He
had not dreamed of anything like the
precipitate loneliness that crowded the
last shanty outpost OF the great fac
t.,fae