, 1921-12-10

struggle TO his feet half a dozen hands
were laid on him and In n trice he was
lined and carried back of the vsri to
a clear space where a dozen heavy
tenkwood posts stood In a row about
four feet apart. Mr.. GIbney was quick
iy stripped Of his clothing and bound
hand n foot to one of these posts.
Three minutes later another delega-
tIon OF cannibals arrived. bearing the
limp, naked body of Captain scraggs,
whom they bound In similar fashion TO
the post beside Mr.. Glbney. scraFgs
was very white and bloody. but con
scious. and his paie-biue eyes were
nickerfng like a snakes.
Observation-Disclosures meanin' Of
this. CHR he gasped-
1T means" replied the commodore,
shat it's all of but tho shouting with
me n you. scraggsy. This fellow
Tabu-Tnbu Is a id traitor. and his
people III stul cannibals. Hes the
decoy to get white men ashore. They
schemed TO treat rs nice and be friend
ly until they could get the whole crew
ashore. or enough OF them to leave the
ship helpless. and then-o Gewd.
Sornggsy. old man, can you ever for
give me for Eettin' you Into thisy'
Captain scaggs hung his head and
Suivered like a hooked fsh.
-wiIi they-eat-us7- he q~uavered,
finally.
Mr.. Gibney did not answer, only
Captain ScraEEs looked into his hor-
rifed ayes and read the verdict.
IDLE game, scrnEgsy." was all Mr..
Gfbney could say. Don't show the
white feather"
"D'ye think McCuffey coui1 hear us
from here II we was to yell for heipr'
inquired Captain scrnggs hopefully.
Don't yelp, for Gawd's sake" I'M
plored Mf. Gibney, I'VE got ourselves
into this. 80 let's pay the adder our
selves. If we let out one zip and Nc
Gufey hears II. he'll come ashore with
HIS crew and tackle this outfit. even II
he knows he'll get killed. n that's
Just what will happen to him II he
comes. Let poor Mac stay aboard.
When we don't come back. he'll know
it's all of, and II he has time to think
over II he'll realize II would be foolish
TO try to do anything. But right now
Macs mad as a wet hen. and II we
holler for heip-scrnggsy, please don't
holler. Die gnme."
Captain scraggs turned his terrified
glance on Mr.. Gibney's tortured face.
| Scraggs was certainly n coward at
heart. but there was something In Mr..
0lbney's unselhsbness that touched a
spot in his hard natures something
he never knew he possessed. He
bowed his head and two big tears stole
down his weatherbeaten face.
"God bless you. Glib. my dear boy"
he said brokenly. you're n man."
At this juncture the king came up
and thoughtfully felt of Captain
Scraggs in the short ribs. while Tabu-
Tahu calculated the precise amount
OF luscious tissue on Mr.. Gibney's well.
upholstered frame.
"Bimeby we eat white man." said
Tnbu-Tsbu cheerfully.
IF you eat me. you bloody-handed
beggar," snapped Captain Scraggs,
"rn pizen you. I've chawed tobacco
ali my life. and my meats as bitter as
wormwood."
1t was too funny to hear Scraggs
testing with death. Mr.. Gibney forgot
his wi mental agony and roared with
laughter In Tabulrabu's face. The
cannibai stood OF a few feet and
looked ~searchingiy IN the commodore's
eyes. He was not used to the brand
OF white man who could laugh under
such circumstances, and he suspected
~trenchery of some kind. he hurried
over to join the king and the two held
a hurvied conversation. As a result OF
their conference. a huge ava was
called over and given some instruc-
lions. Tabu-Tahu handed him a war
club and Mr.. Gil ncy. rightly conjectur-
ing that this was the official execu-
toner, bowed his head and waited for
the blow.
1t came sooner than he expected.
The earth seemed to rise up and smite
Adelbert p. Gibney across the face.
There was a roar. as OF an explosion
In his ears, and he fell forward on his
face. He had a confused notion that
when he fell the post came with him.
For nearly a minute he lay there.
semi-conscious, and then something
warm, dripping across his face, reused
him. He moved. and found that his
feet were free, though his hands were
still bound to the post. which lay ex-
tended along his back. He rolled over
md glanced up. Captain Scraggs wns
shrieking. By degrees the bells quit
ringing In the commodore's ears. and
this is what he heard Captain scraggs
yelling;
"oh. you McGuifey. Oh. you bully
Irish terrier. Soak It to 'em, Mac. XIII
the beggars. You've got a dozen Of
EN-. already. Plug away, you good old
hunk of Irish bacon"
Mr.. Gibney was now himself ence
more. He struggled to his feet. and
as he did. something burst ten feet
AWAY and a little neecy cloud Of smoke
obscured his vision for n moment.
Then he understood. McGuffey had a
rapld-fre gun trained on the warl, and
the savages. with frightful yells. were