American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-12-09
CHAPTER XVIII.
The YOUNG Person Scores.

My first memory Is of voices, and
after that l was shot swiftly out OF a
tunnel from an immense distance and
opened my eyes upon the same faces
which l had left at some indefinite
period In the past. There was Aunt
James, very fearful, and Miss Higgles-
~by-Browne's, very glum, and the Hon
orable C%uthbert's, very anxious and a
little dazed, and Cookies, very. very
black. The face of Dugald Shaw l
did not see, for the quite ineligible
reason that l was lying with my head
upon his shoulder.
AS soon as l realized this / sat up
suddenly, while every one exclaimed
at once, There, she's quite all right
see how her color is coming backl !"
The penknife that l had lost In my
struggle with Captain Magnus had
fallen at the Scotchman's feet.
Wrenching himself free of his all but
severed bonds he had seized the knife,
slashed through the rope that held
him to the tree, and flung himself Oh
Captain Magnus. II was q brief strug-
gle-a fist neatly planted Oh the ruff
fans jaw had ended 1t, and the cap
tain, half dazed from his potations,
vent down Imply.
Throughout the fray Chris slum-
bered undisturbed, and he and the I'M
conscious Magnus were now reposing
side by side, until they should awake
10 find themselves neatly trussed up
xpsth TopBIatc n1nthaG-ItpAo
But my poor brave Crusoe dragged
a broken leg, from a kick bestowed on
him by Captain Magnus, at whom he
had flown valiantly in my defense.
So far so good; we had signally de-
feated our two guards, and the camp
was ours. But what about the pirates
who we're still in the caye and would
shortly be returning from it? They
were three armed and sturdy rutiians
1t would mean a battle to the death.
Our best hope would be to wait in
ambush behind the trees Of the clear
ing-I mean for Dugald Shaw and
Cuthbert Yane to do it-and shoot
down the unsuspecting pirates as they
returned. This desperate plan, which
so unpleasantly resembled murder
cas- gloom on every brow.
TITS the women, lad" said tn,
Scotchman in a low voice to Cuthbert
"It's-lt's Virginia" And Cuthber
heavily assented.
Seeing myself as the motif OF sucl
slaughter shocked my mind suddenl.
back to clearness.
"Oh," l cried, mot that. Why no
surprise them in the cave. and maxi
them stay therel One man coult
guard the entrance easily-and after
ward we could build 1t up with logs o
something"
Everybody stared.
"a remarkably neat scheme" sal
Mr.. Shaw, but impossible Of applics
ton, I'm afraid, because nome Of u
know where TO find the cave"
l shook my head.
~ know !"
There was a lengthy silence. Pee
pie looked at one another, and thel
J e said, This has been too niue
for her."
81 know" / impatiently repeated. =
can take you straight there. | foun
the tombstone before Mr.. Tubbs die
and the cave too. Come, let's nc
waste time. We must hurry-they'
be getting back"
Amusement, still more than half II
~credulous. surged round me. The
Mr. Shaw said rapidly:
You're right. OF course. If 20
have found the cave, the best thin
we can do is to keep them shut up
il. But we must move fast-perhaI
we're too late already. If they ha'
found the chest they may by now
starting for camp with the first Ios
3 Of d~oubloons."
8 Again / shook my head.
8 They haven't found the gold" / q
: sured him.
4 The astonished faces grew mo
D anxious. at sho have told on lille MI
Q Jinny's BRAIN" muttered Cookie
himself.
y They haven't found the gold" l I
q Iterated with emphasis, because I