Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-03-10
CHAPTER XIV.

Like Chapter From the Past.
Five men had emerged from the
woods behind the clearing, SO quietly
that they were in the center of the
camp before Crusoes shrill bark. or
the outcry of the cook, warned us of
their presence. By that time they had
us covered. Three of them carried
rifles, the other two revolvers. One of
these was Captain Magnus.
Advancing a step or two before the
others, he ordered us to throw up our
hands. Perhaps he meant only the
men-but my hands and Aunt James
and Miss Higglesby- Brownies also
went up with celebrity. He grinned
into our astounded faces with wolf
ish barring of his yellow teeth.
''Never guessed wasn't here jest to
do the shovel work, but might have my
own little side-show to bring off, hey?"
he inquired of no one in particular.
Here, Slinker, help me truss 'em up"
The man addressed thrust his pistol
in his belt and came forward, and
with his help the hands of the Scotch
man, Cuthbert Vane and Mr.. Tubbs
were securely tied. They were
searched for arms, and the sheath
knives which Mr. Shaw and Cuthbert
carried at their belts were taken away.
The three prisoners were then or
dered to seat themselves in a row
on the trunk of PROSTATE palm.
The whole thing had happened in
the strangest silence. Except for a
feeble moaning from Aunt Jane, like
the bleating of a sheep. which broke
forth at intervals, nobody spoke or
made a sound The three rifiemen in
the background, standing like images
with their weapons raised, looked like
well-trained chorus in an opera
And indeed it was all extraordinari-
ly like something on stage Stink
sidelong fashion Of moving about, and
enormous yellow mustaches like a vi
king. And the burly fellow in the
background, with the black whiskers
too bad he'd forgotten his earrings.
But awoke to the horrid reality of
it all as Captain Magnus, smiling his
wolfsh smile, turned and approached
me.
"WelI, boys" he remarked to his
followers, who had lowered their weap-
ons and were standing about at ease,
there's the little pippin l was tellin'
of. 'Fraid we give her a little scare
Dustin in so sudden, so she amt quite
so bright and smilin' as | like to see.
It's all right, grille; you'll soon cheer
up when you find out you're goin' to be
the little queen o. this camp. Things
will be all your own way now-so long
as you treat me right" And the
abominable creature thrust forth a
hairy paw and deliberately chucked
me under the chin.
l heard roar from the log-and CO.
| incidentally from Captain Magnus.
For with the instant response of an
tomaton-consciously had nothing
at all to do with til had reached up
and briskly boxed the captains ears.
Furiously he caught my wrist. "Ah,
you red-headed little devil, you'll pay
for this! / amt pretty, oh, no! l
amt handsome mooncalf like the Hon.
orable; l amt got a title, nor girly
pink cheeks, nor fine gentlemanly
ways. No walks with the likes O. me,
no tatey-tates in the woods-oh, no +!
Well, it's goin' to be another story
now, grille. l guess you can learn to
like my looks, with little help from
my fist now and then, jest as well as
you done the Honorable's. / guess it
won't be long before l have you crawl
in on your knees to me for word o.
kindness. guess"
Jaw, stow that soft stuff, Magnus, .
advised Slinker. "You can do your
spoonin' with the gal later on. We're
here to git that gold, and don't you
forget it. Plenty of time afterward
to spark the wimmen."
That's the talk" chimed in Black
beard. Don't run us on lee shore
for the sake of a skirt. Skirts is
thicker'n herring in every port, amt
they?"
81 got a score to settle with this
one" growled Magnus sullenly, but