The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-05-12
CONTINUED from last issue)


dictate" announced Mr.. GbneN rs a
search of this island for water"
They searched all forenoon. AT IN
teryals they caught glimpses OF the
two cannibals slSulking behihd sanQ-
dunes, but they found no. water.
Toward the center of the island. how
ever, the soil was less barren. ana
here grove Of coconut palms, lifted
their tufted crests invitnsly.
1--WE will camp in this grove" said
the commodore, land keep guarA over
these green coconuts. There must be
nearly a hundred Of them and Y no.
tice little taro root here and th're.
As those coconuts are full Of milk,
that insures US life for week or two
II we 20 on a short ration. BY bath
in several times day we can keep
down our thirst some and perhaps
It'll rain"
"What If 1t does?" snapped Captain
Scra:gs bitterly. 1--WE amt got moth
in but our hats to catch it in"
well, then. Scraggsy. old stick-in-
the mud," replied the commodore
quizzically, ITS cinch you'll go
thirsty. Your hat looks like a Gull
lender"
Captain Scraggs choked with rage,
and Mr.. Gibney, springing at the near
est palm, Skinned to the top Of it in
the most approved sailor fashion. A
moment later, instead Of coconuts,
rich unctuous curses began to de-
scend on McGuffey and Scraggs.
"Gib. my dear boy" inquired
scraggs. whatever is the matter of
you"
That hound TabuTabu's been
strIppin' our coconut grove" roared
the commodore HE must have spent
half tho night up In these trees"
"Thank the Lord they didn't take
'em ALL" said McGuffey piously.
"Chuck ME down a nut, Glib" said
Captain Scraggs. "I'm furnished"
In conformity with the commodore's
plans, the castaways made camp In
the grove. For week they subsist-
ed on gooneys, taro root, coconuts
anc. coconut milk, and sea-turtle
which Scraggs found wandering on
ule&;sbeach. This suggested turtle
eggs to Mr.. Gibney, and a change Of
diet resulted. Nevertheless, the un-
accustomed food, poorly cooked as 1t
w2s. and the lack Of water, told cru
ely Oh them. and their strength
failed rapidly.
At the end Of n week. all hands were
troubled with indigestion and McGuf-
fey developed low fever. They had
lost much flesh and were a white, hag-
gard.look1ng trio. On the afternoon
Of the tenth day on the island the sky
clouded up and Mr.. McGuffey predict
cd a wIliwaw. Captain Scraggs in
CURED feebly II it was good to eat.
That night 1t rained, and to the
great Joy Of the marooned mariners
Mr.. Glbney discovered, In the center Of
3 big sandstone rock, natural reser-
voir that held about ten gallons Of wa
ter. They drank to repletiOn and felt
their strength return thousand-fOld.
Tabu-Tabu and the king came into
camp about this time, and pleaded for
n rat'on Of water. Mr.. Gibney, swear
ing horribly at them, granted their re-
quest. and the king, in his gratitude,
threw himself at the commodore's feet
ond kissed them. But Mr.. Gibney was
not to DO deceived, and after furnish
Ing them with a supply Of water in
coconut calabashes, he ordered them
to their own side of the island.
On The eighteenth day the last drop
Of water was gone, and on the twenty
second day the last of the cocOnuts
disappeared. The prospects Of more
rain were not bright. The gooneys were
b~coJning shy and dIstrustful and the
syndicate was experiencing more and
more difficulty, not only IN killing
them. but In eating them. McGuffey,
who had borne up uncomplainingly,
was shaking with fever and hardly
arAo 10 stagger down the beach to look
for turtle eggs. The syndicate was
sick, weak and emaciated almost be-
yosd recognition, and on the twenty
NTH day Captain Scraggs tainted
twice. On the twenty-sixth day Nc
Guffey crawled into the shadow Of n
stunted m'mosa bush and started to
pray!
II was the finish. The commodore
knew II, and sat with bowed head in
his gannt arms. wondering. wondering.
Slowly his body began to sway: he
mnttered something. slid forward on
his face, and lay still. And as he lay
there on tho threshold Of the unknown
lie Dreamed that the Maggie II came
into view around the headland, a bone
in her teeth aud every stitch Of canvas
flying. He saw her luff up into the
wind and hang there shivering; n mo-
ment later her sails came down by the
run, and he saw little splash under
her port bow as her hook took bottom.
There was commotion on decks, and
then to Mr.. Gibney's dying ears came
family the shouts and songs of the
black boys as q wha1eboat shot into