The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-04-06

order, pursued by the syndicate. After
a chase OF half mile Mr.. Gibney led
his cohorts back 10 the beach.
Lets build fire-not that we
need II. but just for company--snd
sleep till mornin'. BY that time my
lmaginatlon'll be in workln' order and
I'll scheme a breakfast out Of this
Godforsaken hole"
At the first hint OF dawn Mr.. Glib
ney, true 10 his promise, was up and
scouting for breakfast. He found
some gooneys on rocky crag and
killed half dozen of them with a
club. On his way back to camp he
discovered few handfuls OF sea salt
In n crevice between some rocks. and
the syndicate breakfasted an hour
later on roast gooney. II was oily and
fishy but an excellent substitute for
nothing at all. and the syndicate was
grateful. The breakfast would have
been cheerful, In fact, II Captain
Scraggs had not made repeated ref
erence to his excessive thirst. Nc
Guffey lost patience before the meal
was over, and cuffed Captain Scraggs,
who thereupon subsidized with tears in
his eyes, This hurt McGuffey. II was
like salt in a fresh wound, so he pat
ted the skipper on the back and
humbly asked his pardon. Captain
Scraggs forgave him and murmured
something about death making them
all equal.
"The next business before the syn
dlcate." announced Mr.. Glbney, as a
search of this island for water"
They searched all forenoon. At in
teryals they caught gImpses Of the
two cannibals skulklng behind sand
dunes, but they found no water.
Toward the center OF the island. how
ever, the soil was less barren, and
here n grove OF coconut palms lifted
their tufted crests invltingly.
I'VE Will camp I'm this grove" said
the commodore. "and keep guard over
these green coconuts. There must be
nearly hundred of them and no.
tice little taro root here and there.
As those coconuts are full Of milk,
that insures us life for a week or two
If we go on short ration. BY bath
In several times a day we can keep
down our thirst some and perhaps
It'll rain"
"What II II does7" snapped Captain
Scrnggs bitterly. "We amt got moth
In but our hats to catch It in"
ulVan than Carauna,, nI ..tot-
the mud" replied the commodore
"it's cinch you'll 20
thirsty. Your hat looks like cul-
lender"
Captain Scraggs choked with rage,
and Mr.. Glbney, springlng at the near
est palm, Skinned to the top Of It in
the most approved sailor fashion. A
later, instead of coconuts,
rich unctuous curses began to de-
scend on McGuffey and Scraggs.
"Glb, my dear boy" inquired
Scraggs, whatever is the matter of
your"
THAT hound Tabu-Tabu's been
'trippln' our coconut grove" roared
he commodore. "IIe must have spent
half the night up in these trees"
THANK the Lord they didn't take
EN- ALL" said McGuffey plously.
Chuck me down nut. Glb," said
Captain Scraggs. I'm famlshed."
In conformity with the commodore's |
plans, the castaways made camp in |
he grove For week they subslst-
ID on gooneys, taro root, coconuts
md coconut milk, and sea-turtle /
which Scraggs found wandering on |
he beach This suggested turtle |
'ggs to Mr. Gibney, and a change OF |
net resulted. Nevertheless. the un-
accustomed food. poorly cooked as II
vas, and the lack of water, told cru.
lily on them, and their strength
allied rapidly.
At the end OF week, all hands were
roubled with indigestion and McGuf.
ey developed low fever. They had
ost much flesh and were white. hag-
ard-looklng trio. On the afternoon
4 the tenth day on the island the sky
louded up and Mr.. McGuffey predict.
d a wlliwaw. Captain Scraggs In
uired feebly II II was good to eat.
That night It ralned. and 10 the
reat Joy OF the marooned mariners
ir. Gibney discovered, 10 the center of
big sandstone rock, nat,:ral reser-
oir that held about ten gallons OF wa
er. They drank to repletlon and felt
ieir strength return thousand fold.
abu-Tabu and the king came into
amp about this time, and pleaded for
ration OF water. Mr.. GIbney. swear
* horribly at them. granted their re-
uest, and the king. In his gratitude,
lrew himself at the commodore's feet
nd kissed them. But Mr.. Glbney was
OF TO be deceived, and after furnish.
~ them with a supply OF water In
oconut calabashes, he ordered them
, their own side OF the island.
On the eighteenth day the last drop
water was gone. and on the twenty
scond day the last Of the coconuts
Isappeared. The prospects Of more
lin were not bright. The gooneys were
Acoming shy and distrustful and the