Phoenix tribune., 1922-05-20

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'1HI Handle the Gun"
gun. With a 'pom-pom' gun it's just
like playing a garden hose on them,
only it's high-explosive shell instead of
water. 1 can search out every nook
and Granny in the coast of this island.
Those guns are sighted up to 1000
yards"
"Kili 'em ALL" raved McGuffey, "kiu
al. the blasted niggers."
When Mr.. Gibney fell under the i'm
pact of the earthenware pot he was
only partially stunned As he tried to
struggle to his feet half dozen hands
were laid on him and in trice he was
lifted and carried back of the wari to
clear space where a dozen heavy
teakwOod posts stood in a row about
four feet apart. Mr. Gibney was quick
ly stripped of his clothing and bound
hand and foot to one of these posts
Three minutes later another delega-
ton of cannibals arrived, bearing the
limp, naked body of Captain Scraggs
whom they bound in similar fashion to
the post beside Mr.. Gibney. Scraggs
was very white and bloody, but con
scious, and his pale-blue eyes We're
Pickering like a snakes.
What's-what's-t meanin' of
this, Gib?" he gasped
1T MEANS" replied the commodore,
"that it's all off but the shouting with
me and you, Scraggsy. This fellow
Tabu-Tabu is a id traitor, and his
people are still cannibals. He's the
decoy to get white men ashore They
schemed to treat us 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 Gawd
Scraggsy, old man, can you ever for
give me for gettin' you into this?"
Captain Scraggs hung his head and
quivered like hooked fish.
"Will they-eat-us?" he quavered,
finally.
Mr.. Gibney did not answer, only
Captain Scraggs looked into his hor-
rified eyes and read the verdict.
"Die game, Scraggsy," was all Mr.
Gibney could say. Don't show the
white feather"
'D'ye think McGuffey could hear us
from here if we was to yell for help?"
inquired Captain Scraggs hopefully.
Don't yelp, for Gawd's sake" i'm
plored Mr.. Gibney. "We got ourselves
into this, so let's pay the fiddler our
selves. If we let out one zip and Nc
Guffey hears it, he'll come ashore with
his crew and tackle this outfit, even if
he knows he'll get killed. And that's
just what will happen to him if ne
comes. Let poor Mac stay aboard
When we don't come back, he'll know
it's all off, and if he has time to think
over it he'll realize it would be foolish
to try to do anything. But right now
Macs mad as a wet hen, and if we
holler for help-Scraggsy, please don't
holler. Die game"
Captain Scraggs turned his terrified
glance on Mr.. Gibney's tortured face.
Scraggs was certainly a coward at
heart, but there was something in Mr..
Gibney's unselfshness that touched
spot in his hard nature-a 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 a man."
At this juncture the king came up
and thoughtfully felt Of Captain
Scraggs in the short ribs, while Tabu-
Tabu calculated the precise amount
of luscious tissue on Mr.. Gibney's we'll
upholstered frame.
"Bimeby we eat white man." said
Tabu-Tabu cheerfully.
"Ef you eat me, you bloody-handed
beggar," snapped Captain Scraggs,
''I'll pizen you. I've chawed tobacco
all my life, and my meats as bitter as
wormwood."
1t was too funny to hear Scraggs
jesting with death. Mr.. Gibney forgot
his own mental agony and roared with
laughter in Tabu-Tabu's face. The
cannibal stood off a few feet and
looked searchingly in the commodore's
eyes. He was not used to the brand
of white man who could laugh under
such circumstances, and he suspected
treachery of some kind. He hurried
over TO join the king and the two held