The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-10-02
CHAPTER XVII
The Attack.

The Attack.
The dawn came slowly up behind
the mountain The pallid stars winked
out and the streak of placid water
reaching from the cave to the bay sill
vered in the growing light. The bay
itself glowed pink and the far islands
that lay to the west swan slowly into
developing tray.
Inside the cave, Lord George, who
with Archman had watched the night
away from broad shelf of rock that
faced the entrance across the curving
tidal stream, rose and stretched him
self. "Im going to reconnoiter," he
said
Archman nodded invisibly in the
darkness. 81 was just thinking of
going myself" he said. But perhaps
you can do 1t better. You are younger
and more active. But you will be
careful. Eight men are none too many
to defend even so strong place as
this"
"rll be careful" Lord George was
already siding along the narrow edge.
In moment he was at the entrance
and was peering cautiously about in
the white dawn. Up and down the cut
he looked, scanning the sloping sides.
which were not nearly so precipitous
as they had seemed when he descend
ed them in the gloom of the night.
Long he stared, straining his ears the
while for any sound that might tell
that the mutineers were lurking near.
watching a chance to take the defend
ers by surprise. But neither eyes nor
ears gave warning and at last he
slipped from the entrance to the rock
landing. Still no sign Of danger pre-
sented itself.
He had two places to investigate
the mouth of the inlet and the crest of
the ravine The attack might come
by boat from the one or 1t might come
by land over the other. But Lord
George knew that an attack by boat
must be slower than one by land, and
that II II came the attackers could not
cut off his retreat. Besides, from the
crest of the ravlne. he could reconnoi-
ter both land and sea.
Therefore he turned his face to the
slope and began to ascend. He moved
swiftly. Swiftness was his best pro-
lection. as concealment on the bare
rocks was impossible Up the slope
he bounded till almost at the top.
Then ne stopped and lifted his head
cautiously above the edge. Then he
started; his eyes expanded; his ready
automatic flashed up.
He found himself looking squarely
into the muzzle Of another pistol, held
by man who. prone upon his stom-
ach. had just crawled to the edge and
was looking over For 4 moment death
for one or both hung in the balance
Then Lord George lowered his pistol
Don't shooti' he said. I'm
friend" Behind the other he had seen
an orderly line of men who were as
suredly not mutineers.
As the other hesitated, Lord George
stood up, slipping his pistol back into
his pocket as he did so. who's in
commando" he demanded.
An officer came forward promptly
and saluted. Lord George Caruth-
ersr he questioned. 81 am Captain
Strindberg, of the Danish navy, com
manding detachment from his majes-
tvs ship Falsberg. have heard of
you from Captain Bunker of the Ell
Rio. have three Of your party with
me-" He gestured toward Nellie, Carr
and Bunker. who were hurrying for
ward.
Lord George glanced at them. rec
ognizing Bunker and guessing who
Nellie was. Then he looked back to
Strindberg "Glad to meet you. cap
tain," he said. II suppose Captain
Bunker has told you everything. Have
you seen anything of the mutineersr'
"They have just left the FL Rio and
are heading this way-three boats of
them, about forty men in all. They
seem to mediate an attack in force.
Mr.. Archman and the others are with
your"
"Yes; in cave in the bottom Of the
ravine here" Lord George stepped
past the officer Good morning, Cap
tain Bunker" he said. holding out his
hand. you came In good time.
suppose this Is Miss Archman7" He
held out his hand to the girl. your
father is terribly anxious about you,"
he added.