The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-08-07

1urther, though the El Rio law on the
snores all morning, no trace of life an
peared on the cliffs. Boats sent to
!sconnoiter reported several good land.
ing places, but found nothing to. show
tnat any Of them had been used.
meanwhile, the impatience of the
passengers. especially that of Mrs.
Archman, steadily mounted. The crew
seemed to catch the infection of the
excitement. The whole ship was fever
ish, as II all on board felt thew were
On the verge of some thrilling event
captain Bunker yielded at last to the
apparently unanimous feeling and ran
pack to the first anchorage.
once there the impatience of the
passengers could no longer be con.
troiied. A boat was dropped over.
board, gangway was let down, and
they all prepared to disembark.
Captain Bunker regarded the move
ment with very apparent dissatisfac-
uon. Vainly he endeavored to dis
suade Mrs. Archman, at least. from
going ashore.
Madam" he said, you don't know
what you are going up against. You're
weak and you can't possibly climb
those rocks, and you're apt to get
drenched, too. There are always
squalls and showers wandering about
these Islands. Let the young ones 60
II they must, but you stay here"
Stay here! Stay herei When my
husband may be dying won't do 1t !"
Dying nothing!" Captain Bunker's
irritation got the best of him. Hes
safe and sound, II he's here at all
There's no sense in your killing your.
SELF He talked on, but Mrs. Arch
man turned deaf ear, and at last lie
was obliged to give up.
The landing party, as finally made
up, included Mrs Archman, Miss
Denslow, Bess, Lord George, Earry
and Collins. As they climbed into the
boat. the steward, Price, appeared with
two huge baskets of provisions, which
he placed under the thwart
Harry stared at the baskets amazed
ly. Great Scott, Price" he exclaimed
whats that?"
That, sir? That's supper, sir.
thought maybe you'd be late in getting
back and would be glad of bite sir =
"A bite! Is that what you call .
bite? There's a weeks provisions
here. However, let 1t stay. now It's
here. Climbing is hungry work"
moment later the boat was showed
of and rowed swiftly shoreward
AS it drew close to the shore, a long,
deep slit cut slantingly into the cliff
became apparent. From the FL Rl0
1t was invisible, its entrance blending
into the rocks on either side. From
a boat, closer in, 1t was still invisible
except from narrow zone directly
opposite the opening. Fifty feet tc
right or 10 left, its headlands melted
so smoothly into the background thai
even the closest scrutiny had difficult,
making out the line of juncture.
Inside Its mouth, even at the outer
verge, the water was almost lakelike
in Its stiffness. and little farther in
1t became CLASSY. 1t was beautifully
transparent, showing myriads Of fish
udTtiuR thI"uBh IL INC oiaSh shhuo"'
weaving in and out of carpet Of wav-
ing feathery sea growths.
At its base, hundred yards inward
lay strip Of sandy beach. across
which trickled tiny stream to whose
lncessant action the cleft was clearly
due. Behind the beach the gorge rose
steeply, though not precipitously
plainly grading into the ridged surface
of the mountain within no very great
distance.
The five adventurers disembarkeC
and stood looking about them, taking
in the surroundings. When they
turned back to the boat the lunch bas
kets had been landed and Collins waf
Instructing the coxswain to go back
TO the ship and to come ashore agaiT
at six o'clock.
When the boat had gone. Harry benz
to pick up one of the lunch baskets
An expression OF surprise came ovel
his face. Great Caesars ghost!" hi
exclaimed. What on earth has Pric'
mt In this thing?" He turned bacl
the cloth that covered the contents
and peered in. "Will you look Al
thisy' he demanded. Cans! Cans
Cans! Why, the fellows put in tor
of corn beef And half ton of hard
tack. Holy Moses What does HI
think we are7 A North pole relief ex
fpedition" ~,
baskets blankly. Then he turned
quickly and shouted down the clef
after the boat, which had just disap
peared around the curve. Again hi
shouted, hut the boat did not CONT
hack. When he again faced his sur
prised companions. his face was linet
with anxiety or anger. Nevertheless
he forced "A laugh.
.T wanted to get man to help carr,
the basket" he explained. But
guess they were out Of earshot. W.
can leave the things here or we cal
divide them up and carry them.
guess we'd better leave them. Ther'
really wasn't much use In bringin;