The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-08-14


gers pegan to straggle up. First came
Lord George, then Harry and Akin
MISS Denslow, and last of all. Mrs
Arcnman, whom the comparative quiet
OF the bay had partly restored to
health. All gathered in group and
chattered excitedly, without getting
anywhere, until Captain Bunker came
up and gave direction to the conyer-
sation.
My orders directed me to come to
this bay" he said, in reply to numer-
Gus questions as to what he was going
to do, to the northeast corner of that
island yonder. As you can see. we are
not yet at the northeast corner, but
are about the middle of the east side.
| anchored here last night partly be-
cause the red line on your map came
down to the sea about here, and partly
because l did not want to move about
these waters in the dark any more
than 1 had to. l don't see any land
Ing place, but I'll send boat in to
see whether it is possible to land.
Then l will run north about mile
to the corner of the island ana see
what l can find there. Meanwhile.
perhaps we had all better 60 to break
fast"
All went, still chattering excitedly.
When they came up again, boat was
approaching the ship. Bess screamed
out at sight of it, and then cried out
again in disappointment as she recog-
nized Collins on board and realized
that 1t was one of the Ell Rios boats
that had been reconnoitering the shore.
Collins, however, brought news.
"Theres a sort of cleft in the rocks"
he reported. You don't see it from
here, but it goes in deep and ends with
a fair landing place. There's no sign
of a path up the rocks, but the ascent
seems to be fairly easy"
The news caused fresh excitement.
The discovery of the entrance seemed
to be proof of the accuracy of the
chart, and both Bess and Mrs. Arch
man were agog to 60 ashore at once.
Captain Bunker. however, demurred.
Possibly this cleft will lead you
where you want to CO." he said. But
my Instructions say nothing about
landing. They merely tell me to go to
the northeast corner. Presumably Mr..
Archman will be watching for us and
will communicate Certainly he won't
be watching for anybody on this path,
because he doesn't know that you have
recovered the map. 1t seems to me
best to obey instructions and run to
the place Mr.. Archman specified, stay
ing there long enough to give him
chance to see us and to communicate.
II he doesn't, we can come back"
Mrs. Archman listened with evident
disapproval. Her anxiety for her hus-
band and for Nellie had grown enor-
mOusly since she had heard of the
robbery of the safe and the attempt to
signal.
1--WE ought to land right away" she
protested. Fright away. It's per-
fectly dreadful to wait. Those people
who are following will get ahead of
us If we don't. Where are they, any
way? Where have they gone? They'll
get ahead of us and m-murder Henry"
Bess tried to calm the excited lady.
"Now, mother" she began.
But Mrs. Archman would not stop.
"I know more about them than any or
you." she burst out. 81 don't know
much. but know that Henry has been
afraid of them for years and years.
He wouldn't tell me anything. He said
It wasn't his secret.
"Rut when he brought Nellie to
US"
She broke off as she noticed the dis
,inct sensation that her words pro-
duced. ~ mean" she cried. i mean
when Nellie was born and-and-oh
Oh. / don't know what l mean but
rm afraid. I'm afraid !"
"Never mind, Mrs. Archman.' Miss
Denslow came to Bess' rescue. 1t
all right. We've thrown whoever was
following us completely of the track
Coptain Bunker must obey ORDERS anu
20 to the place designated. You can
toll what might happen If he didn I.
otor he can come back" She led
the balf-hysterical woman 10 seat.
l.. 4
A moment later the boat was hoisted
in and the Ell Rio started on her snort
run 10 the northeast corner OF 'ho
,s,and As she went, those on board
scanned the mountain closely win
eeld glasses and with naked eyes try
inc TO discover the path Indicated ny
Tho red line of the chart But this
nroved impossible, even with the start
inr Y,,nt accorded by tie cleft thn' ina
Coliips HAD discovered. The noun,
tuInsIde was covered with trees ano
brush thai hid even the inequn'ities o'
,he surface. All that could be asceF'
toinad was that the path, II accuratei!
delIpeated by the red line' Wen
straight upward to the top OF tn' IN,
rentler slopes and then curieu sou'n
ward about the base of the peak TO
nosItion screened from view by 'h'
The ospect of the northeast CORNER
NJ the island proved not to diiier IN" ma
n