The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-04-25
20 ! ::5!!s % !!Il s4a
pbsh by With First National Pictures Inc aud
Mattcrson H. RothacLer

Hercules, as willing a. any horsc
and about as intelligent him we
enlisted at Para. on the recommended,
ton OF tho steamship company, on
whose vessels he had learned TO
speak a hating English.
II was az Para also that We On.
nged Gomez and Manual. two half
breeds from up tho river just como
down with a cargo OF redwood They
were swarthy fellows, bearded and
fierce, as active and why as
panthers. Both OF Thorn had spent
their lives IN those upper waters Of
the Amazon which We were about 20
explore, and it was this recommendn.
ton which had caused l.orl John to
engage them. one 81 thcm. Comes,
had tho further advantage that he
could speak excellent English. These
men were willing 10 act as our per
sonal servants, TO cook, 90 row. or
To mako themselves useful IN any
way az q payment ~ SIS n month
Besides these. we had engaged three
Mojo Indians from Bolivia. who are
the most Akiltul at fishing and boat
work OF All the river tribes Tho
chief OF these we called Mojo, after
his tribe. md the others arc known
as jose and Fernando. Thrcc white
men. then, two halgbrcods. ono negro
and three Indians made up the per.
sonnet or the little expedition which
lay waiting for It's instructions at
Manaos before starting upon It's SIM
gulnr quest
At last, after a weary week. the
dny had come aud the hour. ask
you 10 picture the shaded sitting
room OF the FRESuda 81. Ignatlo. two
miles inland from tho town OF Ma.
naos, Outside lay the yellow, brussy
glare OF the sunshine. with tho
shadows OF the palm trees as black
and definite as the trees themselves.
The air was calm. full OF tho eternal
hum OF insects. a tropical chorus OF
many octaycS. from tho deep drono
OF tho bce 20 the high, keen plpo
OF the mosquito, Beyond tho vern-
da was small cleared garden.
bounded with cactus hedges and
adorned with ciumps % Towering
shrubs. round which tho great blue
butterflies and The tiny humming
birds nuttercd and dartsd In ores
cents of sparkling light. Within We
were seated round the cane table, on
which lay a sealed envelope. In
scribed upon Il, in the Jagged hand
writing OF Professor Challenger. were
the words:
Instructions 20 Lord John RuAton
and party. To be opened at Manaos
upon July Is. at IL o'clock pre-.
ciscly"
Lord John had placed his watch
upon the table beside him.
1--WE have seven more minutes. %
said he, The old dear is very pre-
else"
Professor Summarize gave an acid
smile as he picked up the envelope
in his gaunt hand.
What can II possibly matter
whether we open Il now or IN seven
m!nuteag' said he. 1T Is all part
and parcel OF the came system Of
| quackery and nonsense, Tor which,
regret to say that, the writer is no.
torious'
"oh. come. We must play the
game according to rules" said Lord
John. Its old man Challenger
show and We are here by his good
will. so X would be rotten bad form
/ II we didn't follow his instructions
to the letter.
"a pretty business Il isy' cried the
Professor. bitterly. It struck INC as
preposterous In London. but I'm
bound TO say that II seems even more
so upon closer acquaintance. don't
know what is inside this envelope
but, unless Il Is something pretty
definite. shall be much tempted e
take the next down-river boat ant
catch the Bolivia az Para. After all
have some more responsible wori
In the world than to run about dis
proving the assertions Of lunatic
Now. Ro1ton. surely II Is time"
Time il u.s.. said Lord John. ''Yo,
can blow the whistle" He took nj
the envelope and cut It with his pen
knife. From It he drew a foldc'
sheet Of paper. This he carefully
| opened out and nattened on III,
table. II was blank sheet. II,
turned I, over. Again IL was blank
We looked at each other in a be
wildeFed silence. which was broker
by n discordant burst OF derislv,
laughter from Professor Summarize
1T ia an open admission" he cried
What more do you want? The Eel
low Is self.confessed hum bug. W,
have only 70 return home and repor
him az tho brnzcn imposter that h
IS"
Invisible Ink / suggested.
81 don't thlnkF' said Lord Roxton
holding the paper to the light. no
young fellah my lad. there Is no us
decelving yourself. IN 20 bail for I
that nothing has ever been writer
upon this paper"
May come mr. doomed voic
J from the veranda.
II CONTINUED In Our Next ISSUE