The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-14

glorious goal"
The level of the plateau, when
turned, was exactly that on which
bushes, with occasional trees, was
so near that it was difficult to realize
how inaccessible it remained. At a
rough guess the gulf was forty feet
across Far down were the small
dark figures Of our servants, look
ing up at us. The wall was abso-
lutely precipitous, as was that which
faced me-
This is indeed curious" said the
creaking voice of Professor Summer
lee.
1 turned, and found that he was
examining with great interest the
tree to which 1 chung. That smooth
bark and those small, ribbed leaves
seemed familiar to my eyes. why"
cried, its a beech!'
Exactly" said Summerlee. "A
fellow-countryman in a far land"
mot only a fellow-countrynan,
my good SIR said Challenger, "but
also, if may be allowed to enlarge
your smile, an ally of the first value.
This beech tree will oe our savior"
by Georger' erie Lord John, "a
bridget
Exactly, my friends, a bridge! 1t
is not for nothing that I expended
an hour last night in focusing my
mind upon the situation l have
some recollection of once remarking
to our young friend here that G. e.
c. is at his best when his back is to
the wall Last night y,u will admit
that all our backs were to the wall.
But where will power and intellect
go together, there is always a way
out. A drawbridge had to be found
which could be dropped across the
abyss Behold it!'
It was certainly a brilliant idea.
The tree was a good sixty feet in
height, and If it only fell the right
way it would easily cross the chasm.
Challenger had swung the camp axe
over his shoulder when he assembled.
Now he handed it to me.
"Our young friend has the thews
and sinews," said he.
I set to work in earnest upon the
trunk, taking turn and turn with Sir
John. In little over an hour there
was a loud crack, the tree swayed
forward, and then crashed over,
burying it's branches among the
bushes on the farther side. The sew.
cred trunk rolled to the very edge
of our platform, and for one terrible
second we all thought it was over.
1t balanced itself, however, a few
inches from the edge, end there was
our bridge to the unknown.
All of us, without word. shook
hands with Professor Challenger,
who raised his straw hat and
bowed deeply to each in turn.
IT claim the honor" said he, ito
be the first to cross to the un.
known land--a fitting subject, no
doubt, for some future historical
painting"
He had approached the bridge
when Lord John laid his hand upon
his coat.
my dear chap" said he, II real
ly cannot allow it,"
Cannot allow it, sir.'' The head
went back and the beard>forward.
when it is a matter of science
don't you know. follow your lead
because you are by way of bein' a
man Of science. But it's up to you
to follow me when you come into my
department"
Your department, sir?"
I'VE all have our professions
and solderin' is mine. We are
according to my ideas, invadin' a
new country, which may or may
not be chockfull of enemies OF
sorts. To charge blindly into IL fol-
want of a little common sense and
patience isn't my notion of man
agement."
The remonstrance was too rea.
sonable to be disregarded. Chal
ienger tossed his he'd and shrugged
his heavy shoulders.
well, sir, what do you propose?''
For all / know there may be a
tribe of cannibals waitin' for lunch
time among those very bushes, .
said Lord John.
Il will go down again, therefore
and we will fetch up the four rifles
together with Gomez and the other
One man can then go across and
the rest will cover him with guns
until he sees that 1t is safe for the
whole crowd to come along"
Within an hour we had brought
up the rifles and a shotgun. TIL.
half-breeds had assembled also, ant
under Lord Johns orders they ha,
carried up a bale of provisions in
case our first exploration should be
a long one. We had each bandoliers
OF cartridges.
Nov. Challenger, If you really
insist upon being the first man In,
said Lord John, when every prepare
ton was complete.
II am much indebted to you fol
your gracious permission" said the
angry Professor; for never was a
man SO intolerant Of every form OF
authority. "Since you are good
enough to allow it, shall most
certainly ttke it upon myself to act
as pioneer upon this occasion"
Seating himself with leg over
hanging the abvss on each side
and his Ratchet slung upon his back
Challenger hoped his way across
the trunk and was soon at the other
side. He clambered up and waved
his arms in the air.
AT lastr' he cried; ''at lastr'
| | gazed anxiously at him, with a
vague expectation that some terri
bic fate would dart at him from the
curtain of green behind him. But