Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-15

with such big dear Too bad" And
he shook his head solemnly, drawing
| long sigh.
Say, you're about worn out, aren't
your" his companion inquired. why
don't you take nap? I'll run along
| to the inlet and then stand by till
morning"
Thanks: think will" Winston
curled upon the seat and closed his
eyes, but he didn't sleep. not for an
| instant.
The night passed slowly. intermin-
| ably to Winston, but day found him
alert and fresh for adventure. every
| nerve steeled for action.
Alta boy" He reused the sleepy
engineer. 'In we go"'
| And in they went, the launch creep
| ing slowly through the winding water
way, the remains of what had once
been such a high adventure. Here
the gallant Frenchman DE Lesseps
| had come with his men and money, de-
| termined to cut waterway between
the earth's great oceans. Here he
| had sunk his fortune, buried his men,
and finally returned heartbroken to
| France, bankrupt, failure before the
world. Winston shivered. as he al
ways did when he entered this for
1
| ships. partly submerged hulks. old
wrecks, lining the shore, and here and
| there larger ship still well above
| the water offering a shelter for des-
peradoeS fleeing from justice.
| Many a poor devil had been picked
up along these banks, many a de-
| spairing soul had gone down into the
| canals black depths never to rise
| again.
(Which one?" the engineer asked.
''Il board every one that can give
me a footing" Winston replied, and
began suiting his actions to his words.
One, two, three old wrecks were
searched, the launch lying alongside
as Winston, pistol in hand, went
stealthily along, and on the fourth
two men suddenly appeared. half
naked wretches, knives in hand, peer.
ing over their deck to Winston, stand
ing erect in his launch.
"All right, all right Winston
called. Not after you! Seen any
body around lately?"
No" one Of the men replied in
good English, Whore you after?"
Looking for a. friend" he said.
missing a while back. Thought he
might have wandered in here
"Nobody's been through here in a
week." the man replied. Better move
on; it's mighty unhealthy in these
waters
Winston grinned.
Don't like the place myself. but
guess I'll look around a bit further"
He put his hand in his pocket and
produced a small roll Of money
will this do?" he asked.
The man advanced, reached out his
hand and seized the money, speaking
in low tone to his companion.
Got any more?" he asked Winston.
THAT much more If you know any
thing" And Winston tossed his pis-
tol lightly into the air, catching it
again, while his eye never left the
faces of the two desperadoes who
stood above him on the deck Of that
derelict knives in hand.
Nothing more to tell" the man
growled. Native padded around here
today, but haven't seen a white man."
well, I'll run in a couple of hun
dred yards farther and give you the
rest Of my pile as I come out" Win
ston remarked. We've got some
grub aboard you might like. Back
directly"
THAT was lucky getaway" the
engineer of the launch whispered as
tHey DdCkeO away from the QereIlCt.
II don't like this place for, a cent,
Mac. Let's beat it,
Nothing doing" Winston replied.
There's one more livable hulk in
here, if 1 remember right, and I'm
going to board her."
wish we were out of here" the
engineer agreed. But we're going
through. There she is" He pointed
to larger ship. Alta boy"'
The launch approached quietly,
slowed down, and began to wedge its