Evening star., 1928-03-04
INSTALLMENT I.

II YOU don't like this story blame 1t
on Miss Meloy. and not on me. Maybe
I'd better tell you that Miss Meloy
teaches me English in high school and
that It's all because OF her that I'm
writing this account OF my adventures.
You see, Miss Meloy is always having
us write themes for her. and In one
Of them I told about what happened
to me during the Summer ! spent with
my Uncle Ed ON his island. She called
me up to her desk the day after
turned In the story.
Paul" she said. "is this true
story7 Did 1t really happen to your"
told her that 1t did.
Then you ought to write up, the
whole thing think 1t would make
very fine story"
Wen. I liked the compliment all
right out writing the whole story
struck me as a lot OF work. so I told
her that didn't think I'd better. She
insisted. though, and what could / do2
She promised to help me with II. and
take a chance on fiunking Englisn
and not being able 70 play tase bau
this Spring.
So that's how 1t was. and you can
easily see that Miss Meloy Is to blanA
Maybe I'd better 60 back ways
and tell you how 1t all started. /
guess I've been interested In pirates
all my life can remember Uncle Ed
reading Treasure Island" TO me when
couldn't understand more than about
| half the words. After that ] got hold
Of all the pirate stories could lay my
hands on and simply ate them up.
II / had had a brother I think we'd
have run away and become pirates our
.AA~.
only other child In our family Is my
sister Beth. OF course, Beth Is lot
OF fun. but shes a girl. and she's
almost two years younger than am.
10 you can easily see that couldn't
| run away and be a pirate with hcr.
But we did haze a lot of fun playing
together when We were little. and Beth
was awfully good at fixing up fancy
! costumes.
Even after I got to be n freshman
In high school still was Interested
In buccaneers and sea robbers. even
! though ! didn't play ] was one any
more. Uncle Ed knew about this, and
used To write me the most wonderful
letters from his island. all about the
pirates that used to be there. the buried
treasure. and all that. How ! loved
TO get those letters!
But maybe I'd better tell Won more
about Uncle Ed and his island. It
really wasn't his island nj all. but
1t did belong 10 rich friend OF his
whom he met In college. You see.
time OF the war something happened
To his throat and lungs 10 he can't
live In northern climate any more.
He had TO go away somewhere where
II was warm. This friend OF his. whose
name IL Harold Parsons. had lot OF
money and had bought A little Island
OF his very own of the coast OF
Florida
So hs invited Uncle Ed 70 come
there and I've with him. The island
was deserted except for the Parsons
and their servants. and. since Mrs. Par
sons wasn't very well, Harold thought
1t would be good idea To have a
doctor living with them. The whole
thing worked out beautifully. and II
was mighty lucky for Uncle Ed
Well. he went down there To live
with the Parsons few months after
he returned from France. and has been
there ever since, ! guess he'll never
leave now, except for short trips. be"
cause he went and married Louise Par
sons, Har0Id's sister She IL aWfully
me-
Uncle Ed and had always been
good chtIms, and he wrote me the
incest letters. and kept saying that he
was going To have Beth and me down
10 visit him some time, That seemed
almost too good tn be true. but aiWayt
dreamed about II happening,
And then one day Just before school
closed last Spring this letter came.
still have H. and I'll never throw u
away 40 can tell you exactly whs,
IT, said
Dear Paul
Right now Rocky Island is a busy
place. IOliise's young nepheW, William
Drake, who III about your age and
lives IN New York. had severe sick
spell last Winter and is down here
recovering He's having wonderful
time
I'm wondering Il your Dad wont
peaches" added Peggy Tailey, aud
there was n chorus 0f assent,
And nov what am ] going 10 de-
| ta.ta i.f A.s.tI fz...t n