The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-12-06
Chapter q
THE BATTLE

THE BATTLE
7 THE mouth OF the pass the
, next morning. Curt stood up Ii
his canoe for q last look ahead. To
set his party through that narrowi
was a job that he would gladly have
handed to someone else. He had the
uneasy feeling that eyes were watch
Ing his three canoes and dusky
hands were toying with tiuted ar
rows.
The pass was more than q mile
long. with a strong current to buck
and no midstream islets to take
refuge on. He and Paul had secuted
Il out that morning while the others
we're still asleep, and had discovered
only one favorable circumstance.
Sometime that spring q lightning
IRE had swept down the east shore,
cutting a swath half q mile vide,
and burning TO the very water edge.
Along that whole east shore there
was hardly place where q rabbit
could have made itr form. ~
II the Klosohecs we're watching
the pass. they had to be on the west
side. BY hugging the east landWash
win his party. he could make them
shoot all the way across the river.
No bows that he had ever seen could
do effective work at that distance.
Before sitting down. be gave his
Anal orders: "Paul and I'll lead,
Sonyn and Francois'll come next,
Ralph and Jocku last. Wen keep
strung out in single file so It'll be
HARDER to hit Us. One other thing
nobody shoots Al those men unless
! sag shoot. Jocku, that's meant for
you and Francois"
They skirIed into the narrows. IN
spite OF the stiff current they put
the rods behind them. hoping 70
slide through unmolesfed.
A quarter way through. II hap.
pened -tba thing Curt had expected.
Twenty yards ahead Of bis canoe
something plunked into the water
Watching the opposite shore closely.
he saw second object. so swift that
Il seemed mere flash, come whizz-
ing out Of rocky ravlne and sail
arruss the river 10 low graceful
arch. Il too fell ahead.
Another and another followed. not
aimed at the three craft but delib.
erately placed IN front. Is warning
20 turn back. They came faster and
faster till perhaps tlfty arrows had
b4en shot. Then thay suddenly
stopped.
The range OF those horn bows
dapnted Curt. They could do dam.
age Rt that distance. They could do
deadly work.
He stopped and LET sonya's craft
slide up alongside.
"You he down. girl. Eat In your
ehuos. Don't expose yourself: you'll
b9 taking chances on your life IL
you DO" He pulled her blanket roll
beside her and laid bis own sleeping
poke on top OF II for extra protec-
tlon.
Francois. you and Jocku dip those
paddles deep and fEstl The quicker
No get through hers. the less time
they'll have to male targets Of Us. :
They skinned on. hugglng the
east landwash.
As THEY came exactly opposite
~ the rocky rasine. the Klusnhees
opened 90 them again. this time Ia
earnest.
Y the arrows had come sitgly.
they could have been lodged by an
alert person. for their polished heads
glinted IN the sun and their digit
was visible At the height Of Us arch
But they came too thick 10 watch.
One struck Paul's paddle. appraised
for q stroke. anE pierced clear
through the ash.heart blade
Que hlt the canoe 10 front Of
Curtis knees. clipped through the
thin side. and whanged Into the
sprucegnm poi. aehind him some
body yelled He turned and saw
FRANCOIS grabbing al his hat as 1t
fell into the water With an arrow
through the crawn.
Ralph had gone pale. but be kept
his eyes straight ahead and was pad.
dllng sallantly Tenderfool though
be was. Ia those hectic moments that
brought out a mans real nature he
showed more courage than the
breeds who had spent eli their lives
IN the bush.
Dlsobeying orders. Soma had sat
mp. seized her paddle and Was help.
Ing FRANCOIS.
Get down. Curt ordered her.
-DOn't you know you're liable 70 be
killedf"