The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-02

request. Now he saw through the whole ruse. Their trips after carl bou had been a scheme to secure canoe and get away. Those two had deserted!
 He whirled the canoe around and started back to camp, swearing at the evil luck that dogged every step he took. The treachery of those na- tives was little short of disaster. He had counted heavily on them to take Ralph back south: and now they had sneaked away. the pair of towards, and Nichols was left on his hands. If he and Paul were encumbered with Ralph on their swift shadowy trip. they would not stand ghost of chance.
 Before he had gone very far he heard rife shot down stream. He stopped short, listened. A mile south, down where the river mar rowed to a bottle neck, furry of shots sounded. The dull thud of the guns was unmistakable--the heavy bear Winchesters of Jocku and Francois. Those two guides were in trouble; they'd run into an ann bush!
 One of the Winchesters suddenly stopped. The other shot four times more. Then, faintly in the taut si- lence, long-drawn yell waited up river, more a scream than any ar- ticulate word. Piercing. vibrant with terror. it sent shivers through Curt. It was a mans death cry.
 All his anger changed to heartfelt pity. Poor devils!" he said softly. They got it. The Klosohees had party at that narrows. to cut us off if we tried to break away" LIE whipped on ashore. goaded by l l the memory of that cry. Paul had heard it too. and knew what 1t meant. Working swiftly. they made ready to leave. They left the tents standing. abandoned most of the supplies and all the heavier things: took nothing but guns, blankets and food for few days.
 "Carry this stuff to the canoe." Curt directed. "Pll go get Ralph"
 As he hurried up the island. he tried to figure how he might salvage something out of the wreckage of his plans. Perhaps they could take Ralph several miles up some tribu- tary river where the Klosohees were not likely to come. and secrete him in some cave. with food and camp necessities. to be picked up later when they had finished with Karak- han. It was possible.
 Ralph! Come along with me. We're pitching away from this place on the jump"
 F Ralph got up quickly. Why, what's the matter?"
 "I'll tell you later. Let's get into the canoe and put distance between us."
 Where's Sonya?" Ralph queried, winding up his fish line.
 Don't ask questions now. man, for Lords sake! And let that line go. Come on. we're leaving here"
 He bit the sentence off. Out upon the lake to the west a "merganser" called. From north and south came answers. Curt stared in the direction of that first call For moment he saw nothing. Then his eyes picked up five blurred mottles. out at the limit of vision. He peered sharply at them. Canoes; Five Klosohee canoes!
 He spun around with Ralph and ran down toward Paul. If only they could get out upon the lake. they might make running battle of 1t and lose themselves in a maze of reedy islets half mile east.
 At the lower tip of the island his partners gun ripped the night st. lence with sharp cr-aa-ck. When he reached Paul. the latter was kneeling down and clipping fresh magazine into his smoking rife.
 Look" Paul grabbed his arm. "Six of them! Coming in at us!"
 Curt looked where he pointed. Three hundred yards offshore half dozen sinister shadows were loom. ing out of the dusk. Paul's volley had checked their headlong dash. they had scattered to make the target harder; but they were coming straight on, aiming for that lower tip.
 "Lord-they've got us!" Curt gasped. Before they could possibly get their canoe launched and out of the shallows. those dancing shadows would be upon them. By margin of minutes. the precious minutes lost in hunting for Jocku and Fran. cois. they had failed to get away.
 A few stray arrows. already swish ing into the sand around them, em- phasized the point.
 Lets get back to our rocks" he ordered. Nothing to do now but shoot 1t out"
 They turned and ran for the shel- ter.
 fCopyrfoht. 1sss. Willdm B. MoreryJ
 osland fort.