The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-01-03

w Hat re yOu uoiuS. GeL lu here with us."
 Don't have any gun!" Ralph called over his shoulder "Got to get gun,"
 Let it go. They'll cut you off"
 But Ralph courageously went on.
 Flinging themselves behind the rock shelter, the two of them turned their rifles toward the canoes to the south.
 Curt dropped a handful of clips into Paul's pocket. Aim low. Paul. Bounce your slugs of the water. Ne can't hope to hit the men, but we can tear holes through those canoes and sink ehi."
 They emptied their magazines at the six craft. The range was too long for dark shooting. and the moon re. flection was wrong. The canoes came straight Cn and skinned into the shallows Reloading. Curt and Paul blasted into them again, frantically trying to knock them back. One canoe turned broadside and sank. but the two occupants leaped out and splashed ashore: and the other five canoes drove on in unchecked.
 Jumping to shelter on the island. the Klosohees began sizzling arrows at the rifle flashes, to cover the land ing of the other parties.
 Ralph came running out of the dark with rife. belt.gun and three cartons of cartridges in his hands.
 q got 'em." he panted. Couldn't have helped out if 1 hadn't gone and"
 His rejoicing ended in an agonized gasp. Within two steps of the barri- cade he suddenly stumbled and flung up his arms. The gun and car. tons dropped with a chatter. Pitch ing forward with all the momentum of his dash. he smashed head-on against a rock. rolled over and lay still.
 Curt vaulted over the barricade. grabbed him. lifted him into the shelter. Ralph" he cried. kneeling down and shaking his limp com rade. Ralph dId not move. And then Curt saw r hard-driven arrow pro truding from his back. and stream of blood trickling from his mouth.
 The suddenness of the blow struck Curt dumb. He shook Ralph's arm again but got no response. Dead or dying-he did not know.
 The five canoes to the west were less than hundred yards out. Paul had got the range was ricochet. ing his bullets of the nipples with whitening effect. One canoe wabbled crazily and collapsed. In another a figure leaped up and toppled over, board.
 Look north," Paul cried. Keep those back I'll handle these"
 For the first time Curt noticed that three canoes were skirling in toward the upper tip. At his first shot figure rose up in the leading canoe and shouted a command. The voice sounded to him like Tenn-Og's.
 Damn yor!" = the thoug flashed through his mind - i've patched you up and treated you white. when your buddies ran away and left you: and now you're lcad ing men to spear us. I'll get you any way!" He poured a whole clip oi vengeful bullets at the figure. The Klosohee till stood up. waving his arms and shouting orders. The oth CT two craft stopped and began mill ing about uncertainty. As Curt snapped in another clip. swearing savagely at missing TennOg. all three of the canoes veered around and skinned back out of sight. THEIR sudden flight astonished him: he had hit nobody. done TO damage that he could see.
 He laid it to cowardice. and whirled to help Paul again.
 Of the five canoes to the west, Paul had collaps d one, knocked a man out of a second and sent it drifting helplessly. and had sunk third in the shallows. Tog- ther he and Curt ran a burst at the other two. They sank both of them in the space of five seconds. but the men jumped out into the water. sprang ashore and joined their confederates.
 Grabbing their automatics. Curt and Paul tensed themselves for the hand-to-hand fight
 Keep down." Curt snapped. as Paul rose up to see better. Don't expose yourself. We've got a chance to win this"
 The arrows dwindled and stoDped.