The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1934-02-07
Chapter 20
AMBUSH

AMBUSH
" THINK" said Juan finally. "that
4 they will stay there today. AT
this season. ii rains In the late after
noon. and sometimes at night. It is
more pleasant to be about between
the showers. think these people
are all sleeping now"
Still Grahame hesitated to leave
his lookout.
"If you will climb down to our
packs. will watch for you. There
Is nothing we could 10 now. except
learn II they take those prisoners
elsewhere. Even then we could do
nothing. and we might be seen here
sooner or later. Also. lam hungry"
Juan smiled as he mentioned his
appetite.
Frank gave him an uncertain
smile. Maybe you're right, son.
Let's both slide down. have a
huRch we oughe to find some safe
place not far from here. and hold
council of war.
"Not that any place near here
would be particularly safe. But it
ought to be possible to find spot
where we could keep out of sight,
and yet be able to get into the city
during the night or into the Jungle
for food" ''" so
They made a cautious descent,
and slipped toward. the trail they
had left so precfpitously that morn.
Ing, beside which they had cached
their packs.
Juan was in the lead. a traitposf
ton that Grahame usually accorded
him, since he had found that the
boy had a canny instinct in sensing
trail-danger. before he. Grahame.
could ever possibly be aware OF It.
They reached the tangle Of fallen
scrub palmetto where they had left
their packs. Grahame heard Juan's
low murmur OF establishment, aud
hurried forward. Unconscious of
the action. the Americans fingers
closed over the butt of his auto
matte.
Juan stood staring thoughtfully at
the place where they had left the
packs. There was no doubt that
this had been the spot: the grass
and palm leaves still showed linden
tations where the weighty sacks
had been: but the packs. with their
hammocks, their extra clothing and
ammunition. with their first-aid kits
and emergency rations. were gone!
a-sAt the instant OF discovery JnanI
did a thing which proved that
jungle-wisdom Is instructive. He
leaped backward toward Grahame.
The American. muscles reacting to
the suddenness of the boys move
ment. crouched.
From q screen OF bush behind the
spot where their packs had been.
the naked torso OF man appeared.
golden in the sunlight. He held In
his hands riff ;. In a eamera-shut.
ter glimpse, Grahame saw that the
butt Of the gun was almost to his
shoulder.
The American fired from under
his arm. the muzzie Of his pistol
barely free OF the holster. With
the report of the shot, the man
slipped through the bush onto his
face. The rife. falling from his limp
hands. clattered against a stone.
a MBUSH! Grahame saw Juan's
4 \ arm crook backward. and then
snap forward like spring released
from compression. A silver streak
sped from his hand and into the
bush to the left. There was q thud,
the nnmistakable sound OF knifel
Shaping into flesh and a short
throaty+. Abb" 9@ "a
Two rifles cracked. Grahame felt
a tug at his collar where his shirt
Jared away from his neck; then the
sound of q bullet cracking through
underbrush. He free quickly.
right and left. at the faint wreaths
Of smoke curling upward. He heard
a cry.
From the corner OF his eye he saw
Juan weaving backward, half
crouehed. He followed. Two &c
centric leaps brought them to cover.
oace again q rife cracked The
bullet whined harmlessly overhead.
The action had taken only q few
seconds. Stealthily they slipped
into the jungle. Behind them they
heard shot or two. and the sound
OF many voices raised in shouted
question and answer. They ran
now more openly. careless OF the
noise they made. Frank knev that
distance between them and their
pursuers counted vitality.
A half-miie from the scene OF the
ambush. they panssa.
where now" asked Grahame.
breathing deeply.