The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-26

cover more than three or four
miles from morning till night.
The boys saw no indications
that man had ever penetrated
these woods. The narroweSt trail
would have testified that someone
had been here before them, and
there was none. Age or storm had
felled these trees. not the hand Of
man. Crushed grass indicated the
presence of large animals, some Of
which they saw running away,
without being able to recognize
them. They could not be very
dangerous, since they fled to cover
SO rapidly. At each step cartridges
flew up, and martinetS, too. There
also were thruShes, wild geese,
grouse. and many other fowls easy
to kill by the hundred. They
would certainly have plenty of
food if they should have to re-
main in this region.
At two o'clock the boys halted
in a narrow clearing crossed by a
clear, shallow creek that ran softly
on a bed of black rocks. Its shall
low and peaceful course indicated
that its source was not very far
off. AS to crossing it, nothing
was easier. Flat stones were scat
tered over the river-bed and laid
with sufficient symmetry to make
the way quite simple.
This is strange!" exclaimed
Doniphan, who noticed a kind of
causeway set up from one side of
the creek to the other.
This looks like a tollbar!"
cried Service, who was starting to
cross.
Wait! Wait!" ordered Briant.
1--WE must look carefully at the ar
rangement Of these Stones!"
They couldn't have placed
themselves like this alone!" added
Wilcox.
NO" said Briant. ut looks like
someone has tried to make pas
sage here. Let's look closer"
They carefully examined each
piece Of the narrow causeway,
which emerged only few inches
and must have been washed over
during the rainy season.
Had mans hands placed these
flat stones across the creek to
facilitate the passage of the
stream? No! After a careful exam
ination the boys believed that vio-
lent currents during the spring
tides had heaped up the stones,
forming a natural toll-bar. Moth
ing on either bank of the stream
led the boys to think that man
had ever walked this ground.
The creeks course wound north
east in opposition to the bay. Did
it go into the sea which Briant
had seen? It might
"UnleSs," said Doniphan, "it is
a tributary of a large river which
comes back towards the west"
That's what We'll See," an
swered Briant. who thought it
useless to discuss the subject
again. However, as long as it
runs towards the east, I think
that we'd better follow it, if there
aren't too many detours."
The boys started again, crossing
the stream on the natural bridge
formed by the stones. It was easy
to follow the bank, except in a
few places where trees dipped
their heavy branches, sometimes
to the other side of the water.
If the creek sometimes made a
sharp turn, its general direction
checked by the compass was al
ways toward the east. AS for it's
mouth, it must still be a long way
off, since the current did not gain
in quicknesS nor its bed in width.
About half past five, Briant and
Doniphan regretfully observed
that the creeks course changed
towards the north. This might
take them a long way in a d.
rection away from their intended
goal. So they abandoned the bank
and walked towards the east in
the thickness OF the blrcheS and
beeches.
This was hard going! In the tall
underground, which often was
higher than their heads, they had
to call so they wouldn't lose track
of each other.
Nothing yet indicated the near
ness of the sea. Briant was get
ting anxious. Had he been the
object of an optical illusion when
he scanned the horizon from the
top of the cape?
Ito Be COntinued)
Translation from the original 'Deux
Ans de Vacances," copyright, 1895, by
Celesta Hamer-Jackson; distributed by
King Features Syndicate, Inc.