Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1936-01-02
CHAPTER II-Continued

3
The plane nosed down so steeply
that the pontoons went under. For
tunately the craft was almost fool
proof. She bobbed up without plung-
ing to the bottom. Huxby TAXED
shoreward against the current from
the stream and the thrust of the down
gulch breeze.
Garth stood up to pilot the pilot. A
clump of spruces stood few yards in
from the -smoothed ledge on the
right bank of the stream mouth. Hulk
by obeyed the signal to shut off the
motor. AS the propeller ceased to spin
the plane glided in between the banks
of the outrushing stream.
Uncoiling the line as he went, Garth
ran out on the right wing. From the
overhang he leaped down on the shelf
ledge and bounded along 1T to the
nearest spruce. The plane had al
ready lost its Roadway and was start
ing to drift backwards in the swift
outswirl of the stream.
The line tautened as Garth whipped
1t around the tree trunk. To make
doubly safe, he used the last foot for
a pair of half bitches. He knew what
would happen If the plane should drift
free with no pilot aboard.
Snubbed fast, the monoplane swung
to the near bank and lay with the
right-hand float snug against the pol
ished waterline Of the ledge. Huxby
came out on the wing and jumped
off to peer down the CLASSY slope Of
rock at the pontoon.
"Not so bad" he admitted.
II had the place picked out" Garth
replied. 1.-THE rock is very slick.
There'll be no need of tenders during
our few hours stay"
The engineer pilot showed his Cog
giles up on the front of his helmet.
SLOWS that? Picked out, you say.
Been around airplanes, have you?"
II know how rough stone will chafe
boat" Garth replied.< "Your floats
are kind Of canoe. Can you get Mr.
Ramill and his daughter ashore by
way of the wing?"
Miss Ramill called from the cabin:
"Why didn't you pick decent landing
place, Vivian? We never can get
ashore up this smooth sloping rock.
The steps are no use. You'll have to
make gangway for Dad and me-"
Garth vaulted upon the wing and
walked in along 1t to the fuselage,
The girl leaned from the big rear win
dow Of the cabin. "Give me your
hand" Garth said. "I'll swing you up
on the wing"
He knelt above her on the cabin
roof and reached down. Her lips
curled in contemptuous smile.
"If that's the best you can do, I'll
stay right here. I've no wish to go
bathing.
I'm that case, get out of the way.
Your father wishes to see my prospect
I'll not waste time building a needless
gangway."
She was the heiress to millions and
had been reared in prodigal luxury.
Never had she been treated so cavalier
ly as by this buckskin-clad prospector.
She turned to her fiance.
"Vivian, you heard the insolent fell
low!"
Huxby grasped the wing tip to pull
himself up. The girls father spoke
over her shoulder: "Stay where you
are, Vivian. We're here to look at
Garth's mine. He has agreed to help
Lilith and me ashore. If she prefers
to remain aboard, she may do So"
The girl looked both surprised and
angered. She drew back into the
cabin. Her father thrust out his head
from the window to look up at Garth.
wont it be more than you. can
manage? 1 weigh over two hundred"
For reply, Garth reached down. The
portly millionaire hung in Garth's
grasp almost like a dead weight. Yet
Garth swung him bodily up and around
on the wing.
He led the limping gentleman out
to the far end, near the tip, and low
cred him down upon the top of the
ledge. Before he could follow, Miss
Ramill called out to him: "Come
back for me. 1t should be safe enough.
You did not drop Dad"
Garth looked up the gulch, smiled,
and went to swing the girl out of the
window. Up on the wing she clutched
his shoulder as If to steady herself.
Her scarlet-smeared lips curved In a
patronizing smile.
you're wonderfully strong"
More knack than muscle"
"Both! 1t was simply marvellous
how you lifted Dad without losing your
balance"
Out near the wing tip Garth drew
his arm free from her clasp, caught
her by the elbows, and lowered her
into Huxby's upthrust hands.
She looked up and smiled. $50 nice
OF you, old dear. Now, If you'll fetch