The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-09-01
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Wilcox.
mo, it's q rocket" replied Bri
ant. "It must be from the Sloughi.'
"A signal from Gordon" cried
Doniphan, who answered it by
shooting his gun.
A second rocket went up. The
boys went towards it, and three
quarters Of an hour later they
arrived safely at the Slough.
A warm welcome was given to
Briant and his three companions
Gordon, Cross, Baxter, Garnet and
Webb opened their arms to them
while the younger ones fell on
their necks. The absence had
seemed very long.
Briant, Doniphan, Wilcox and
Service were so tired by their long
march that the story Of their
expedition was left for the next
day.
1--WE are on an island" is all
Briant said before going to bed.
The next morning, April 5, the
older ones, Gordon, Briant, Doni.
phan, Baxter, Cross. Wilcox, Serv,
ice, Webb, Garnet, and also Moko,
got together. Briant and Doniphan
told their comrades what they
had discovered the causeway,
the remains Of the "ajoupa," the
lake, the cave, the bones Of Fran.
co.'s Baudoin, and the map drawn
by the caStaway, which indicated
that the Slough had been lost on
an island.
Not a detail Of the story was
omitted. And all now looked over
the map, fully understanding that
rescue could only come from out.
side.
However, if the future presented
itself under dark skies, if the
young castaways had nothing left
but to put their trust in God, the
one who was the least frightened
it is necessary to insist on this
point-waS Gordon. The young
American had no family waiting
for him in New Zealand. There.
fore, with his practical, method.
cal, and organizing spirit, the task
Of founding a little colony did not
frighten him. He saw an op-
portunity to exercise his natural
taste and he bucked up his com
panions' morale by promising
them supportable existence if
they were willing to help him.
There was nothing more to do
but to get settled before bad
weather made moving impracti'
cable.
The best plan will be to make
our home in the cave" said
Briant, tits an excellent shelter. "
rs it big enough for all Of uS?"
asked Baxter.
"No, not quite" replied Doni'
phan, But I think that it could
be made bigger by digging a sec.
ond cavity in the walls. We have
the tools. ;"
Let us first take it just as 1t
is" suggested Gordon.
Even if we are a bit crowd
ed"
"And above ALL" added Briant,
"Iet'S go as soon as possible!"
Indeed it was urgent. AS
Gordon pointed out, every day the
schooner was less habitable. The
last rains, followed by very warm
weather, had further opened the
seams Of the hull and the deck,
The torn sails allowed air. and
water to penetrate inside. There
were infiltrationS underneath, and
the yacht listed more, while sink.
ing viSibly in a soil which had be.
come very movable. An equinoXial
storm could destroy the Sloughi
in few hours. Therefore, it was
necessary to abandon it without
delay, and to demolish it methodi.
cally to save everything that
might be useful, beams, planks,
irons, copper, etc., in view of the
settlement at French Den-the
name which was given to the cave
in remembrance of the French
castaway.
CHAPTER XIV
where shall we live until we
can move into the cave?" asked
Doniphan.
Under a tent, on the bank of
the river between the trees" re-
piled Gordon.
That's the best thing to do"
said Briant, land without losing
an hour!"
He was right. The demolishing
Of the yacht, the discharging of
the material and the provisions,
and the construction Of a raft, to
transport the cargo would take at
least a month. Before they could
leave, Sloughi Bay it would be the
first days of May, which CORE
spond to the first days of Novem-
Der in the Boreal Hemisphere.
Gordon chose the bank of the
river to establish the new en-
campment since the Transports
ton would have to be by water.
It was the most direct and con-