The Coolidge examiner., 1936-06-12

with quick roll ana little splash,
it went bottom up and began to
drift with the seas.
Tip, thrown into the waters, head
held high, began circling swiftly.
Around and around he went, cry
ing out for the master who had
disappeared.
With sharp nod, Blueiay
turned. He left the cedars, climbed
the bank and pushed on through
the hardwood.
Townline lake never gives up it's
dead. That was the thought which
flashed through Kerry's mind as he
went overheard. Once down in the
channels
But he was not going down in
any channel! He was there, under
his capsized canoe, still holding the
shattered paddle in one hand.
The blow of the bullet had all
but torn it from his grasp. Just
as he was dipping the blade that
terrific impact had struck. Per
haps the smooth ash had detected
the missile; perhaps the aim Of his
assailant had not been good. His
first act was for self-preservation.
Someone had lain in wait to kill
him. Someone had shot with rea-
sOnable accuracy and to let
them believe that a desired end
had been achieved was at once
smartnesS and caution.
SO he went over the far side, his
torso lOlling in the water, the move
throwing Tip out with great
scrambling. Kerry cautiously twist
ed his body so he would come up
beneath the craft.
In there, he could hear, nothing
but the slosh of water, the rustic
Of wind, the sharp, inquiring bark
of the dog.
Young wanted to call out, to re-
assure the retriever that all was
well, for Tip was in a great state
of excitement and distress. But
to do that, he feared, would set
the animal diving for him and that,
to a watcher, might betray the
secret :. that he was safe and in
cOncealment.
With great caution, he showed
himself downward and came up
on the leeward side.
The dog had just rounded the
bow again. His look was tense,
almost agonized, but when he came
thus face to face with his master.
the ears pricked stiffly and then re-
laxed, the orange fare left the
eyes and pink tongue showed.
"Okay" Kerry choked. "All jake.
chum! Hi! All right, thenl
Listen, Tip" he said, holding
the dog beside him with one hand
while the other rested on the canoe.
Il got to get out of thisl Cold?
Dyou ever feel colder water in
Summer?"
He looked about. The waves
were high. Straight down wind was
his island, reed-fringed, with warm
sunshine beating upon it.
"You, Tip! You get to
camp! Savvy?" He reached for
hold on the dogs tail "Hie on,
now! Camp! HE on!"
Obediently the dog turned down
wind. Kerry kept his hold on the
tail, let go the canoe.
Camp" gasped Kerry. "Hie
on"
Tip settled down to swim, low in
the water, making slow going of it.
but nevertheless towing his mas
ter steadily. And watcher.
from a distance, had he seen the
dog, would never have guessed
what dragged behind.
Kerry wormed his way through
the reeds, once they were reached,
and stretched fiat on his belly on
the clean sand, letting the sun
drive the chill from his bones.
He lay there a long time before
he moved. Then he wriggled into
the brush, got behind his tent, ex-
tricated his binoculars from the
pack and for a long interval studied
the point from which the bullet
must have been fred.
His canoe had followed him
ashore but for long time he made
no move to secure it.
He went on, to the cabin.
He opened the door, peered in.
then stopped, frowning. A fine dust
ing OF dry sand was on the floor.
Sand? No, his fingers told him il
was powdered clay. 1t went from
the doorway across toward a far
corner; just light busting of it,
a ragged stringer. He wondered
what that might mean. Following,
he found that it ended at two short
sections of flooring. At some time
there was no way of determin-
ing when - these had been tam.
pered with. Perhaps broken boards
had been replaced. Still, why that
dirt on the floor? 1t had not been
here the other day.
Tip he said, as he stuffed to-
bacco into his pipe, I'm getting
good and hot under the collar!
Shot at from ambush! Now, who
the devil He liOhtpd his ninn