The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-08-25

would nave been uSe1ul between
Briant and Doniphan, but he be-
lieved he should remain behind
to watch over the young boys.
Briant promised Gordon to avoid
all subjects of discord or quarrel.
Before sunset the last clouds
disappeared. The sea curved
itself in the west on a pure
horizon. The magnificent con.
stellationS Of the Austral Henri
sphere Scintillated in the heav'
ems, among them that splendid
Southern Cross which shines so
brightly in the Antarctic regions
On the eve Of their separation
the boys felt their hearts sink
What was going to happen on
so serious an expedition? While
their eyes watched the heavens
their thoughts turned toward
their parents and their home
land, which they might never
see again.
And then the little ones knelt
before this Southern Cross as
they would have knelt before the
cross on the altar. Did it not
tell them to pray to the Almighty
Creator of these marvellous con-
Ttellations and invite them to
put their hopes and trust in Him?
Briant, Doniphan, Wilcox and
Service left the Slough! at 7
o'clock in the morning. It was
like a beautiful october day in
the temperate zones Of the North
ern Hemisphere. One had no I'M
preston of either heat or cold
only an unforeseen obstacle could
delay the boys or stop their ex'
plorations.
The young explorers started
across the beach toward the foot
of the cliff. They had taken
Phann, thinking the dogs In
stinct might be useful.
The plan was to go along the
foot of the cliff until they reached
the cape at the northern end OF
the bay unless they found a bet
ter way of getting to 1t, Then
they would go toward the sea
indicated by Briant. That route.
although not the shortest. had
the advantage Of being the SAL
est.
Lets hurry" he urged, ex-
planning the importance Of get
ting ahead before the turn OF the
tide.
"Oh, WE'LL" answered Wilcox.
well get there even by wetting
our ankles"
"The ankles and the chest, and
then the earS!" said Briant. THE
sea rises five or six feet at least!
I think it would have been better
if we had gone straight toward
the promontory."
Foolish Chance
"You should have proposed 1t"
Doniphan broke in. "You are our
guide, Briant, and if we're late,
you'll be to blame"
"All right, Doniphan; in any
case let us hurry. Where is
Service?"
And he called, Service! serv-
ice!"
Service and Phann were not to
be seen. They had disappeared
behind turn in the cliff about q
hundred feet to he right.
But almost Immediately shrieks
and the loud barking of the dog
were heard. Was Service in some
unknown danger?
Briant, Doniphan and Wilcox
hurried to the sounds. They found
that Service had stopped at a
partial landslide of the cliff. In
filtration, or the action of the
weather had worn away the
chalky mass. A kind of half.
funnel, the point turned down
ward, had formed itself from the
crest of the wall until it touched
the beach. In the perpendicular
wall opened a kind of slanting
gorge which revealed slopes of 40
to so degrees. Moreover. their
irregularities presented a series OF
little Lodges on which it would be
easy to get a footing. The boys
would be able to reach the top if
they did not induce new land.
slides.
l (TO Be COntinued)
Translation from the original 'Deux
| Ans de Vacances," copyright, 1895, by
Celesta Hamer-Jackson; distributed by