The Washington times., 1936-08-29

hardly held to the half-rotten
handle; a spade of American or
European make, not one Of those
coarse tools fashioned by the wild
PolyneSians. Like the ring of the
boat, it was deeply rusted and no
doubt it had been abandoned in
this place long ago.
There, also, at the foot of the
cliff, one could see signs of fur
rows, irregularly traced, a little
square of vegetation which, lack
ing in care, had returned to a
wild state.
Suddenly a doleful bark cut the
air. Phann reappeared, violently
agitated; he ran towards the
young boys, looked at them, barked
at them, and seemed to invite
them to follow him.
There's something he's found!"
exclaimed Briant, who was vainly
trying to calm the dog.
Lets follow him." said Doni-
phan.
A Discovery
Ten steps further Phann raised
himself in front of a mass of
brambles and brush, the branches
of which intermingled right at the
foot of the cliff.
Briant came closer to see if
this mass contained the body Of
an animal or perhaps that of a
man, the scent of which had at
tracted Phann. And then by
pushing aside the brambles, he
perceived a narrow opening.
"Is there cave here?" he cried,
backing a few steps.
Its probable" answered Doni-
phan. But what is there in the
cave?"
We'll find out!" declared Bri-
ant.
With his hatchet he cut vigor-
ously at the branches which OBJ
structed the opening. They list
ened carefully, but could hear no
suspicious sound.
Service was about to creep into
the opening, when Briant said:
Lets first see what Phann
does"
The dog was growing. which
was not reaSsurlng.
But then, if living something
had been hidden in the cave it
would have come out!
They must find out what it
could be. However, as the air in
the cave might be foul, Briant
threw in a bunch of dry herbs
which he had just lit. The herbs
burnt quickly, which proved that
the air was fit to breathe.
"Are we going in?' asked Will
cox.
EYES," declared Doniphan.
"Wait until we can see some
thing" said Briant, and cutting a
resinous branch from pine tree,
he lit it, then followed by his COM
rades, he crept among the BRAN
bles.
The entrance to the opening
was five feet high, and two feet
wide, but it suddenly became
larger to form an excavation
about ten feet high, and double
that in width. The ground OF the
cave was a dry, fine sand.
wilcox knocked against a
wooden stool placed near a table,
on which were a few kitchen uten-
sils, an earthenware pitcher, large
shells which must have been used
as plates, a knife of which the
blade was broken and ruSted, two
or three fishing hooks and a tin
mug, empty as was the water
pitcher. Mar the opposite
side was a kind of chest made OF
planks, roughly adjusted and
which contained ragged clothing.
Without a doubt, this excavation
had been inhabited! But by
whom? Was the human being who
had lived there lying in some
corner?
At the back was a miserable
bed covered with ragged flannel
blanket. At the bedside, on foot
stool, there was second cup and
a wooden candlestick which con-
tained only the remains of a car
bonized wick. The young boys
drew back at first at the thought
that this blanket might cover a
corpse.
A NEW MYSTERY
Briant, mastering his revulsion,
lifted it. The pallet was empty.
Deeply moved, the four boys re-
Joined Phann, who, left behind
outside, was still barking dole
fully.
They went about 20 feet down
the bank of the river and stopped
suddenly. A feeling of horror
rooted them to the spot.
There, between the roots OF a
beech tree, lay the remains of a
skeleton.
And so at this place had come
to die TIN unfortunate being who