The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-03
ny NARD JONES
cAcr oE CHARACTERS

~ sbNNS, -
CAST OF CHARACTERS
KAY DEARBORN heroine
who inherits a yacht for vacation
MELITA HOWARD - Kay
roommate and eo--adventurer;
PRISCILLA DUNN-the third
adventurer.
FORREST BROTHERS and
GRANT HARPER-young se'en.
lists whose expedition turned ou'
to be a rare experience.
@ Yesterday: investigating tho
/ strange cabin ashore the girl
find the body of woman. Tbs
next day she has disappeared
And when the girls return te
their cruiser they find a grea'
hole has been cut in the dinghy
CHAPTER VIII
Filled with dismay and fright
the three girls regarded the jag,
ged hole which had been chopped
through the bottom of the over
turned dinghy. Footprints leading
down to the boat from another
part of the wood were plain, eVi-
IDENTIFY made by a man wearing
a good-sized outing shoe. In the
excitement and fear of the mo-
ment, they failed to notice that
the footprints did not lead away
from the damaged dinghy. And
lying near, its handle in the wa
ter, was a short and ugly ak with
which the damage had evidently
been done.
There's nothing for us to do
but to swim to the boat" Kay
pointed out.
Melita shook her head. 81 don't
want to ruin this rifle. We've
may need it badly. I'll stay here
while one of you swim to the
Chinook and initiate the rubber
liferaft. With that we can keep
the rifle safe"
you won't be afraid to stay
ashore?" Kay asked.
"N-no, | guess not"
Kay turned to Priscilla. "You
stay here with her. Whoever ouI
pleasant friend may be, he'd
probably be less likely to bother
two of us. But keep your eyes on
the wood. He's probably watching
US from back there somewhere"
A confident, strong swimmer
Kay plunged into the water and
started for the anchored cruiser
She did not look back to see the
frightened Melita and Priscilla
quaking on the sand, their wide
eyes searching the trees and un-
derbrush. They heard Rays
rhythmic splashes grow fainter
behind them-then all was ST.
lence. =,
at might be a good idea"
mentioned Melita, eff we got
down behind the dinghy. He's
probably got gun, too, and ne
might take a shot at US before
we can even see him." She drop.
ped prone on the beach behind
the inadequate shelter of the
boat, and Priscilla followed suit.
T-I hope it doesn't take Kay
very long" said Priscilla in a low
voice.
"It'li take her 10 or Is minutes
to get the life-raft inflated with
that hand pump. Wen Just have
to sit highland pray
As Kay reached the Chinook
and pulled herself aboard she was
relieved to see that Melita and
Priscilla had taken up ambush
behind the dinghy. She did not
call to them, realizing that this
might put them in danger from
an unseen watcher. She hoped
fervently that the enemy might
believe all three had reached the
Chinook"
To the practiced yachtsman,
the preparation of the little rub
Der life-raft would have been the
work of a few moments. But Kay
was both unneryed and unfamil-
lar with the equipment. 1t SEEM
ed to her that hours passed be-
fore she could even get it unfold
ed and attach the small bicycle
pump with which to initiate it.
She wished now that they had all
come aboard, and not tried to
keep the rifle. Her one idea was
to get away from this strange and
evil island as soon as humanity
possible.
AT last she had the raft inflat-
ed. Hurriedly she tossed it over
board from the after cockpit, was
just about to dive after it when
a quiet, suave voice said, Don't
jump
Involuntarily Kay drew back
from the rail.
go into the pilot house and