Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-22

years q deposit Of pebbles and shells
had SO filled it UP that now It was
/ only possible for a slim child to climb
/ up It, They had to go on hands and
knees and sometimes fiat on their
fronts, and even then their backs
scraped the rock above them and they
could only move very slowly. And soon
IF only we had matchesI" mourned
Peronelle.
Il have!" cried Colin triumphantIy.
What do you take me for? No man
ever goes anywhere without matches"
''LOokl" said Peronelle, rubbing the
rock beside her with her finger. at
isn't smooth like 1t was. It's all rough"
The surface of the tunnel had
changed. It looked as though 1t were
no longer followed out by the waves
but by a mans pickax. And there was
more space around them now, and not
so many pebbles under their knees,
which looked as though the tide did
not wash up any further than this.
LOOK here. you chaps" cried ME-
chelle excitedly. This isn't a natural
tunnel any more. Someone's made itl'r
"Smugglersl" gasped Peronelle. 'Ttn
lead TO one Of their hiding places,
where they stored the stuff before it
was shipped off to England"
Come on. girls" said Colin briefly
With any luck well find buried trea-
sure. Enough to buy that pony"
Ihey seemed to go on forever, Colin
AT intervals striking matches that now
showed earth mixed with the rock, and
wooden supports keeping the roof and
sides of the tunnel from caving In
And then, quite suddenly, he gave a
Squeal and stopped dead
WHATS up?' demanded Peronelle.
i've run my head into a lot Of
thorns and brushwood and stuff"
IL must be blocking up the entrance
to somewhere. Light another match"
They're all gone.
Then push"
he appeared to fall headlong.
Where are you now?" chorused his
sisters intereStedly.
In sort of little ROOM" he called.
There's a stone floor"
ANY treasurer"
Il don't think So Only spiders and
At first they thought there was alb
solutely nothing it it, until with a ven
OF triumph, PerOnelle stumbled against
a flight Of stone steps. She crawled
up them and hit her head q sickenin0
crash. Owl" she yelled, but her family
were unSympathetic
did you hear the hollow noise her
head nader" demanded Colin. There's
B door there. A wooden door"
But It was not q door. 1t was only
q wooden panel. For q moment thew
we're cast down, then Michele cried,
'Listenl"
From the other side Of the paneI
came a subdued humming sound
"BeeSi" said Colette.
water"
TITS machinery" said Michele
ITS none Of those things. scoffed
oeronelle. Wen soon find out what
t IS. This woods quite rotten. AM
ihoulders to the WHEEL"
Except for the nervous Jacuueline
hey we're all courageous children. with
10 thought ct all for what they might
all into ON the other side they hurled
themselves violently against the wooden
Sanel. Over and over again they
rashed against 1t, kicking, heaving.
'anging, encouraging each other with
wa and heartening shouts, and at
aSt WIN a glorious sound Of smash
ng china they fell headlong into a
'laze Of light.
Mrs. Hillyards party was not very
ucceSsful. The English children and
he Island children did not mix very
7ell.
And Mrs. Hillyard's own son, Archi-
aid, whose birthday party this was,
7as the most tiresome of all the chill
rem. He was an only child, and shy.
drs. Hillyard looked round her In
espair. Her husband, selfish man, had
1ng since fled to his own study, but
er brother, the colonel, a monocled,
'ealthy, and most agreeable bachelor,
ne rich uncle par excellence, was still
18th her.
She had expected cries of delight
-om the Island children when they
aw the table groaning with dainty
tile sandwiches and cakes, but they
ere not forthcoming.
What was the matter with them,
ordered poor Mrs. Hillyard. She could
OF know that the Island children were
OF happy eating standing I'D.
CTo Be Continued
Maine is the only state in tbe union