Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-14

and Lloyd injected the native youth
that afternoon, following up the in
jections with continuous quinine
treatments. Five days later the
patient had almost completely re-
covered. That established our
reputation not only in that particu-
lar village, but in any other village
we might visit on the voyage
through the Philippines Archipelago.
Bamboo wireless" would do the
trick. We were hailed as saviours
by the simple, kindly native folk.
We killed a wild pig, boiled it and
preserved 1t in q tight can with
which the natives provided us. We
dried other chunks Of meat to be
used on the voyage and we had un-
interrupted days to ready our small
vessel for the hazardous trip. We
were like white gods to the natives,
and their unselfish help greatly
speeded our departure. We still
lacked much, but at least we were
ready to start on the first leg Of our
ocean trip.
On the night Of August IA, with a
silent prayer, we weighed anchor.
We were like two boys, off on their
first expedition. We had worked for
months for this moment and the
longer we had worked, the more en-
Unused we had become. This was
our chance, probably our only
chance for the freedom for which
we both had suffered like hunted
animals. We gave ourselves a $3.50
chance Of making 1t safely, but those
were better than even odds when
compared to the odds we had to &C
cept from the Japs.
Grim Outlook.
We sailed through the storm rid
den China seas for three days until
We put in at our first port of call
where we hoped to replenish our
fuel supplies and stock enough food
to last us for the remainder of the
voyage. It took every cent we had
to purchase what was needed. The
Pacific blockade was vitality affect
ing the little village. One can of oil
cost us $11, while sardines sold at
60c per tin.
We decided to buy q clock, too,
and a 98-cent drugstore alarm clock
with a missing hand cost us $40. At
that moment our chances for a sue
cessful escape looked the most dis
couraging they ever had. Our boat
was leaking constantly. We were
without money and we had to 60 on,
knowing that We were running the
risk Of meeting the full force of a
devastating China Sea typhoon at
any time. But we sailed that night
neither of us had the slightest
thought or desire to turn back.
Late that night we ran into an
other storm. Lloyd, who was at the
helm, was nearly washed overheard
by the raging seas. His calls for
help awakened me as I slept in the
bamboo bunk we had rugged below
decks. raced topside to find him
nearly drowned. From that night
on we kept ourselves constantly
dashed to the Ruth Lee by q rope
tied around our legs. If one of us
WOO CFCA WoollCO OVC1 UOdlO 4cSCuc
would almost be impossible. The
next night the wind and seas abated
and We sailed southwark under
moonlit skies, our thoughts back in
the Philippines with the officers we
had left behind.
Suddenly Lloyd snapped to atten-
ton.
Whats that?" he called excitedly.
I looked to our left. Blinker lights
were flashing from a vessel perhaps
two miles from us. Then I looked to
the right. Blinker responses were
coming ship an equal distance
away. I could read the signals. I
recognized Japanese code.
We were sailing between two en-
envy warships.
Copyrsht, 1912 King Features syndi-
part prohibited.