Show sy rv r 0 L adivi 0 sy fv ac acco so co SYNOPSIS synopsis the tt atory ory opens with will the tha shipwreck of ti the breann r on which mi alas Une enevieve vieve leslie nn an annerl american can heiress hetre oa lord winthrope ill an F and tom blake f bua american were P passengers aa e r hd the he th three re e wt nd I 1 ce tom aa e upon an uninhabited n ab n inland d and were the only ones not drowned blake recovered from a drunken stupor blake shunned on the boat because became or lite lila roughness became a hero preserver Prener yep of 0 the helpless pair the ir ishman wax wail suing for the hand of 0 leslie blake started to baim vack back ii to the e fp to lo recover what was left it blake ral a ice Ir turned safely winthrope wasted ills his last match on an a cigarette for or which tie be was scored by blake their drat meet meal was a dead fish the tha trio started a ten nillo hike for or higher land thirst attacked thern them blake was wag compelled to ca carry r ry mims atlas leslie I esble on recount account of 0 aearl aass lie as CHAPTER IV iv contin continued u ad at first his th throat r oat was so dry that he could no more than rinse his bis mouth with the first swallow his swollen tongue tone mocked him with the salt bitter taste of seawater sea water the tide was was flowing flo he rose sputtering and choking and gasping ile he stared around there was no question that he be was on the bank banac ot of a river and would be b certain of fresh water with the ebb tide but could lie he endure the agony of 0 hla his thirst all those hours ile ho thought of his companions good god he groaned doners anyway ito he stared dully up the river at the thousands ot of waterfowl which lined its banks within close view were herons and black ibises geese pelicans fla aling oes and a dozen other species of birds of which he did riot not know the names mantles but he sat as though in a stupor and did not move even when one ona of the driftwood logs on a mud shoal a few yards upstream up stream opened an enormous enormous mouth and displayed two rows lows of hooked fangs it was waa otherwise when the noontime stillness was broken by a violent splashing and loud anor tings downstream down stream ile he glanced about and saw six or eight monstrous ious heads drifting towards him with the tide what in wheel a whole herd of bip hippos post he be muttered what the holes hole s mean the foremost hippopotamus was headed beaded directly tor for him ile he glared at the huge head with sullen resent mehl par or all his stupor he perceived perce tved at once that the beast intended to land and he sat in tho the middle of its accustomed path ills his first impulse was to spring up and yell at the creature then he be remembered hearing bearing that a white hunter had bad recen recently tIr been killed by these beasts on one of the south african lakes instead of leaping up he sank down almost flat and crawled back around the turn in the path once certain that he be was hidden bidden from the beasts he rose to his bis feet and hastened back through tho the jungle s ile he was almost in view of the spot where he had left winthrope and miss bliss leslie lealie when be stopped and stood hesitating 1 I cant do it he muttered 1 I cant tell her poor girl he turned and pushed into the thicket forcing a way through the tangle of thorny shrubs and creepers until several yards from the path he began to edge towards the face of the jungle that he might peer out at his companions unseen unseen by them there was more of the thicket before him than he had thought and he was still fighting his way through it when he was brought to a stand by a peculiar cry that might have been the bleat of a young lamb ba bal ba that he croaked he stood listening and in n a moment he be again heard beard theary the cry this time more distinctly alakl there could be no mistake it was winthrope calling for him filin and calling with a clearness of voice that would have been physically impossible halt balf an hour since blakes sunken eyes lighted with hope he burst through tile the last ladt screen of jungle and stared towards the palm under which bedad he had left hla his companions they rhey were not there another call from Wn winthrope directed his big gaze more seaward tile the two were seated beside a fallen palm and miss leslie had a large round object raised to her lips winthrop was waving to him be yelled come on three of the palms had bad been overthrown by the hurricane and when blake came up he be found the ground strewn with nuts ile he seized the first he be came to but winthrope held out ono one already opened he snatched it from him and placed the hole to his swollen n lips never had champagne tasted halt so delicio dell cloua usi as aa that cocoa nut ellk milk ho he could drain the last of it through the tha little opening winthrope had the husks turn torn from the ends or oc two other nuts and the convenient germinal spots goegg gouged I open with his penknife inife wake emptied the third before he spoke poke kven therl ills his voice was hoarse and strained Il howd owl you yon strike amt em 1 I rould nt help it it explained winthrope Ill hardly ardly baid you disappeared when I 1 noticed the tops 0 of the fallen palms and thought tho ight lIght of the nuts anere was one in the riot not 20 feet I 1 from rom v thare here wa lay lar lucky jj r yo i and for rie ne too 11 I 1 sale blake wo ne were albl all t 0 blake pushed out from among the close thickets three down for the count county but this settles tho the first ro na idour 16 cuir favor how do you like alle the ho picnic miss J jenny enny miss leslie if you please replied the girl with hauteur oil oh say miss alias Jenn jenny t protested blake genially we llva live la in the same boarding house housa now why not be folksy youre free to call cali me tom pass pasa me another nut winthrope thanks by the way your front name saw it aboard ship cyril cepil cecil corrected winthrope in a low tone cecil lord cecil eh or la Is it only the honorable cecil my aly dear sir air I 1 have intimated before that for reasons of er state oh yes youre traveling in the secret service sort of 0 detective detective Detec echoed winthrope la in a peculiar tone blake grinned well it la Is crawther a anawaty business for your honorable lud ship but theres nothing like calling things by their right names right names er I 1 dont quite take you I 1 have told you distinctly my name Is cecil winthrope oh 0 hh h h how lovely I 1 see sill see seal bet they called you sissy at school english chum of mine told me your schools are corkers tor for nickname we make it ats or sissy 1 I prefer my patronymic mr air blake replied winthrope all right then well make it pat it your choice I 1 say pat this juice Is the stuff tor for wetness vet ness but it makes a fellow remember ills his grub you leave that fish really I 1 cant just say bay but it must have been where I 1 wrenched my ankle you yon cahnt just say and abid what are we going to eat here are the cocoanuts cocoa nuts I 1 bright boy go to the head of tile the class just take some more husk oil off those empty ones winthrope caught up one of tb the e nuts and with tile the aid of hla his knife stripped it of its ita husk at a gesture from blake he laid it on the bare ground and the Amer american lega burst it open with a blow of hla his heel it was an immature nut and the meat ineat proff proved d to belittle be little thicker than clotted cream blake divided it into three parta handing miss bliss leslie the clea cleanest though his companions compan lona began with more restraint they thay finished finis lied their shares with equal gusto winthrope needed no further orders to return to hla his husking one after another the nuts nuta word were cracked alid aid divided amour the three until udal even blake could not swallow another mouthful of the luscious breum toward the end bliss bealle had become drowsy at urging she now lay down for a nap blakes coat serving sit as a pillow site fell asleep while winthrope was yet arran arranging 91 ng it A for her blake had turned his back on her ard and was waa stating moodily at the hippopotamus P mpr admus trail when winthrope hobbled around anil and 1 J l sat down on the palm trunk beside him 1 I say blake he suggested 1 feel deuced fagged bagged myself why not all take a nap and when they awoke they were all dead men remarked blake by jove that sounds like a joke protested the englishman dont rag me now joke 1 repeated blake chy wily scripture pat scripture anyway think it no joke to wake waka up and find yourself yo going down the throat of d a hippo hippo dozens of them over in the river wonder it if all landed L andre tracking me down by this time afine but hippopotami are not carnivorous not at all dangerous unless one wounds them out in the water that may be but im not taking chances got mouths mouth like sperm whales 1 saw one take a yawn another thing that bayou Is chuck full of alligators and a fellow down on the road rand told me like the central american for keenness to nip a swimmer they will not come out on this dry land suppose they wont therece ther ere no a ther other animals la africa but sheep cheep eh e what can we do ther the captain told me that there are both lions and leopards on this coast nice place tor for them too around these trees added blake lucky for us night birds mostly if that rand hand follow fellow lie lie ile was waa a boor beer so I 1 guess he io ought to know to be sure its a nasty fix were in for tonight could wn we not bug build 1 I some kind of at a barricade with a pen penknife knifel quess guess w well ell roost in a tree but cannot leo leop plyde d casab it seems beema to rue me that I 1 lix airs vi gearu how about lions they cannot im sure of that then well chance the leopards leo parda juat stretch out here and nurse that ankle of yours I 1 dont want to be lugging yot ou all year im going to hunt a likely tree CHAPTER V the re As abent cent of man ika pt ityl f ani CW IM was waa far fair advanced and winthrope wan beginning to feel anxious when at last blake pushed out from among the close thickets As he ha approached pro ached lie be swung an unshapely club oj of green wood pausing every few paces to test its weight and balance on a bush or knob of dirt dorto by jove called winthrope winthro pe ants pot not half baill bad you look ns as it you ou could bowl doveran over an ox blake showed that lie he was waa flattered oh I 1 dont know he responded the things thines blamed unhandy just the same I 1 guess well we 11 be rendy ready for callers tonight to night I how lows a that show ran ou later pat me by now tr biot at out some nuts nuta well feed before batora we move c camp amp miss alias leslie la Is still sleeping 1 time then to roust her out iley hey bliss jenny jenni turn anti rime to chow miss leslie sit sat up and gazed around la in bewilderment its all right miss genevieve re assured winthrope blake hils has found a safe place for the night and he be wishes us its to eat before wo we leave here hera save lugging the grub added get busy pat As aa winthrope caught up lip a nut the girl began to arrange her disordered hair anti anil dress with the deft and graceful race movements of a woman thoroughly trained in tile the art of self adornment there was admiration in iii blakes blake s doer deep eyes as aa ho he watched her dainty preening she was not a beautiful girl nt a t present she could hardly be termed pretty yet even in her draggled dragg led naud ily dy dress she retained all the subtle charms charma ot at culture which appeal so BO strongly to a man mail blake e waa subdued ills his feelings even carried canted him so BO far aw as an attempt at formal politeness when they had finished their meal now miss bliss leslie he begrin began ita lt little more than halt half an hour to sundown so if you please it if youre ready wed beat be starting Is it far not so very but weve got to chase through the jungle are you sure youre yonie quite ready quite thank you hut but how about mr ankle hell lie 11 ride as far as the trees I 1 cant squeeze through with him though 1 I shall walk all the way vay put in winthrope no you wont climb aboard re piled make blake and catching up tip ills his club lie stooped for winthrope to mount hla his back As aa lie he rose with ilia hla burden miss bliss leslie caught slight sight of hid bw can coat which still lay in a roll loll beside the palm trunk ai i how elle bli asked ahoi shoud yd you put it it on alq im I 1 CT loaded now havo 10 lo ash you i to look after it you a may need it before morning anyway it if tho the dews here are like those in contra central america they tire are d darned liable to bring on oil malarial fever f nothing more was said until they had crossed the open space between tile the palms and tho the belt ot at jungle along the river at other times winthrope and miss leslie might I 1 have ave been interested in the towering schew abrew palms festooned festoon ed to tho the top with climbers and in the huge ferns wh which I 1 ch they could see beneath the mangroves mangi man groves ovea in the swampy ground on their left now however thoy they were far too con can corned with tile the question of how they should penetrate the dense tangle of thorny brush and creepers wit ch rose before them like a green wall even blake hesitated as ho he released winthrope and looked at miss lesliea Le costume iler her white skirt was waa of 0 stout duck but he file flimsy material of 0 tier hei waist was IN HI suited for rough usage jimer better put the coat bit on unless you QU want to come out on the other side in full evening dress lie ho said theres there a no use kicking but I 1 wish hap bened to have on some sort sorl of a jacket when we got spilled Is there no path through the thick et ctr inquired winthrope only the hippo trail and tt it dont go our way wa wove weve got to run our own line lieres heres a stick for your game arilde ankle winthrope took tho the half green branch which blake broke from the nearest tree and turned to assist miss bliss leslie lesle with the coat the garment was a of f such course coarse cloth that as win drew the collar close about hot her throat miss bliss leslie could not forego a little grimace of repugnance the crease between blake birkes a eyes deepened and the girt girl hastened to utter an ex plan Wan atory exclamation not so tight mr please it scratches m my y neck I 1 ITO TO BK BE CONTINUE ad |