Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE APES OF DEVIL’S ISLAND, Jand to island, from cove to cove. There ought to be some visible signs that would hint at her whereabouts. And my guess was not incorrect. In the sky above the largest of the keys was a dirty streak which looked very much like smoke. Using a loose board as a rudder, I began to steer the raft, since the wind was not blowing in quite the direction I wished to go. Luckily I was sufficiently versed in the ways of sail- ing to know that I would have to head above the desired spot, since we would make a great deal of leeway. The sun hung above the rim of the ocean; before long it would be dark. By this time the smudge could definitely be made out as smoke. My excitement may be imagined. Somewhere on that island was Eleanor, with Heaven knew whom. It was my task to get her under my protection again. Goodness knows, it had been of little enough avail on Devil’s Island; but I was determined that if I found her once more I would not lose her again. There was one point that gave me not a little concern. Suppose I had been seen from the island? If I had, and my enemy were armed, it would be the easiest thing in the world for him to lie among the bushes on the shore and shoot me dead as I landed. On the other hand, he might take Eleanor and move quietly to another island. 1 wondered how conspicuous my raft and I were from the shore. There was no doubt that we had been seen if any one had been watching the ocean carefully. After thinking the matter over for a considerable time, I chose a plan that seemed to meet all the exigencies of the sit- uation. There was a small island some three or four hundred yards from the larger one. If I could reach this island unseen, it would be very easy to swim to my destination in the twilight, at which time I would be hardly visible. If I should slide into the water now, and cling to the end of the raft, I would be ab- solutely invisible from land. I followed out the plan immediately, first laying the pistol, cartridges and match case on the raft. Then I clung to the rear edge and aided the sail by kicking with my feet; but I was careful to keep in the cool brine 679 to avoid splashing. Even if any one should see the raft, he would see nothing on it, and conclude it to be a derelict floating about. My fear of the depths below left me when I was actually in the water. Be- sides, I had more important things to think of. Eleanor was somewhere in that jungle, doubtless in danger. What time had I to conjure up nameless terrors of the sea? The rest of the journey to the small is- land was without event. I chose a small bay into which to guide the raft. Know- ing that I might have future need of this primitive boat, I pulled it in among the roots of the mangroves. I was not satis- fied to leave it until it was so thoroughly entangled that there was no chance of it floating away with the tide. Before ; setting out to reconnoiter the large island, I paused to observe the general lay of the land. Through the branches of the mangroves could be seen a long white beach that stretched to my right—away from Large Island, as I called it. To the left nothing was visible but twisting trees. In the opposite direction from Large Island was another key, with a great crescent-shaped shore line. In my own mind I named this Crescent Island. As I was admiring the long stretch of white beach I was given cause for surprise. For there curling above the top of the fo- liage was an unmistakable wisp of smoke. My gaze was glued on it for some time. There was no mistaking it. There was a fire on this island too! Perhaps this stream of vapor was the real clew to Eleanor’s whereabouts. It was difficult to decide which island should be visited first. How- ever, I decided upon Large Island, for no other reason than that it was the first one I had seen. I determined that if nothing turned up there I would return immediate- ly to Crescent Island. The sun was on the point of setting, but I could count on long twilight. I set out along the coast toward Large Island, which was not visible from my side of Small Island. Traveling through the mangroves was slow work; so I gave up the land and swam across the narrow channel that skirted the CORMMIGLOOOkKS (E@)