The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 217: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF scrambling, cutting our hands, and al- most breaking our necks, we got there only to find that not only could we not expect to scale the rock, but we could see nothing except an overhanging ledge. “Tt’s nowse to try here,” said Foster. “We've got to get at those fellows from the water side.” “Il am convinced of that,” admitted the professor. “‘ Now, how shall we do that? If we had the launch, what an easy matter it would be.” ‘““Hasy indeed,” said Ross. “ And if the Siren comes back, how much more so.” “Tt seems to me,” I put in, “ that with the difficulties before us, and the uncertainty as to what kind of recep- tion those things will give us, it would be better to wait till the yacht does re- turn, or until we get our own craft ready to start.” “Td like to know where old Diffi- culty is,” remarked Ross. “ He was not extremely pretty, but he had a face that grew on one, don’t you know.” “T wouldn’t want it to grow on me,” said Foster. “ You’re welcome.” “I believe Mr. Bayne is right,” said the professor. “ To go around the rock on the water side we should need to dis- robe. This would place our naked bodies at the mercy of their claws if these birds should attack us, and they are quite capable of doing so. “Of course my bird was perfectly docile, because he had dropped exhaust- ed on the deck of the ship and had been cared for by the sailors. In a case of that kind, where man succors any ani- mal, gratitude usually follows, and that begins the process of taming. I think we'd better wait. Of course I should not leave the island without a great effort to get the birds.” “Til tell you what I am going to do,” I rejoined. “I am going to hack out a log and paddle, and go round to see what’s there.” “Good! We could do that in a short time,” said Foster. “ Bring our axes here to-morrow and make a dugout.” We retraced our steps, and by the time we reached camp it was supper- time. Mary had been busy, and a steam- ing and savory stew was ready for us. THE HANDICAP. 213 We enjoyed that, and then a cigar. “Tm thinking,” said Ross. ‘* Hush,” Foster cautioned us. “ Don’t wake him. This is only a dream. He never thinks.” “1'm thinking,” continued Ross sol- emnly, “of the terrible suffering we shall undergo, the awful death that awaits us—when our cigars give out.” “That is certainly a dreadful thought,” said the professor. “I sug- gest, as a measure of charity to the rest of the young gentlemen, that you do not think again.” “That’s good, professor; you'll be in the same class as Ross if you keep on.” “My father rolled some leaves to smoke,” observed Mary. “‘ He said it was not as good as tobacco, but it was a very fair substitute.” “Well, most of the people 1 know have been smoking substitutes all their lives,” said Ross. “I guess we can stand it. Danger’s all over, professor.” Mary Donaldson grew more and more charming in my eyes. She was so mod- est, so graceful, and so dignified in her peculiar situation, that I found myself thinking of her more and more, I wondered if the prediction of Ross was to come true. If so, and Ross and Foster were thinking of her as I was, then surely trouble would result. We chatted a while with Mr. Donald- son, and next strolled to the shore to see if there was any sign of the Siren. There was none. We sat together, Ross, Foster, and I, on a rock that rose close to the water. It was a grand and inspiring night. The day in that region went suddenly, and the night followed with little in- tervening twilight. The stars were bright and the sea sparkled with a mil- lion diamond-like reflections. “T wonder,” said Ross, dropping into a dreamy mood, “if we shall ever see New York again.” “ Getting homesick?” asked Foster. “No, not exactly; still, it would be a satisfaction to stroll into the club and say hello—especially with a kaybee ac- companying you.” “You can’t resist the temptation to — joke—you will die with a joke on your lips,” said Foster. (GO) MICO SS (GO) awa