The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 230: what you’re looking at

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

220 for we had not provided the raft with food to last more than a week, and it was almost half gone. I was then at the tiller and sicer ed toward the island. The professor eyed the big kaybee on the rock with eagerness. Was he not satisfied with two of the great hideous things, I asked myscli ¢ But a surprise was in store for us. As we drew nearer the tide to be low; and above the water line we discovered a hole in the rock. “Now we see how they manage it,” said Ifoster. ‘ At low tide the birds do their fishing.” The professor was much interested, and this new discovery did much to drive away the feeling of chagrin that our return had provoked. “Gentlemen,” said the professor, “vou have done much for me. It was at my request, as I have already stated, and as you well know, that you permit- ted yoursely es to be brought to this pass. But now that we are here, it will be small strain to permit me to investi- gate the interior of that rock.” “Phat will not be difficult,’ I said. “ We can sail close to it, and you will have ample time to explere.” - Ross grew rather enthusiastic over the plan, and we succeeded in driving the raft almost to the rock. Then we swung her round and brought her side close enough for the professor to spring into the aperture. But Ross was ahead of him, and, followed by the professor, disappeared into the rock. We drifted easily, Foster having low- ered the sail. In a short time we saw the two men at the summit, Koss waving his hand at us in salutation. “ Greatest discovery known to science! ” he called out. “ We've found the kevhole of the world.” “This,” shouted the professor, recompense enough for coming back. We have in here the nests of the birds.” The big’one that had perched on the rock, having taken alarm at our ap- proach, had flown in a very awkward wav ahout four hundred feet, and dived into the sea. We saw him swimming about, but no one made any attempt to capture him. Two were about all we cared to feed. Ross and the professor did not re- ae Is fore gle r the island we found: $< $i THE ARGOSY. main long in the rock, but when they returned each carried a large egg. “These are prizes to be regarded as almost providentially sent,” said the professor. “Good for any number of omelets,” added Ross. “T fear you would not enjoy your omelet,” said the professor, “ but cer- tainly they are precious. I must ar- ranve some method of keepmg them safely till we reach home.” “ YIome,” murmured Mary, looking again at me. “That place is, as I surmised, a very old crater,” said the professor. “I do not quite understand the hole in the side below high water mark, but that is simply one of the peculiarities provided by nature for our embarrassment. “The interior is rough, and several ledges are two or three feet in width. One of these is even more. On these the kavbees have established their nests, made of dried seaweed. They are fish eaters, and the place is strewn with bones of large fish. Now, gentlemen, my mission is fullv ended. I am ready to depart happily.” “We all are, I guess,” I said, and as Ioster raised the sail again I steered the raft awav from the rock. It moved slowly, but gathered head- way, and in about an hour we sailed once more into the bay where the craft was built. As it was low tide we allowed her to drift on to the sands, and walked ashore in about a foot of water. I carried Mary agin. | We lost no time in useless comments on our fortunes. We set to work gath- ering fruit and hunting, and Mary and her father superintended the prepara- tion of food. We cooked enough meat to last for several days, and placed great quanti- ties of fruits and yams and other food stuffs on board. In two days we were ready again to start. Mary was the brightest and hap- plest of the lot. “ After all,” she said, “it was a dear old place.” , “Now then, Messrs. Foster and Ross,” I said, “we have been yachts- men these several vears. We should awa EO DOO (C SS (GO) awa