Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 211: what you’re looking at

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

202 “No doubt about that, Pan. could get on in Iceland.” “ T have never been there. But, Mr. Bradshaw, I am trying to explain how I came to desert. you.’ “ Great Scott!” cried the American. “you don’t need to explain that after the way you rescued me. I am more anxious to know how you managed it.” “It was very simple, though an acci- dent might have spoiled it all. You re- member that I was stooping when I spoke to you. I supposed you would do so also, and when I saw that you remained standing and that those men were coming up, I was frightened, not only for you, but myself. I hated to run away and I dared not rise. I was a coward for a moment, Mr. Bradshaw.” T guess that didn’t last long,” said Bradshaw, smiling. “No. I saw that I had not been seen, and as the men were busy with you they were not likely to see me. So I wrig- gled away in the grass, knowing that if they were friendly no harm would come of my disappearance, and that if they meant mischief I might be able to help you later. “As soon as they took you to that place they had dug out of the hill, I crept up to the edge and listened. It - was plain enough to me that they meant to kill you, and I cannot tell you how frightened I was then, for I had seen the force of that tree. I thought at first of shooting the chief before they bound you, but knowing that there must be more of them not far away, I feared that would only bring on us a greater num- ber than we could possibly handle. ‘ThenI saw a way to disable the tree, and I knew that if that could be done the men would be so scared that for a time they would not try to do any- thing. “You see, the black men think these execution trees are controlled by pow- erful spirits, and if a tree should fail to act, they would suppose that the spirits had turned against them. I saw that I could disable the tree and shoot the THE ARGOSY. You chief, too, which would be sure to throw them into worse confusion.” “Good logic, Pan.” “Eh? Yes, I suppose so. li you say so, of course it 1s. caught when the tree broke away from the men, for at that moment I began to work with my knife. I was greatly afraid they would see the gash I had made on the trunk when they came up again, and as the tree sprang up as if it hadn’t been cut at all, I feared I shouldn’t be able to cut enough in time to have any effect. It proved, though, that when the tree was upright the gash was only a thin line on the bark, and the men didn’t see it. “Now, Mr. Bradshaw, you know that if you bend something that is very strong, but also very—what is the word? ” | “ Elastic?” suggested Bradshaw. “Ts that like rubber? ”’ “ Exactly, Pan.” “ Elastic, then, that if you draw a sharp knife across it where the bend is greatest, you cut easily. You know what I mean. I miss some words.” “It’s all clear now,” said Bradshaw. “The fibers being strained by the process of bending, will part more quickly if you apply a knife to them than would be the case if the fibers were in their ordinary condition.” “ That must be it, if you say so. Any way, the knife cut like cheese—no, not so easily as that, but while it would have. taken me an hour to cut through that tree with my hunting knife, heavy and sharp as it ts, if the tree had been stand- ing straight, when it was bent I cut as far as was necessary in—well, in time to save you.” “ And a good job it was, too, Pan!” cried Bradshaw, springing up. “ What is the next thing? March?” “TI think so, Mr. Bradshaw, as fast as possible, and we should always select a camping place where we can easily defend ourselves.” In short order the caravan was on its Way. CONMIGO Oe Well, I was nearly . 7 CO