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About Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 1911)
FOLK COUNTY OBSERVER Mil f SIX r n- W v - - - . -"i AD VENTUR By JACK LONDON Copyrtf 01. 1919. br Street ft Saottb Copyright, 1911. tbe (UcmlDta Company CHAPTER XIIL " THE HABTHA. THEY were deep In a game of billiards the next morning, after the 11 o'clock breakfast, when Via burl entered and an nounced: "Big fella schooner close up." Even as be spoke, they beard tbe rumble of cbaln through hawse pipe. and from the veranda saw a big black painted schooner swinging to her Just caught anchor. "It's a Yankee." Joan cried. "See that bow! Look at that elliptical stern Ah, 1 thought 80" as the stars and stripes fluttered to the masthead. "Martha, San Francisco," Sheldon read, looking through the telescope. "It's the first Yankee I ever beard of In the Solomons. They are coming ashore, wboever they are. And, by Jove, look at those men at tbe oars. Ita an all white crew. Now, what rea son brings them here?" "They're not proper sailors." Joan commented. "I'd be ashamed of a crew of black boys that pulled in such a fashion. Look at that fellow In the bow tbe one Just jumping out; be'd be more at home on a cow pony." Tbe boat's crew scattered up and down the beach, ranging about with eager curiosity, while tbe two men who had sat in tbe stern sheets opened the gate and came up the path to the bun galow. One of them, a tall and slender man, was clad In white ducks that fit ted him Ilka a semi-military uniform. The other man, in nondescript gar ments that were both of tbe sea and shore and that must have been uncom fortably hot slouched and shambled like an overgrown ape. To complete the illusion, his face seemed to sprout In all directions with a dense busby mass of red whiskers, while bis eyes Were small and sharp and restless. Sheldon, who had gone to tbe bead of the steps. Introduced them to Joan. Tbe bewblskered Individual, who looked like a Scotchman, bad the Teu tonic name of Von BUx and spoke with an American accent Tbe tall man In the well fitting ducks, who gave tbe English name of Tudor Jobn Tudor talked purely enunciated Eng lish such as any cultured American would talk, save for the fact that it was most delicately and subtly touched by a faint German accent Von BUx was rough and boorlsb. but Tudor was gracefully easy In every thing he did. or looked, or said. They were on a gold hunting ex pedition. He wss tbe leader and Tudor was bis lieutenant All bands and there were twenty-eight were share holders. In varying proportions. In the adventure. Several were sailors, but the large majority were miners, culled from all the camps from Mexico to ths Arctic ocean. It was tbe old and ever untiring pursuit of gold and they came to the Solomons to get It Fart of them, under the leadership of Tudor, were to go up tbe Balesuna and pene trate tbe mountainous heart of Guadal canal while the Martha, under Von BUx, sailed sway tor Malalta to put through similar exploration. "And so." said Von Bllx. "for Mr. Tudor's expedition we must have some black boys. Can we get them from your "In the first place wt can't spare them," Sheldon answered. "We are short of them on tbe plantation as it Is." "We?" Tudor aked quickly. "Then you are a firm or a partnership I understood at Uuvutu that you were alone, that you bad lost your partner." Sheldon Inclined bis bead toward Joan, and as be spoke she felt that be had become a trifle stiff. Miss Lackland has become Inter ested In tbe plantation sine then. But to return to the boys. We can t spare them, and, besides, they would be or little use. Too couldn't get them to accompany you beyood Blou. which Is a short day's work with the boats from bens. Tbey ars Malalta men. and tbey ars afraid of being eaten. They would desert yon at the first opportunity, loo could get ths Bin a mm to ac company yoo another day's journey through tbe grass lands, but st tbe first roll of tbs foot Mils look for tbera to turn back. Tbey llkewl art disin clined to being eaten." hnmr eaeerfiMinon bis words. "You can go two miles up tbe Bale suna and wash colors from the gravel I've done it often. There is gold un doubtedly back in tbe mountains." Tudor and Von Bllx looked trium phantly at each other. "Old Wheatsbeafs yarn was true, then." Tudor said, and Von Bllx nod ded. "And If Malalta' turns out as well"- v Tudor broke off and looked at Joan. "It was the tale of this old beach comber that brought us here," be ex plained. "Von Bllx befriended him and was told the secret" He turned and addressed Sheldon. "I think we shall prove that white men have been through the heart or (Juadalcanar long before the time of tbe Austrian expedition." Sheldon shrugged bis shoulders. "We have never beard of It down here," he said simply. Then be ad dressed Von Bllx. "As to the boys, you couldn't use them farther than Binu. and I'll lend you as many as you want as far as that. How many of your party are going and how soon will you startr "Ten." said Tudor; "nine men ana myself." "And you should be able to start dav after tomorrow." Von Bllx said to bim. "The boats should practically be knocked together this afternoon Tomorrow should see the outfit por tloned and packed. As for the Martha Mr. Sheldon, we'll rush tbe stuff ashore this afternoon and sail by sundown." As the two men returned down the path to their boat Sheldon regarded Joan quizzically. "There's romance for you." he said, "and adventure gold bunting among the cannibals. Aren't you sorry you became a cocoanut planter?" "What do you think of them? she asked. "Ob. old Von Blix is all right solid sort of chap In his fashion; but Tudor Is a flyaway too much on the surface, you know. If it came to being wrecked on a desert Island I'd prefer Von Bllx." "I don't quite understand." Joan ob Jected. "What have you against Tudorr "A man of Tudor's type gets on my nerves. One demands more repose from a man." . " Joan felt that she did not quite agree with bis judgment and. some how, Sheldon caught ber feeling and was disturbed. He remembered noting bow ber eyes bad brightened as she talked witb tbe newcomer. A second boat had been lowered, and the outfit of tbe shore party was landed rapidly. A dozen of tbe crew put the knocked down boats together on the beach. There were five of these craft lean and narrow, witb flaring sides and remarkably long. Each was equipped witb three paddles and several Iron sbod poles. You chaps certainly seem to know river work." Sheldon told one of tbe carpenters. "We use 'em In Alaska. They're modeled after tbe Yukon poling hoats. and you can bet your life they're crackerjacks. This creek'll be a snap alongside some of them northern streams. Five hundred pounds in one of them boats an' two men can snake It along in a way that'd surprise you." At sunset tbe Martha broke out ber anchor and got under way, dipping ber flag and saluting witb a bomb gun. Tbe union Jack ran up and down tbe staff, snd Sheldon replied witb bis brass signal cannon. Tbe miners pitched their tents In tbe com pound and cooked on tbe beach, while Tudor dined with Joan and Sheldon. Their guest seemed' to haw been everywhere and seen everything and met everybody, and. encouraged by Joan, bis talk was largely upon bis own adventures. Descended from old New England stock, bis father a con sul general, be bad been bom in Ger many, In which country he bad re ceived his early education and bis ac cent Then, still a boy. be bad re joined bis rather in Turkey and ac companied him later to Persia, bis ra ther bavlng been appointed minister to that country. Tudor bad gone through South American revolutions, been a rough rider In Cuba, a scout in South Africa and a war correspondent in tha Kuaso- apanese war. He bad musbed docs the Klondike, washed gold from tbe sands of Nome sod edited a news paper In San Francisco. The presi dent of the United States was his friend. Oe was equally at borne in the clubs ot London snd tbe continent. the Grand bote! at Yokohama and tbe selectors' sbanties In ths Never Never country, lie bad shot btg game In Slam, pearled in the Paumotus. vtslu?d Tolstoy, seen tbe Passion play snd crossed the Andes on muieback. while he was a living directory or tbe tever boles of west Africa. Sheldon leaned back In bli chatr on the veranda, sipnlns bis coffee snd listening. In spite of himself be felt touched by tbe charm of a man who bad led so varied a life. It seemed to him that tbe man addressed hlmaeir particularly to Joan. Sheldon watched ber rapt attention, listened to ber s In you. "lira ml." .., hn fh dickens is Otaml? Where did I ever meet you. my man?" v n fnnrrt the Huamner uianu chided. "Last time Buahlne sail?" -iiirtnr ertnned tbe Tabltian's band a second time and took it with genuine heartiness. "There was only one Kanaka who came out of tbe Huahlne tbat last voyage, and tbat Kanaka was Joe. Tbe deuce take It man. I'm glad to see you. though 1 never beard your tew name before." i "Yes. everybody speak me Joe along tbe Huahlne. Dtaml my name all the time. Just the same." "But what are yon doing here?" Tudor nsked. releasing we saiiors hand and leaning eagerly forward. 'Me sail along Missie Lackalanna ber schooner Mlele. We go labia Balatea,' Tahaa. Bora-Bora. Manua. Tutuila. Tpia. Savaii and r yi lsianas -plenty Fiji Islands. Me stop along Missie Lackalanna in Solomons. Very soon she catch another schooner." He and I were the two survivors of the wreck of tbe Huahlne.". Tudor ex plained to the others. "Fifty-seven all told on board --when we sailed from Huapa. and Joe and I were the only two that ever set foot on land again. Hurricane, you know, in the Faumo- DIAMONDS Buy a Glistening Gem' For Christmas Nothing to Equal It In Splendor Did you ever hear anyone say that they were sorry they had bought a diamond? They invest you with elegance, and a . dead-sure accumulative profit yearly, and that lasts beyond a lifetime makes your beneficiaries rich. Look over our exquisitely wrought Gift Jewelry then don't forget the practical things one must have. Diamond Rings as high as $175.00. Stick Pins up to $170.00.J Brooches worth as high as $65.00. Diamond Ear Screws, Lockets, Watch Charms, Diamond Mounted Watches, etc. MORRIS, The Jeweler In Business Here 18 Years "ATO WHO THE DICKENS IS CTAMlV tus. That was wben 1 was after pearls." And you never told me. Dtaml. tbat you'd been wrecked In a hurricane." Joan said reproachfully. Tbe big Tahitian shifted bis weight and flashed bis teeth in a conciliating smile. ."Me no t'ink nothing 't all." be said. "All right Utatnl." Tudor said. "I'll see you in the morning and nave a yarn." He saved my life, tbe beggar." Tu dor explained, as the Tahitian strode away and with heavy softness ot foot went down tbe steps. "Swim: 1 nev er met a better swimmer." And thereat solicited by Joan. Tudor narrated the wreck of the Huahlne. while Sheldon smoked and pondered and decided tbat whatever the man's shortcomings were, be was at least not a liar. T CHAPTER XIV. A MATTCB OF TRAI.VI.tO. BE days passed, and Tudor seemed loath to leave tbe hos pitality ot Beraode. Every thing was ready for the start. but be lingered on. spending much time In Joan's company and thereby Increasing tbe dislike Sbeldon bad taken to bim. He went swimming with ber. In point of rashness exceed ing ber, and dynamited Dsn with ber. aiving among tbe hungry ground sharks and contesting with them tor possession or tbe stunned prey, until ne earned the approval or the whole Tahitian crew. Arabu challenged bim to tear a fish from a shark's Jaws, leav ing half to tbe shark and bringing the other half himself to tbe surface, and .Tudor performed the feat a Dip from the sandpaper bide of tbe astonished shark scraping several Inches of skin from his shoulder. And Joan was de lighted, while Sheldon, looking on. re alized that here was tbe bero of her adventure dreams coming true. Sbe did not care for love, but he felt that If ever she did love, it would be that sort of a man "s man who exhibited." was ms way of potting It. Ue felt blmseif handicapped In the presence or Tudor, who bad tbe gift of making a show of all bis qualities. Sbeldon knew blmseif for a brave man. wherefore be made no advertisement of tbe fact Life pulsed steadily and deep In bim. snd It was not bis nature needlessly to sgltare tbe surface so tbat tbe world could see tbe splash be was making. And tbe effect ot tbe other's amanng exhibitions was to make him retreat more deeply within nimseir snd wrap himself more thick ly than ever to tbe nerveless, stoical calm of his race. "Too are so stopld tbe test few day, Joaa complained to bim. -Ton dont seem to have an Idea in ton, above black labor sod cocoa cats. What I Is itm marter?" I Sheldon smiled and best a further ! retreat wit bin blmseif. listening tbe i wm Jo a sod Tudor propounding the theory or the sarong snn by wticK j tbe wfcJte man ordered Kfe smong the , leaser breeds. As be listened Sbeldon I reallxed ty . rsT!ationwttast i was precisely" wBat Be was doing. While they philosophized about it he was living it But why talk about It? It was sufficient to do It and be done with It He said as much, dryly and quietly, and found himself Involved In a dis cussion, witb Joan and Tudor siding against bim. "The Yankees talk a lot about what tbey do and have done." Tudor said, "and are looked down upon by tbe English as braggarts. But the Yankee is ouly a child. He does not know ef rectually how to brag. He talks about It. yon see. But tbe Englishman goes bim one better by not talking about It The Englishman's proverbial lack or bragging Is a subtler rorm ot brag, after all." "1 never thought of it before." Jonn cried. "Of course. An Englishman performs some terrifically heroic ex ploit and is very modest and reserved, refuses to talk about it at all, and the effect is that by bis silence he as much as says: 'I do things like this every day. It Is as easy as rolling off a log. You ought to see tbe reuliy heroic things I could do If they ever came my way.' Confess. Mr. Sheldon, don't you feel proud down inside when you've done something daring or coura geous?" Sheldon nodded. "Then." sbe pressed borne the point, "isn't disguising that pride under a mask of careless indifference equiva lent to telling a Her "Yes. It is." be admitted. "But we tell similar lies every day. It Is a mat ter of training, and tbe English are Detter trained, that is alL Your coun trymen will be trained as well In time. As Mr. Tudor said, the Yankees are young. Certainly we are proud Inside of tbe things we do and have done proud as L.ucifer. yes. and prouder. But we have grown up and no longer talk about such things." "I surrender." Joan cried. "Tou are not so stupid after all." "Tes. you have us there." Tudor ad mitted. "But you wouldn't have bad us If yon hadn't broken your trainlne rules." "How do yon mean?" "By talking shout It" Joan clapped ber bands In approval. Tudor lighted a fresh cigarette, while Sbeldon sat on. imperturbably silent Joan was looking Intently across tbe compound and out to sea. They fol lowed her gaze and saw a green light and tbe loom of a vessel's sails. "I wonder if it's tbe Martha come back, Tudor hazarded. "No, the sidelight is too low." Joan answered. "Besides, they've rot th. sweeps out Don't you bear them? They wouldn't be sweeping a big ves sel like the Martha." Besides, the Martha baa s rotnitn. -usioeiwecty-nve horsepower." Tn dor added. "Just the sort of a mft f JOSO Said Wistful! tn Kh.u-. " wmcuvu. - 1 really must see If I cant ret a er with an engine. 1 might get a sec ond hand engine put In. If Toa were not so medieval I could be skipper and save more than the engineers war- - Ue did DOt rep to her ihmn .v , . . - "UU iuca at mm. A 20th Century Merii Bible Class Every Sunday at 10 A. I Religious Social Fraternal I- f "ONLY ONCE A STRANGER" i I First Christian Churi Corner Clay and Jefferson Sts. Dalt tegrlty and RTposefuleTermTnatlon. Sbe glanced quickly at Tudor on the other side of her. It was a handsomer face, one that was more immediately pleasing. But she did not like tbe mouth. It was made for kissing and she abhorred kisses. For the moment she knew a fleeting doubt of tbe man. Perhaps Sbeldon was right In bis Judg ment of the other. She did not know, and it concerned her little: for boats and tbe sea and tbe things and hap penings of the sea were of far more vital Interest to her than men. and tbe next moment sbe was staring through the warm tropic darkness at the loom of the sails and the steady green of tne moving sidelight and listening ea gerly to tbe click of tbe sweeps In the rowlocks. Nor did she take interest In tbe two men beside ber till both lights, red and green, came into view as tbe anchor checked tbe onward way. "It's tbe Minerva," Joan said decid edly. "How do you know?" Sheldon asked. skeptical of her certitude. "It's a ketch to begin with. And. be sides. 1 could tell anywhere the rattle of ber main peak blocks they're too large for tbe halyard." A dark figure crossed the compound diagonally from the beach gate., where whoever It was had been watching tha vessel. "Is that yon, Ctamir Joan called. "No, Missie; ma Matapun," was the answer. "What vessel la it?" "Me t'ink Minerva." Joan looked triumphantly at Shel don, who bowed. "If Matapun tars so it mna k he murmured. "But when Joan Lackland you doubt" sbe cried, -just as yon doubt her ability a. . ,uVper. But never mind, voull h . fur ail your unkiadnesa. There's the boat lowering now. and In Ave minutes ell be shaking bands with Chrtstiaa loung." Lalaperu brought out the glasses and cigarettes and the eternal whisky and soda, and before the five minutes were Pest the gate clicked and Christian loung. tawny and golden, gentle of tolce and look and hand, came op the '"That means five weeiiiw you can sail for Sydney." Sliei: to Joan. "And tbat we are losing ? time." sbe added ruefullj. "If you want to go to !l" Upolu sails from Tnlagi toi ernoon." loung said, "Hf catch her as late as B tomow noon at least so her 8 me," ' "But I've got to go to Cs Joan looked at the men sitl'-. alcal expression. Tvtiowt to do. I can't wear tt f curtains into Sydney. I ' cloth at Guvutu and nuir dress during the vojaje -, start lmmediately-ln i peru. you bring 'm cm!1' Adam along me. Tell J Ornfirl make m' kal-fcl ; whaleboat" Sbe rose to - ing at Sheldon. "Ao J have the boys carry doc boat-my boat you kt 1 in an hour." "I'll go over with r s j uuuui. ru. -T r m ran VOQ OTff nerva," said Toung. She shook ber head to"--'' -I'm going in tbe Mr. Sheldon, ss my Psrtfg permit to desert Beras work out of a mistake" tesy. And ss for yoo. you know very well UUTUIU IUJ9 bound for Marau and t' yourself tbat in two light she noted the to J Z. t L " Touc He W lnnbln ! Krn,l ... out over tbe water nii i .... ."I e " m Da Jed them. ews oi le men L'rped than Tn,W. r-. .I! - j IT" wl aba r-M .kTI- " cm nn I caa a reef 1 the Shn;,. one run for re- trong, stern. most chaste, bat firmer Gcvuta. where M J. . v-' w ;i ,l7lDrT i I., uric": Dew the Matambo i " mi BiiEl W L I, n w-j dogged, the mouth al-jtbe men boasted that ther ... ie -But may I not ' across r Tudor m1 j la bis voice that r?a nerves. e "No. no, and tf-3 ' , -You've all got yon v so have L I came to work, not to be esco dolt For that m::'r'. -cort. and there art bim." A damn Adam . ertng above ber. as s the three white em .s- -We start In an h- -boat for OuTatn. , f said to bim. T't;T "0- -of them., so ttst V We" catch the v Leave the r03 " " , over to Mr. S&eli them." r w -If ywi are retw leg- Sheldon txf1- r -That's sett:! . swered shortly. tew," . . . (To be Cvi'.--- - " - ""iUk.S'.:Epi la-'pay