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__ HAPPY D AYS
Delusion,
We madly follow Pleasure,
The phantom of a day
We dance to Folly’s measure,
While with remorse we pay.
We flatter those above us,
Their frailties imitate,. ‘
Neglecting friends who love us,
To fawn on those we hate.
Each has his beau-ideal, a
And each deplores his lot; ~
We overlook the real,
‘In search of what is not.
We hear the voice of Reason,
~ Resolve and hesitat e%
+- Defer then for a seaso
Al id heed it when too. ‘ate.
Whi le Happiness pursuing,
—!
Is waiting us at home.
sul an on the morrow,
reach the end at las
One moment from the Pas'
OO —
[This story commenced in No. 275.]
BIE BONE ISLAND
Lost in the Wilds of Siberia,
— t
By C. LITTLE,
Author of “Lost Among the Icebergs,”
“Going Out West,” “The Aberdeen |
Athletes,” “A King at 16,” etc.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CORVETTE AFLOAT.
It ts safe to say that Fred was almost as
much alarmed as Raoul when the cry from
the cabin reached their ears.
'o him the corvette was more or less of a
mystery and he could imagine any sort 0:
danger lurking on
Fred's idea was that some of the crew had
been Jeft behind to guard the ship and had
now seized upon Blanche, but, as will pres-
ently be seen, this was very far from the
truth.
‘We want the riffe,” he called to Raoul.
“We had better get that first.”
But Raoul paid no heed to this warning.
It would have been better if he had, for
trouble came the instant he opened the
door which connected the forward gang-
way with the hatch, through which they
had just come up out of the hold, with the
cabin.
A wild yell greeted Raoul and a shower
of arrows came flying through the door.
Fred, who was a little behind, just caught
sight of a number of dwarfish men clothed
in clumsy bearskin coats and breeches,
when Raoul slammed the door shut an
shot the t.
“Good heaven! It’s the
exclaimed. “Blanche is lost!
Tunguese!” he
“You are wounded!” cried Fred. “Let me
manage this!
There was a stone-pointed arrow stick-
ing in Raoul’s shoulder. He fell back
against the partition half fainting, while a
yzreat pounding and kicking began on the
othe: side of the door.
“ ! The rifle!” gasped Raoul.
He ‘seized the haft of the arrow and
pulled it out of his shoulder with a quick
j
jerk. .
“Never mind me. It’s nothing,” he added,
making for the companionway,
Fred dashed on ahead of him and gained
the deck first.
t was apparently deserted.
He could see nothing of Nick, and, al-
though he shouted to him, he got no an-
wer, .
With a sinking heart Fred made a rush
for the provision boat, which still hung
suspended from the davits, for it was there
that he had left the rifle.
“Courage!” he exclaimed. “Don’t give up,
Raoul. We will save her yet.”
Instead of answering Raoul tore the rifle
out of his hand and started for the cabin.
“There they come!” shouted Fred, seizing
a belaying pin which lay on the deck.
ff the curiously dressed men came
seuttling up out of the cabin
y were fierce-looking ‘tellows, with
long black hair hanging over their shoul-
derg and no hats. All were armed with
bows and arrows and one, who clutched
Blanche by tl the arm, carried a long spear.
ul! Save me!” screamed
Blanche.
Raoul threw up his rifle and fired; one of
the Tunguese gave a yell, staggered to
ward the rail and sprang over, while the
others turned and sent a volley ot arrows
flying back at the boys.
Raoul rushed forward, firing again; mean-
while the man with the spear was dragging
Blanche toward the rail o the side of the
corvette toward the 5)
It seemed to Fred rather slow business to
try to shoot these savages down one by one,
and, quick as a flash, he togk matters into
his own hands. .
Crouching down, he ran straight for the
man who held Blanche, never heeding the
arrows which came flying at him, and,
springing upon him, gave him a rap over
the head with the belaying pin which
knocked him senseless on the deck.
The other Tunguese ran like sheep, tum-
bling over the rail and diving into the sea, |.
then climbing into three curiously shaped
thin canoes which held two men a
They went paddling off:toward the shore
in a hurry, while Raoul: Sred several shots
after them, all without effect,’as
pened, to hurry them Mone before’ turning
to Fred and overwhelming him with praise
for his brave act. «a
= Loo)
k out for this fellow Don’t let him
escape!” cried ust find Nick,
Blanche, have they Sone yon any harm?”
“ “Not a bit,” replied Blanche. “I’m all
right, but they scared me terribly. I was
my stateroom and had just finished
changing my clothes when they came burst-
ing in upon me. , GO, Raoul! Help Fred!
Never mind me!
oul ran forward after Fred, who had
not waited for the answer to his own ques-
on.
They found Nick lying near’ the pilot
house, unconscious, with an arrow sticking
in
This was a bad business and a terrible
setback to our little party on the corvette.
The Tunguese are a race something like
the Esquimaux, who wander about the
wilds of northern Siberia.
They are great thieves and much fiercer
than the Esquimaux; there was no doubt
that they had come on board the corvette
‘or whatever they could steal.
The ener of that day was one of
8 take en below and put into Cap-
tain Demidorit's stateroom.
recovered consciousness, and,
after his wound had been dressed, declared
himself quite comfortal
His story was that the Tunguese came on
deck before he had any idea of their ap-
proach, {pulling themselves up by the an-
chor ch: .
As Soon as Nick saw the first of the party
.ome‘over the bows he started-to run for
the rifle and“was shot down. After that he
remembered nothing until he found him-
self in the berth with Fred bending over
him.
The arrow had entered his back just un-
der the left arm, inflicting a painful wound,
but both Fred and Raoul had strong hopes
that it would not prove serious and they
were right, for within two days Nick was
on his feet again, weak but decidedly on the
suring these two days Fred and Raoul
improved every m
e Tunguese did. not return. The
Fred had knocked down had disappeared,
Probably he recovered consciousness
while the boys and Blanche were attending
to Nick in the cabin; at all events, he had
disappeared when they came on
again.
The first day Raoul and Fred worked like
beavers repairing the leak in the hold and
succeeding in caulking the plate without
serious difficulty, Blanche patrolling the
deck with the rifie while they worked.
ie day passed without alarm. Fred
watched that night and Raoul the next, but
othing more was seen of the Tunguese, so
they came to the conclusion that these un-
desirable visitors must have been simply
a wandering party who had moved off in
some other direction. and could never
trouble them again.
The second day was devoted to pumping
out and so was the third, for it took two
days to do it.
As the water in the hold decreased the
corvette rose astern, but still remained fast
p
It was Fred’s turn to watch that night.
imes he went down to see how
Nick 4 was getting on and along toward ‘ye
o’clock he was just starting for the cabin
again when Nick suddenly appeared on
eck. :
“What in the world are you doing here?”
eried Fred. “Don’t you | know that you are
running a terrible risk?”
“No, sit! I’m all right now!” answered
Nick. “May not be able to do my share
of work for a day or two, but I’m through
with lying down there in the bunk. By
gracious, we have started, haven't we?
Why didn’t you tell me. on man
“Hooray!” shouted Fred. Never knew
it! We must call Raoul. and tell him the
good Bews.”
It was se The corvette was afloat, mov-
ing slowly away from the retreating shore.
CHAPTER XX.
AFTER THE MAMMOTIL TUSKS.
“Hello, the engine room! Breakfast. is
ready! Ahoy there, Fred! Didn’t you
hear the bell?”
5
Z
: “Raoul pushed dis, head into the engine
r id ber
two good
with Nick seated in the “engineer's com-
fortable chair watching
“Breakfast be blo’ sweat" “ans
“I don’t want any breakfast till T tive ee
ished this job
“Come, now, ” said Raoul, “that’s an in-
sult.to my wife’s cooking an
downright cruelty to me. Look
nine o'clock and I’m as hungry as a wolf.
But as to eating without you two fellows,
it’s not to be thought of. I just won't do it
and Blanche feels the same way.”
. “Give me.ten. minutes more,” said Fre ed.
ofareed. ” “How. are you setting on?”
“steam all up:
sir.
der?”
in working o1
“I believe so.» Don’t want to start the
engine going, though, till every part of the
machinery has been thoroughly oiled.”
vThat's 1 right. Better be sure than sorry.
We are steadily drifting, rred., ., Already we
are pretty well down the ri
wel what harm?”
ant to go the other way, that’s all.”
“tretto! What’s your idea now, Raoul?”
“My idea is to make money. Boys, as the
case stands with me I can never go back
to Russia and if we are fortunate enough
to escape from Siberia it will be necessary
to have something to live on——”
‘e got it right here. How about
salvage?” ‘Temanded
“It’s ours sure if ie succeed in making a
port, but, of course, the, business must be
transacted in your name. “I can’t go inte it,
so the salvage is yours and I am going to
depend upon old mammoth ”
“Nonsense! You are one of us, It’s share
and share alike. but mammoth ivory is not
to be sneezed at. Of course you are think-
ing,.of the hut, Raoul, and I’m with you
there, if you.think we can work up the
ehganel | mithout running aground.”
“I t think there is any doubt about
it, © don't think there is any channel to
consider. I believe we shall find it all open
wa -
“We shall soon know,” replied Fred, who
had been steadily working. “There, now;
I'm done. Nothing remains but to start
her. “ Raoul, can you steer the corvette?”
“No,” replied Raoul, frankly. “T positive-
Ty can’t.
“I can,” said Nick. |
“You must not think of it,” said Fred,
decidedty. pest thing you can do is to go
back to
But: Nek only laughed and | car i a hs
| point in the
As soon as, ‘treakfast was over - the start
was made,
Nick took his place in the pilot house,
gave Fred the bell and in a moment the pro-
peller began to grind.
cS We are off!” shouted Raoul,
wo stood at the bow with Blanche by his
‘They were pow. pretty well down toward
he mouth a! Lena, and, as it turned
out atterward, " “good ten miles from Big
one Island.
Nick understood his business perfectly
and Soom had the corvette headed ip the
rive
“After they had been running about ten
mindtes Fred came on deck to have a look.
“Everything is working splendidly, ” he
declared, “How about the
“The leak is all right,” replied Raoul.
“I just tried the pump. Ti
any water in the hold. We ought to make
the hut in an hour and a half.
be all right, but I don’t want to take any
chances, so good-by.
Thus saying, Fred popped ‘own into the
engine room again and the corvette moved
on up the river, Raoul and Blanche keep-
ing a sharp lookout ahead.
Everything had cha eata. The ice pack
had completely vanished. A vast body of
yellow, muddy T came sweeping down
from the interior of that desolate northern
jand, where no civilized man has ever ven-
“Occasionally great ice cakes were mingled
with it, but they were few and far between.
Nick steered over close to the right hand
bank and the corvette kept steadily on her
course until she was abreast of Big Bone
Island, when Nick called down through the
epeptine tu tube and Fred came hurrying :on
ec]
“There’s our old camp sure enough!” he
exclaimed, and as true as you live the ice
has all cleared away behind it as far as one
can see. Raoul, it’s a noble stream!”
“One of the finest in the world if it
yore only, ue. like this all the year
round,” replied Raoul. “Shall we
the island?” stop at
“No; what’s the use?”
“None, I suppose. Everything seems to
be just as we left it. We may as well push
on to he but but.’
8 spoke Raoul turned a powe:
field glass fipon the station on Big erful
The door of the hut was closed,
had left it. There was nothing about the
Place to show that it was inhabited, but if
Raoul’s glass had possessed the power of
the X-ray and his vision could have Dene
trated that door a different story would
have been told, for he would have seen
each bunk in the hut occupied by a sleeping
man.
Never guessing. this, Raoul put up his
glass and the corvette steamed on her way.
_ CHAPTER XXI. |
ABOUT THE BOAT THAT CAME OUT OF THE Foo,
No obstacle was encountered after leaving
Big Bone Island, and within half an our
the corvette came to anchor off the
was impossible to get within, tty
yaris of the shore and so swift was the cur-
rent that Fred felt very doubtful about the
anchor,” although it had apparently taken
a pretty hold.’
“I think one of us ought to stay by the
steamer,” said Raoul,
Fred. If she should happen to give us the
slip while we are getting off. the ivory ‘it .. -
would be a.bad piece of business.
Who is going to do ork, then?” re«
plied Fred.
one side of one of those heavy tusks and
you and Blanche could never get them off
alone,”
“I can do a good deal more than you
think for,” replied Blanche. “You don’t
know or strong:I am, Fred. At least I
ca
oy as stay and take care of “the steamer,”
said Nick. “Fred can give me points on
e engine room work and if she happens
to go adrift t guess I can manage to bring
her back all ri
ng discussion followed and in the
end it” was determined that no move should
e made until the next morning, by which”
time it would be Gecided whether or not the
anchor was likely to
There was no darkness Foal for the time
of the midnight sun had ¢
t twelve o'clock, when Fred was pacing
the deck on guard, it was as light as at any
time during the .
The corvette had swung around and was
now heading down the river, but the anchor
seemed to do its work perfectly and when
morning came, everything being as it
should, Fred and Raoul took the boat and
pulled ashore, finding the ivory undis
turbed.
From eight o’clock until six work pro-
ceeded steadily, the only break being for
dinner, which was served ai
Boat load after boat load of dhe tusks
were brought off by Fred and R:
the boat» came alongside Fred
would go aboard, and, with Blanche, help
receive the big tusks as Raoul handed them
'D. was not allowed to touch them,
and, as they worked persistently, short
handed as they were, by supper time the
boys had every tusk on board.
The whole deck was littered up with
those strange curved tusks, gathered by
fhe old ivory hunters many long years be-
‘ore. -
“ , it’s a fortune!” cried Nick, as he
looked around at the heaps of ivory. If we
can ever get them to a market we shall be
rich for life.”
“To say nothing of. the salvage on the
corvette,” replied Fred. -“I believe we can
do it. I wouldn’t sell out my share in this
Big Bone iaand business for twenty thou-
sand cash to-
“Do we tae tonight?” | asked Blanche,
“or do we wait till mornin,
“What do you say to penning down t
Big Bone Island and anchoring there?”
asked Raoul. “I'd like to have one more
look from the observatory.”
“Why, you don’t think that there is a
chance that any of the crew of the corvette
can have escaped?” asked Fred.
“It_ might be so. We might see some
signal.”
“In which case we would have to go to
the rescue.”
“Of course. I’m met feeling so savage as
I did, Fred. Now that I see a chance for us
to escape ourselves I don’t like the idea of
going off and leaving any of my fello
countrymen behind in this horrible coum
wy , Still, Tam withing to do just as you
Ton, I'm willing enough to drop down
to the island,” replied F;
find an anchorage there. ve can keep on
going. There’s going to be a change in the
weather, that’s
oyna do zou mean?”
. Don’t you see that big
White cloudbanc down the river, lying close
he water? That’s fog and the wind is
shiting now; it is going to blow it up this
So much the more reason why we should
be near Big Bone Island,” said Nick. “I
favor dropping down there. It must take
but half an hour. We can postpone supper
till we get the anchor down again,
It was so agree
As soon as steam, was up the anchor was
raised and the corvette started down the
tiver, but by this time Fred viewed the
change in t their position with a good deal
of .
His prediction seemed likely to be
realized within a few moments.
g bank was moving steadily, uP
the river” It was an open question if they
would be able to find Big Bone Island
when they came abreast of it unless they
made quick t!
“Nick is not. able to lift even”
‘red, “if we can’t _