Part 11 (2/2)
”Dizzy,” McKay confessed ”What's happened?”
”Lost our creas the laconic answer ”All gone west but Jose, and he's bled white We'll have to paddle our own canoe now”
For a ti out at the tiny battlefield and at his twosilently on the wounded arm of Jose When they came back he spoke one word
”Schwandorf”
”Yeah! He's the nigger in the woodpile, I bet my shi+rt But why? What's his lay, d'ye s'pose?”
”Perhaps Jose knows,” suggested Knowlton ”But he's in no shape to talk now Let's see Schwandorf said he was going to Iquitos?”
”Yes, but that doesn't ”
”Probably not Well, s, however, which Jose could not have told if he would, for he hione to Iquitos, where was a radio station Another was that from that radio station to Puerto Bermudez, thence over the Andes to the coast, and northward to a New York address one this e:
McKay expedition killed by Indians Rand search erous, but if eold payable on safe delivery Rand at Manaos Reply soon a possible
KARL SCHWANDORF
CHAPTER VIII
THE DOUBLE-CROSS
Noon, sweltering hot A blazing sun pouring vertical rays down on a blinding river A long canoe wearily creeping up the glaring waters, er of sunken tree trunks; propelled by three sun-blistered white e around his head; steered perfunctorily by a pallid pirate whose left arht bank an unbroken, endless tangle of jungle growth Ahead, on the left shore, a gap gouged out of the forest and a nue
”Guess that's it,” panted Knowlton, shi+elding his eyes and squinting at the clearing ”One more day's journey, the Brazilian chap said We've been two and a half”
”One day's journey for six hardened river six men's work and hampered by a cripple”
”Aw, ye're no crip, Hozy,” dissented Tiuy that can steer a tub like this here one-handed after losin' a couple gallons o' juice is in good shape yet, I'll say If ye had both legs shot off and yer arht call yourself sort o'
helpless Ease her over to the left a li'l' ap Me, I don't want to take one stroke more 'n I have to Every muscle in me is so sore it squeaks”
”Same here,” admitted Knowlton ”I'm one solid ache”
Jose nodded The clumsy craft veered a bit The three put a little , as they neared the steep bank, that a couple ofat theout worked in to the muddy shore, where the paddlers stabbed their blades into the clay and held it firal_?”