Part 30 (1/2)

”Suppose we try it,” said Forbes ”Anything to get away froet into a worse hole, that's true,” added the colonel ”I believe you are right about the current, Chutney, though it can only land us on the edge of soet away He had passed through so many horrors, he said, that he had become accustomed to them, and it mattered little what the future held in store for hi out from the sand and found to be in perfect condition It was fastened together with twisted withes of soet it into the water, but by all working together, and using the guns and paddles as levers, it was finally pushed into the lake and floated lightly on the surface

The rugs, provisions, and what torches remained were carried on board, and with a final look round the island to see that nothing of iotten, they quietly embarked, and Guy, with a shove of the paddle, sent the raft out on the lake The object of the journey they hardly knew the behind them a spot associated with dreaded memories, and that was all they cared to know

”Don't do that,” said Guy, as Canaris picked up a paddle and began to use it vigorously ”We must drift entirely with the current”

The torch was placed securely in a crevice of the logs, and in a very short time it was proved beyond a doubt that some current did exist The island faded slowly frorouped together and discussed various things The Greek gave a long account of his curious wanderings and adventures Guy and Melton spoke of their thrilling experiences in Burton entertained them with the tale of his participation in the bombardment of Alexandria in '82

So the hours passed on, and still they chatted of the outside world, forgetting for thetoht of day

”This reo,” said Sir Arthur, as facing the situation with surprising calmness ”Some personan installment of a story by the fellorote that deucedly clever book, 'King Soloard--Rider Haggard----”

”Beg pardon, Sir Arthur,” interrupted the colonel, ”but the title was 'King Soloton? Very well; doesn't make much difference

However, the hero of the story was traveling, as we are, on a lake, only it was in the open air, and the outlet was slightly beneath the surface

The water ran under a high wall of rock, and sucked the poor fellows and the canoe under It would be funny if this lake had the saement”

”Well, it hasn't,” replied the colonel ”We went all around the walls in a canoe, and if any such place as that had been in existence ould not be here now, that's all”

”No, I suppose not,” said Sir Arthur ”I' turns up, will you?” And

”It will be a mercy if he never wakes,” said Chutney in a husky voice

”Not h to last us a couple of weeks yet, and unless we take your suggestion, colonel, and toss it into the lake, we are good for that length of time, I suppose”

”Yes,” rejoined the colonel, ”unless we get sucked into a whirlpool or the serpents attack the raft in force”

After that nothing was said for an hour or more Their fate stared them in the face with all its awful realisresy, and dropped off one by one as, except Guy, who declared his intention to stay awake and be on the lookout for any danger that il He envied his coh the gloom The torch burned slowly out, and he replaced it with a fresh one His loaded rifle lay within reach, but nothing happened to arouse his fear

Sad and bitter were the reflections that surged into his mind As the events of his life rose up before him onderful clearness tireeary, and rolling over on the rugs he fell instantly into a deep sluh he was the first to awake He had slept a long while, he saw at a glance, for the torch was burnt al

”Wefor at least twelve hours,” he said half aloud ”We should be across the lake by this time”

He picked up a fresh torch and lit it fro flalare suddenly revealed a wall of rock a few yards distant, and in a very short time the raft struck the shore with a harsh rattle that proved the impulse of the current beyond a doubt

The concussion failed to rouse the sleepers, and Guy was hesitating whether he ought to do so or not when a faint sound came indistinctly to his ear

At first he could scarcely believe the evidence of his own senses He fancied it est part of it was that the sound actually reseer, and then quietly woke the Greek, who sat up, rubbing his eyes