Part 24 (1/2)

In the centre of this was a sight that made his heart ju tusks of yellow ivory, evidently lying just as they had been dug fro thee of the open space Attracted by a curiosity he could not account for, he ht of the ivory had made him jump, what he no sent a chill of horror down his spine The rag that had fluttered had been part of the clothing of what had once been twowhere the cloth had worn away under Ti by each showed how they had coedy was as clear to Rob as if he had seen it:--the quarrel between the two ivory stealers, the duel with the pistols, and the death of both combatants beside the treasure pile they had done so ure in the deck house is avenged,” thought Rob, gazing with horror-stricken eyes at the things before hies of sin in their case”

Turning frorisly relics of that far-off duel on the lonely island, Rob fell to exae quantity of it

”It ht

But in the very moment of his triumph, Rob suddenly recollected what, in his exciteotten for the e, uninhabited island, with only a few tins of beef between him and starvation Thirst he did not fear, for close to where he had struggled ashore was a spring of sweet, cool water

Rob made his way back to the beach and the boat Inside the boat he now noticed what had hitherto escaped his attention There were several hundred feet of light rope which seeood condition There was, too, a pair of oars At the saet away fro had made him fertile in ideas, and if the present one succeeded it would reaves and Mr Barr looked sternly at each other

”There is only one n

”And that is who?”

”The rascal Barton”

”But for what possible object?”

”I cannot think unless he has hidden it and will only give it up as the price of his liberty”

”But if he keeps us down here, he will die, too”

”He is playing his life against ours and he holds the cards”

”Not for long Come below at once We must act quickly There is a chance he still has it on his person”

Down the stairs they ran, leaving Merritt at the wheel with a sinking feeling of fear clutching at his heart If Barton, turned desperate, had hidden the key and would not reveal its hiding place, it meant that they must res

In the n and Mr Barr, both excited, had rushed through the cabin and toward the engine room As they approached the door, it was slah a small hole in it, which had been cut for ventilation

Then Barton's voice ca out:

”Don't coet a bullet in you”

”What's the matter, man, are you hter was the sole response

It sent a shudder through everyone who heard it The man was er time, had burst forth into a terrible harvest

”And on that n

Then in a louder tone, which rang with authority: