Page:Weird Tales Volume 10 Number 2 (1927-08).djvu/66

 nasty chop commenced to lift, and before long ceaseless bailing alone Stayed their foundering. Then into the horizon had popped this solitary island. Some hours later, and only in the nick of time, they had staggered into the sheltered cove.

As they had seen from afar, no mere surf-drenched atoll this: instead stood an odd-shaped boss of reddish rock, rounded and of easy slope save at its naked riven summit where steep jagged crags shot up abruptly to some five hundred feet above the beach they trod. Betwixt sea and summit lay a half-mile breadth of palm and sturdy undergrowth, and beyond, though now invisible, rose the rounded grassy shoulders ascending to the crown of ragged bluffs.

"Nuts, shade and water," grunted Manton, appreciatively eyeing a little rill that spilled through the greenery almost to their feet.

"It's a peach," affirmed Haynes. "After that damned two-by-four cockleshell," he added with a mariner 's inborn grouch for the minor discomforts and indifference to the major perils of his calling.

By now the sun was near to setting, so they hastened about their simple preparations for the night.

"This," said Man ton after supper, slowly puffing clouds of rank sweet smoke from his bearded lips, "is what I call real comfort."

"My oath!" said Haynes with laconic contentment.

slumber was untroubled and sound as befitted men whose flesh for two nights had endured the bruising ribs of a craft no larger than a pleasure skiff on the Hudson.

"Say, what's the rush?" queried Haynes thoughtfully as, breakfast over, they sat whittling black trade plugs for the morning rite. "I reckon a day's rest and another such doss will set us up for the stretch to Bougainville."

"I dunno—well, we don't lose nothing, that's a fact," growled Manton with a wry twist of lip at the thought of their shattered fortunes. Truly what matter a day more or less to destitute castaways whose only prospect was a dreary beggary on the beach of Bougainville until some vessel, undermanned, contemptuously shipped them?

So the matter was settled, and for a little they lay smoking, until the sun invaded their retreat. Then they rose and, with a sudden boyish curiosr ity wandered off into the shade of the green wall almost encircling them.

That the island might be inhabited appeared improbable, as some keen eye would certainly have noted their approach and landing, and "before this have gleamed with pleasure or suspicion upon the castaways.

Though the bush proved dense, yet it was by no means impassable, the stems standing in clumps of straight and pliant texture. But underfoot the way was littered with mossy boulders and pitted with hollows that the shade of the green matted roof almost veiled, even though the tropic sun flamed above. Idly prying here and there they made their way slowly through the scrub, loth to leave the shade, though here the air was dead and stifling. Shortly the thinning of the growths and streaks of garish light ahead announced the naked rising slopes beyond.

"It's hot—shade or sun," growled Manton.

"Sure," agreed Haynes indifferently, his lean hard flesh less troubled than his great-thewed partner. "But shucks, it's Hell! what's that?" he suddenly exclaimed in surprize.

"That" needed no close scrutiny, though the unexpectedness and nature of the object his foot had dislodged from the decay and trailing vines underfoot and sent hurtling awkwardly a pace ahead was the last thing their somewhat unimaginative