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the door of the room which Helen
and Netta jointly occupied. He had
spent most of the night in a lover-like
rapture, pacing the deck and await
ing his fate.
"If Helen does not encourage me,"
he tragically decided, "I shall leave
the Neptune at the next port. I could
not remain and see her won by a
rival."
And the day had dawned and Helen
had appeared. In honor of the day
she wore an underskirt formed of
stars and stripes and two dainty
silken flags in her hair, but no ro
sette and only the same kindly gra
cious smile on her lips.
Then a riotous morning of fire
crackers and feasting and music
but not for Roy. HiB heart was heavy
until Helen had suggested the 'run
away cruise. And now lost along a
bewildering archipelago of barren
islets, the sun swinging low in the
golden west and Helen radiant, and
gentle, and encouraging.
A flash of supreme happiness en
wrapt Roy. He drove the boat around
a cluster of little islands and gained
a free space, but neither up nor down
shore was yacht visible.
"You see, Miss Perry," 'he said
helplessly, "no sign of the Neptune.
Too bad!"
He had a plan formed in his mind
to get around the island. And nearer
he shore to follow its contour first
north, then south until he could lo
cate the yacht. A glance at the full
gauge told him that thefeat was im
practicable. "The gasoline is giving out," he re
ported grewaomely.
"Then we cannot go much
further?" inquired Helen.
. "Less than & mile probably."
"There, is an island with a high
ridge of rocks at one end," suggested
she, indicating "the point of view.
"Yes, I Bee it."
"We might take the glass and see
if we cannot make oiit the Neptune
the height will help, don't you
think?;'- -
"If we can reach the island," said"
Roy and started ttie boat in its direc-,
tlon.
Just barely the engine lasted out
till the island was reached. Helen
carried the telescope. Roy shoulder
ed a repeating rifle. They left the
boat and began the climb of a narrow
ledge of rock that arose like some
monument. It was no easy Journey:
When they came to the top they
found it to resemble some natural
fortification. There was a cave-like,
depression, some dead trees and its
open space looked down upon the
point where they had landed.
"Why, look!" suddenly exclaimed
Helen.
"The mischief!" echoed Roy.
Twenty canoes filled with dUBky
savages surrounded the motor boat.
Acting on an unhappy, impulse to
frighten them away, Roy shouted
down at them and then fired the gutt
twice.
With angry cries the natives rowed
to a short distance. Theri-the canoes
were steadied. A shower of pebbles
directed" from -slings, arrows j and
darts came raining upon the way
farers aloft. ,( - r, ,
"This is serious ! declared R6y so
licitously, andhejied hlsv,fair com
panion back"intb"tb.eshelter of the
cave. She emerged "thence as, he
fell, struck, by a rock from .below.
She soothed his wounded, head with
her handkerchief. Then she ran
back into the cave.
To reappear, however, startlingly!
At a glance Roy saw what she had
done. Helen, had removed her under
skirt of stars and stripes. She ran
to the edge of the rock waving the
red, white and blue, a true banner to
the angry mob belc .
"They see it! they know it!" she
cried exultingly, and this was true.
One by otte the belligerepts paddled
away. Somewhere they had learned
the power and glory of that protect
ing flag.
Then the excited ready misB sug
gested that they gather Up all-the dry
. C- .. i S 1, J&Au
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