THE IVORY CYLINDER

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE IVORY CYLINDER

By WALLACE DIXON Continued

CHAPTER IX.— (Continued). The storm was now quite gone. The water was a placid stretch of shining blue, and a steaming heat was in place of the wind. On every hand the reef ran little tentacles of coral and palm into the distance. The Silver Wings, wounded and broken, was drifting down a sort of fiord in the reef, into a region unknown and unsuspected. "What's come of the mutineers?" the chief officer asked, as though till then he had forgotten all about them. "They're battened down in the for'ard hatch," Dr. North told him with a smile of satisfaction. "Once we get ashore we'll have them out and deal with them." With the exception of the helmsman and the two lads the small party scattered. An hour later, however, there was a full muster. Under the directions of Mr. Bellew the yacht was run ashore on the edge of a tiny cove. In the brilliant sunshine Captain Dawes was carried gently through the shallows to the tent hastily erected in the shade of a grove of sago palms. "Murgatovd shall be brought to book, never fear," Dr. North promised the captain sternly. "Bellew, will you return to the yacht. I'll take the boys for a little exploration, with Myers looking after the captain. It will do us no harm to stretch our legs, and at the same time find out the lay of the land." Being the owner and in sole charge of the expedition, Dr. North might make what excuse he liked. But Carey knowing his brother well, was tickled to see that Dr. North's pockets bulged with all manner of tiny scientific instruments, made in miniature scale expressly for the occasion. "I l>et you, Bill's real intention is to put that volcano through the third degree," Carey whispered to his pal, when his brother's attention was distracted. "It's been on his mind ever since we got sight of the blessed thing." The way led over sand dunes, round the shore of a coral atoll, and into a jungle ablaze with all manner of tropical blooms. Green vines writhed and twisted about them as they forced a passage up the steep side of the volcano, whose head was hidden in a mist of smoke and steam. Here and there they came upon beds of ancient lava, showing where the crater had erupted in years gone by. And it was from a crevice in one of these lava beds that death for an instant looked Mortimer in the face. Dr. North, compass in hand, was in the lead. Mortimer came last. They were sealing a narrow ledge when Mortimer's foot slipped. To save himself he caught at the rim of a lava crevice with a little cry. "What's wrong, old chap?" demanded Dr. North, wheeling. Mortimer tried to reply, but could not. His tongue clave to the roof of his mouth. He remained as he had fallen, without movement of any sort—afraid scarcely to breathe. Within two feet of his paling face the' ugly flattened head of a python moved slowly from side to side in the box-like interior of the lava crevice. The reptile's forked tongue was flickering like the flame of a candle held in a draught. "What is it? Are you hurt?" the lad heard Dr. Nortif calling sharply. "Carey! Get back and see what'a wrong."

Mortimer seemed hardly to understand. He thought he must be paralysed. He had read and heard of the way in which the great snakes of the Antipodes hypnotised their prey—how birds and rabbits were stricken helpless by the deadly eyes of the evil reptiles—he had not realised the enormous fascination such an animal could make use of. He tried to shake off the spell which bound him, but could not. And through what seemed to be ages of suspense the loathsome head came nearer, inch by inch— the unwinking eyes were likt sparks set in the flattened head. Then suddenly the spell was broken by the crack of an automatic. Carey's hands dragged him from the crevasse, even as a coil of the python in its death agony slid across his shoulder. He recovered his balance to see Dr. North returning his automatic to its holster, and Carey grinning at him with a rather white face. "Gosh! You do stick yourself into things, don't you. Those brutes are nastv customers. Decent shootimr. Bill."

"Not bad," Dr. North said, with pride. "I was a bit scared of potting Mortimer, but all's well that ends well." Tlie English lad smiled his thanks. "I had no idea those things were so hypnotic." "Classy word that," Carey said. He added, more seriously, "I was afraid you'd be lugged down'into that pit. I'll bet you had the wind up." "Scared stiff," Mortimer confessed. Dr. North said a little impatiently, "Come on. We've lost too much time as it is. Wait, though; is that someone shouting?" They ran back to the ledge overlooking the beach. And at once they forgot the incident of the python, for they could see Joe Muggs shouting and gesticulating from the crest of a sand knoll. Away beyond showed a ragged halfcircle of the beach half-hidden by the shoreline jungle, with the masts of the yacht just showing to the right above

the mangroves. Through the gap could be seen the forme of milling men. Dr. North groaned with anxiety and vexation combined. "Now what has happened? No help for it . . . back we go. Why can't people leave me alone?" Carey grunted as they ran down the lava-strewn 'slope. "That's probably what Honest Joe is asking of the world at this moment. It looks like a bit of a scrap going on down there." "Hope the natives aren't attacking," Mortimer. said. "Are there any natives? . . . Hoii Joe, what's wrong?" "Them swabs have broke loose and collared the ship." Joe Muggs told them, with an indignant bellow. He was all hot and bothered, and a rapidly purpling bruise on one cheek told of his recent share in the affray. "I left mv mark on 6ome of them, by the same token. Aye, aye. Dr. North, sir. . . . Mr. Bellew sent me to tell you—" "Carry on back," Dr. North said bluntly. Carey, with a glance at his brother's angry face, asked in an aside. '"But how on earth did that happen. Joe? I thought they were fast in the hold." "Andy Bree prized the hatch off and they rushed us," Joe Muggs rumbled. "We were took right off our guard." Dr. North, who overheard him, snapped, "Anyone hurt?" "Nothing to speak of. sir. It was that pal of Morchumer's here that was at the bottom of it—this here Murgeytoid. He's the very Old Harry himself, if vou ask me." The chief officer came hurrying to meet them. "They're in complete possession, sir. The whole thing seems to have been ..i i »

Dr. North interrupted. "This comee of taking too much for granted, I suppose. Captain Dawes—l" "Quite safe ... and much improved,* Mr. Bellew replied. Carey said, as his brother shrugged his shoulders rather helplessly, "No chance of storming the yacht back?" "None in the world, that I can see," Mr. Bellew said. Irish came up to them as they moved back to the beach. "Storr-m them, is ut, Master Carey! A couple av the rascals de be shtanding forninat the railings wid guns in their hands and threatening to blow the head off of anywan that comes near thim." "One thing," the chief officer added; "ig that they seem content to stay where they are for the time being. I suppose having got the ship into their possea* sion they rate us as helpless." (To be continued next week.) ~i