THE IVORY CYLINDER

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE IVORY CYLINDER

By WALLACE DLXON Continued

CHAPTER IX— (Continued.) A sudden, swift dignity lit the brown man's face, and he squared his head and shoulders. The smile left his face, and he said proudly, "I am Til. It is my right to rule in Mokuna. My people were glad to see me. They feared 1 had been destroyed by Kuna the dragon. But now I have come back to help tlieni <iulit «igain>t Oku, who has usurped my uithority." "By jove!*' Carey said, whistling. His ,'\es shone with excitement. "Von ■ileaii you're a king or something. 1 -ay. that's great. Bill will be tickled to death when he hears this. We'll be ab',a to tight for you, Bone* ... 1 mean. I'u. We can't call you Bones if you're a king, can we V I *sav, you don't mind, do you?" Tu smiled, a little e«dly. "You were kind to me; and how -diould a name count? Yes. perhaps I shall ask the help of Dr. North, your good brother." CHAPTER X. Bones Tells a Story. When they topped the rise they caw that the affray was over. The mutineers had vanished, and King Tu's men could be seen slowlv returning along the shorn of the lagoon. Dr. North «md Honest doe were giving attention to several of their party who had been slightly wounded. Mr. Bellew. with Irish. Peter Myers and Curly, had followed in the wake of the natives, and could now b(> seen in possession once more of the deck of the Silver Wings. 'T was just going out to look for you two lads."' Dr. North said, with a relieved smile. "Things wcue going! pretty badly with us . . . and then, quite amazingly, some natives came to our aid. They chased our mutineer friends inland, after getting between I them and the yacht. It was strategy beautifully carried out. Why they did not attack tw> also I can't understand." "Hill." Carey explained, "those were Bones' men ... I mean Tu's men . . "Eh!" said the scientist. For the lirst timo he seemed to recognise the presence of tlie brown man, who was standing quietly by, and he said: "Why, Bones . . . I'm glad to see vou safely hack. We were getting worried about you." "Thank you. Dr. North," Tu said, with evident gratitude. "Wait till you hear. Bill," Carey continued excitedly. "You haven't got the Irnng of it yet. Bones' real name is Tu. He's the rightful king here, and those men that chased Murgatoyd away did so at his orders." "What's this!" Dr. North said in astonishment. The brown man bowed with simple dignity. "It i« true, sir. lam the rightful King of Mokuna. Many years ago 1 went out into the world in search of the sacred symbol of my house, which had l>een stolen. In my absence my elder brother, who ruled the island, was betrayed and killed by our kinsman Oku. who usurped the throne. This happened only a few months ago."

Dr. North shook Tu warmly by the hand. "I always felt," he said, "that some roit of mystery was attached to you. A belter subject no man hud ... I think we are all agreed that }ou have served lis admirably . . . and. a better king no people could want, lam sure. Many thanks for your timely help. Your fellows came just in time."

"Do we no back to the yacht?" Carev ;i sked.

'in the circumstances I think we had belter," his brother said. "We maniiL'cd to keeji the fight from Captain Dawn's tent, fortunately. With Jluruatoyd, an<l his crew now loose on the island I think we'll give up any idea of a cohort camp for ourselves. Muggs!" "Alongside, your honor," replied Honest Joe.

'"You and Irish get the captain aboard again. He's making remarkable progress, by the way. The sooner he can take charge again the better. And what do vou intend, Bones? ... I should say Tu*. . ."

"For the time being I would like to continue with the ship." the brown man (-flirt. "There is, besides, much I would tell you . . . and ask you.''

"By all means," Dr. North said. He c ast "a reluctant glance to where the inland crater sent up a sluggish plume «it" black smoke. "1 suppose for the time being I must give up mv visit yonder. The sooner we settle this mutiny the better. Let's go aboard, then."

None were more overjoyed to be aboard again than Carey and Mortimer. But the sight that greeted them damped their spirits a little. Short though the time was that the mutineers had held possession of the yacht, they had yet contrived a great deal of wanton damage. Even Tu was "moved to anger at the havoc wrought in his pantry. "Neyer mind," Dr. North said vaguely. "The main thing is that we are back airain. Mr. Bellew. that storm must have tried the boat pretty severely. Is she still seaworthy?"

"We'll give her a good overhaul in the next day or so," the chief replied. "I think she's sound enough. By the way, eir, you heard Murjratoyd's threat to burn her if we refused to give up young Blake. It may have been bluff, though I don't think so. What I can't understand is why he would do such an insane thing. How did he expect to make his own escape from Mokuna if not in the yacht?" Mortimer put in: "That struck me, too." "Since hell not get another chance to sail with the Silver Wing«," said Dr. North dryly, "let us hope he has some other means. Well Tu . . . you wanted to tell us something. Now is as good as any other time." "At your convenience," the brown Man s«aid gravely. They first looked in at Captain Dawes' cabin. The skipper was pleased to see them, and obviously impatient at being held to his bunk. "I'll be right in no time," he assured thorn. "What's this I've been hearing about Bones?" Mortimer told him. adding: "Tu has a story to tell us. We were going to hear it after we'd seen how you were, captain." "If there's a yarn going," Captain Dawes said. "I'm one of the audience. What's wrong with this cabin? Plenty of room . . ." "If you feel well enough ... I suppose you'll have to have your own way," Dr. North said. "Now, Tu . . ." "I owe you some sort of explanation." the brown man began. "Particularly as you seem to be linked up with my fortunes in another way than the fact that you have come by chance to my island. Will you tell me, Carey, where you got

that sketch of the Tooth of Maw that hangs on your cabin wall?" They all stared at him. "You mean the . . . the ivory cylinder?" Carey said. "Why, I did it myself. It was . . . you see . . Dr. North came in with the explanation. "But the one who can tell you more, perhaps, is our friend, Honest Joe Mugga . . . Mortimer, will you get Muggs here, please. While we are waiting, Tu . . .** The brown man, who had be com® strangely excited, calmed himself ai*d continued: "You will understand how amazed I was when I saw Carey's sketch, when I tell you that the Tooth of Maw is the lost symbol of the rule of my house which I left Mokuna to find- I will tell the story as shortly as I caa. (To he continued Next Week.)