JAVA JACK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19065, 9 July 1925, Page 5

JAVA JACK.

BY OTTWELL- BINNS. Author of " A Mating in- "tho "Wilds," " Tho Treasiuro of Chriatophn," " Clancy of tho Mounted Polictetc. etc. - 4 (Copyrieb t.) CHAPTER Xll.—VContinued). Java eyed tho shadoM i which the sea broke into silvery phosphorescence, but he did not speak. Nearer they swirled until it seemed that they must be swept on a long foot of rock which ran out from the islet. Then suddenly h»3 shouted, "Pull! For God's sake, pull!" Callaghan and Blake Ibent to the oars, straining like giants. Java leaned on thci tiller, and suddenly the boat swept by a tooth, of rock, out of tli e racing current into tho mingled light and dark of the star-sown sea. Java looked back. The lights of the steamer, pale yellow and green, a mile and a half away, were still visible, and as ho marked them ho laughed softly. " No place for canoeing this, Miss Callaghan. I hope we don't .strike another race like that, though to be sure these seas are full of them." Nora Callaghan, her voice* a little shaking, answered, " I wonder yc u can taJko it so lightly." " All in the day's work," he laughed back. " I've been through worse things than that down Flores way." " Aye," said Blake with a guffaw. " Yo' have, Java. Remember that time when wo tried, to salvage a buoy which had broken loose, an' it e;irried yo' away, whirling and bobbin' like a fly hanging to a cork with all its paws, till yo' was brought up among the slush an' mangroves of Dutch Borneo, vrluen a measly lot o' Bugis tried to stick me when 1 kem lockin' for yo' an' tho buoy." Java .laughed like a boy and Kora Callaghan joined in tho laughter. " I can imagine you like a fly on a cork bobbing down the Macassar Straits, Mr. Java. You imust tell mo that story .some day. But just now I want to hear how you got possession of this boat. You haven't told us yet, you know; and iit isn't fair to leave us in tho dark " Java told, making light of tlhe exploit, and Blake supplied a running commentary. " Chucked our only knife away, he did Miss Caliaghan, in a blind t&row, an' then walked round that rock as if ho carried an arsenal with him; not knowing whether them blighters mightn't come back, yo' know, missy; which in course they did in the finish; when ono o' them tried to stick him an' got knocked out for his pains." " Oh !" whispered 'tho girl impulsively. " I think you are very brave ! M Java laughed with pleasure, and then, as San Ghoon moved sharply at the other side, be turned quickly to look at her. She was leaning forward a little. Her face was like a pale flower in the darkness, but her almond eyes, fixed upon Nora Callaghan, seemed ablaze with some furious emotion which he found utterly startling. A second later she sank back again, her eyes closed; but as Java considered her, he was conscious of a feeling of disquiet. Ho told himself that what ho had seen in San Choon's eyes was due to some trick of reflected starlight; but he could not convince himself that the explanation was the true ono. In his heart he knew it was not; that what he had seen was tho flame of somo deep, undying hatred, and as he speculated on the possible reason for it his disquiet grew more profound, setting on him shackles of silence that he seemed unable to break. Twice or thrice Norr* Callaghan addressed him, receiving only monosyllabic answers. Blake and h er brother had tho same experience, and presently a heavy, rather constrained silence fell upon the party, and only the monotonous sound of the rowlocks broke the profound stillness of the night. CHAPTER XIII. f ON FIVE PALM ISLAND. An hour later Java, turning to address some remark to Nora Callaghan, made the discovery that she was fast asleep; He smiled a little to himself, and a moment later spared a glance at San Choon.. She sat in a crouching posit ; on, elbows on knees staring into the darkness ahead. Her eyes were hidden from him, and the bizarrely beautiful face was no more than a shadowed mask in the starlit darkness, but there was something in the pose of her figure which told him that she was the prey of thoughts which were not good. Remembering the look he had se»en in her eyes ho was minded to speak to her, but at that moment Blake asked a question. " Which side o* that island d'yo'. mean to land, Java?" " I'm not sure. It doesn't matter much if we can find a place to hide the boat and aro ourselves in concealment before the steamer arrives." " How d'yo' reckon yo're going to get hold o' that gal?" " I don't know yet. But it'fl got to be done, and quickly, after they Sand. Tho man behind those Chinks won't waste time, and won't be any way particular as to his methods.' "Yo'-. know him?" asked the sailor curiously. " Too well!" There was a harsh note in Java's voice, and having made the brief answer ho fell into an absorbed silence which Blake did not attempt to break. In the new train of thought thus started his intention to speak to San Choon was quite forgotten, and lie stared ahead in the darkness, oblivious to all things but those which held his mind. An hour later a dark mass lifted itself in the darkness ahead, and through the night came the sound of water surging among the rocks. " Five Palm Island, I guess, Java," said the sailor, after a glance over his shoulder. "Yes!" replied Java. "But from the sound of things we shan't be able to land before dawn.' "I guess not! I'm against blind landings when there's reefs about. Guess we'll have to hold off till the light comes." The warning sound of broken water in all directions, telling of rocks invisible in the darkness, made the wait and for some time they pulled to and fro, keeping the boat out of dangerous water. An hour before dawn Nora Callaghan woke and looked around her. Darkness still held tho world, but the looming shadow of the island was plainly visible, and the breaking of water on the beach and cliff filled tho night with sound. [ " Is that tho placo ?" sho asked in a startled whisper. " Yes,"' answered Java. " Then what are wo waiting for ? Why don't we land ?" " Becauso of the reefs. We are waiting for daylight. It is the only thing to do." The girl stared through the darkness toward tho island, which was for her a placo of romance and mystery. Thero lay the emerald symbol for which to her knowledge two men had already died; and for which through tlu) ages no doubt many men had died and much blood had been shed. And behind them in the darkness were men who would slay ruthlessly to obtain this old cross of life. That the whole fivo of them in the boat were moving in the shadow of great peril sho was assured, but somehow she had no fear. The man at her side was amazingly competent, and sho had. a conviction that whatever the odds lie would carrv the enterprise to a successful conclusion. Lost in thought, sho continued to stare at the dark mass ahead, till Java's sudden whisper broke through her absorption. " Tho dawn J" Thero was a lightening of the Eastern sky. A line of black marked the far horizon, but already the dark sea was growing palo. Then tho black gave placo to a line of fire, and the sky above was lit with rosy light. Most of tho island was still in dense shadow, but tho stars overhead were wan,, and suddenly the feathery tops of the five palms on tl/e crest of the land wero lit as with flarn.e; and eastward above the edge of the sea came tha fiery rim of tho sun, lighting the great lire of day. The stars faded in translucent blue; the sea flashed .with,

, a myriad sapphires as the light, like a great silent broom, swept back tho darkness from its wide face; aod then the whole island stood clearly' limned,, its green verdure unshadowed, its senwashed rocks flashing in the light, and the gulls gleaming and screaming above the breakers. The wind of dawn blowing across the island brought the perfume of trees and flowers, and above the former appeared a flock of brilliant' plumaged birds iridescent in the sun, which <*»ght and held Nora Callaghan's gaze. (( lhoao birds—" she began. t , Bir ?, s ara dise !" interrupted Java Jack, "They are natives of this region." Oh!" she whispered. " Thev aro glorious." Java glanced down at her and their eyes met. the girl's blue and kindling, and tho man's grey and smiling. Then tjuito suddenly the smile died from the Rrey eyes. A light leaped in them that seemed to burn her, that brought the not blood surging from neck to brow and somehow filled her with strange confusion. Her heart beat bo tumultously that she lifted a quick hand to her throat, and then as her eyelids dropped to shut out the burning gaze, he gave a quiet laugh, and with an odd lilt in his voice capped her remark. "Glorious indeed, Miss Nora!" The whole incident had lasted no more than five seconds and had gone unobserved of all save tho Chinese girl sitting opposite. And though no word of import had been spoken, the world had changed for the two whoso eyes had so met in that flash of deepest understanding. A veil had been lifted that could never corno between them again. Nora Callaghan knew it, beyond all question, and, glancing down beneath her long eyelashes, she saw that her hands were trembling. I hen harsh and exultant, dragging both Java and her back to the commonplace, sounded Blake's voice. " There's a safe landing there, Java, between them two sets of rocks. Guess we couldn't have hit it better." Sprawling from the island" were twin reefs, the line of them clearly marked, not onlv by the out-cropping ledges on which the seabirds perched and screamed, but by the white line of broken water. Between the reefs the water was still and beautifully green, lapping a sandy beach that in tho sunlight was dazzling white, above which rose a creeper-clad cliff. Java glanced -at it, nodded, but spoke no word, and immediately steered the boat for the. "entrance to this natural harbour. Fiv«; minutes later the keel grounded in tho shallow water, and the three men jumped overboard to haul the boat up the bench, and ten seconds later Jaya was offw ing his hand to Nora to assist her to land. There was need for no such help., but I\ora Callaghan accepted the offered; hand, and as it grasped hers firmly their eyes met again in a glance of wmplete understanding. Then as she stepped on tho sand, the man turned and offered the same help to San Ghoon. bat the latter ignored it, leaping out of tho boat unaided and walking toward 'the cliff as if with the intention of separating herself completely from their counsels (( " W(ilI," laughed Andy Callaghan, we re here! What next?" Java's grey eyes surveyed the. cliff and tho beach, ciDcl /ook note of the woods behind before Ji'e replied: " Breakfast first, I think, and a quick noe- Ihen 111 explore—-or—no, I'll breakfiist as I go." " 'You're going alono?" protested Calhig^han. Yes! It is tho better way. I must nim out where that steamer is, and the place where we shall have to go into act, by.n. One can move more quickly than a crowd, and is not so likely to bo observed." '. " Oh, but—" "It's the one way, Andy! And there are things to be done here. The boat mast be hidden, and it will be as well U a place of concealment can be found lor the girls as well in case tho steamer should happen along this way. Also, it would be as well to rake the pools out there for fish as the tide falls. A diet vi. cocoauuts is not heartening." He laughed as he spake, lifted one of ttie nuts brought with them in the boat, husked it with the aid of tho axe, cracked tho shell, and then cut. out sections with Illake s knife which he had retained on the previous night. I'll take this with me, Blake," he said lightly. " I may need it." The carelessly spoken words brought to the others a sense of the danger into vrhich he might be going. Nora Callaghan's bright eyes clouded suddenlv, Blake mumbled something inarticulately that might have been an oath, and Andy Clallaghan cried out sharply: ''Gee! I had forgotten. Better take this, Java. It- may cojxie in useful." The othei; looked at it and shook his head. "No. Your ueed may be greater than mi vie. Who knows ? And you liavo the girls to guard." waved his hand and walked off, Cibevring a piece of nut as he went. At the end of the beach be began the ascent vito the wood, and when he reached a point where the verdure would hide him from anyoue on the beach, he turned, waved once more, and plunged into the lush greenness of tho wood. Thenceforward his course was upward. Steadily he worked his way toward the crown of the island where the five palms grew. Trailing lianas, terrible thorns, tangles of fern and close-set trees up winch wild, vines grew blurred his way. Occasionally great cliffs of coralline limestone barred the ascent, arid once he set liis foot on seemingly solid earth which yielded beneath his weight, plunging him into a 'pit tho bottom of which was full of decayed vegetation which served to break his fall. Shaken, but unhurt, ho picked himself up and looked round. The pit, he saw, was really a cavern which, masked by greenness above his head, ran some way underground. A current of air, blowing into ! the chamber into which he had fallen, tcld him that it had another outlet some- , where, and he guessed that far back in the ages it had formed part of some coral reef through which the seas had crashed and roared. Ho had no time for exploration, and. instead of following tho rec&sses of tho cavern lie set himself to clamber out. Among the green things which hid tho walls of the pit there were many rough projections which helped him, and within five minutes ho was standing on solid earth once more. The experience, however, was a warning. Looking round ho found a sapling from which he cut a long stick, and trimming it of its twigs, used it to feel his way. Twice be came near to plunging in crevasses similar to that in which he had fallen, for tho wood seemed to Ix 3 fairly honeycombed with them, and everv fowVards to bo beset with unseen pitfalls. But presently he reached tho crest of the island whero grew the five palms, their great fronds waving in the wind of dawn. There, a little exhausted, he threw himpolf dawn, and looked round. On every side rolled the sea in wonderful greens and blues, with the seabirds like white snow-flakes floating in the sunshine. The island, as he judged, was not more than four miles in circumference, and most of its coastline was visible from the height where ho lay. Ho gave but ono glance at tho chain of small islands running eastward in the sea, now flashing in the sunlight like molten, silver, then turned and gazed steadily in the direction of the island from which ho and the others had fled on the previous night. It rose like a green hill irom tho sea, its verdure vivid in tho sunshine, but- as he noticed instantly the stretch of sea between was empty, * and thero was no sign of the stDarner which be had expected to see. (To bo continued daily.)