1935-10-11 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1935

Out Of The Frying Pan

(Continued from Page 9)

"Yes, these channels swarm with the brutes. I've been through bere before, but Tll be hanged if I know why the skipper's doing it now it takes us hours out of our course."

They strolled up to the bridge house and put the question to the captain, who for answer pointed to the rapidly falling glass, "If we're not in for a blow before nightfall you may call me a pas- cook," he said. "Under the lee j of the islands it won't do us much harm, but I'd hate to be out in the gulf in what's coming."

"What course are you setting?" inquired Pembury. The captain laid his rule across the chart be-j side him. "Close as we can steer for the south-east corner of that large island. then sou-west and] out into the open sea."

A sudden idea flashed into Pem bury's mind. He knew that island. well The SE was dented with a number of little bays. there were few reefs and no sharks. He was a strong swimmer and a couple of miles of smooth water seemed to him a lesser evil than a certain two years of gaol in Brisbane. Once ashore, a few miles across the headland would bring him to a small port where he could get a passage to almost anywhere.

The captain's prediction proved to be correct; late in the after- noon a thin smudge of cloud ap- peared racing across the sky; they saw the island palms bend double.į snap and burst into a scatter of flying fronds. A few seconds later the wind struck them with such force that even in her sheltered position the Mariposa began to Luck like an ill-tempered mule

Dunn was a good policeman but a poor sailor; it took exactly five minutse to reduce him to a helpless. less, groaning mass of misery, and it took all Pembury's considerable strength to drag the inert body of the policeman down the companion steps and hoist him into a bunk. where he lay alternately accepting and rejecting pannikins of brandy and water until towards morning he fell into an alcoholic doze.

1

Pembury did not sleep: at the first glimpse of dawn he rose quietly from his bank, tied his jacket and shoes into a bundle, and went on deck. In the rapidly growing light he saw that they were already close in to the head- land. The wind had died away to a mere breeze. but the sea was running higher than he had anti-' cipated He would have to risk- it in a very few minutes the Mari pova would be turning into the open sea. He gave a glance › up- the deck, deserted save for. the dark-form of the native serang at the wheel then. looping the bun- dle round his neck, he slipped noiselessly over the rail into the water and struck out for the beach.

"He had been swimming steadily for some minates before he realis- ed that the set of the current was carrying him beyond. his ob- jective. and back into the channel Well, he would have to get ashore! where he could and trust to find- ing his

overland. Unfor way tunately the choice of direction was no longer in his hands, for on looking round for his bearings he found that the current had taken command and was sweeping" him father and farther out to the cen-: tre of the channel and the menace. of sharks. Moreover, his strength was giving out; he made a wild attempt to get closer in shore but at last, becoming exhausted. rolled over on his back and resign- ed himself to whatever might hap- pes.

A sudden swishing noise drag- ged him back from his semi- stupor Sharks! In terror he twisted over and saw;not the dreaded dorsal fin. but a small yawl-rigged boat 50 yards away: and standing towards him, but as he watched it gibed and-stood, off on another tack. Pembury cursed "aloud and got a mouthful of sea

for his pains. His exclamation! was not only of disappointment but surprise, for as the boat turn- ed he saw that the tiller: •was | swinging loose. She was derelict. Once more she came towards him and with a few desperate strokes he reached her, "grabbed the Sob- stay and dragged himself across

the gunwale, Tosing in the

the bundle containing his his jacket and the resid

#liquid assets.."

(Continued on "Page: 13,)

N

WELL-HOW ARE YOU AND YOUR NEW PARTNER GETTING ALONG? HE'S

SUCH A WONDERFUL BUSINESS-MAN- 1 HOPE YOU ARE PROFITING BY YOUR ASSOCIATION. |WITH HIM-

HURRY UD- I MUST BE IN THE OFFICE IN TEN MINUTES

Rosie's BEAU

BY

GEO MCMANUS

“TAM-I WANT TO HAVE BREAKFAST AT SEVEN . TOMORROW-I MOST GET TO THE OFFICE BRIGHT,

AND EARLY-

WELL-IS MY BREAKFAST

READY?

WELL BE IN THE TRAFFIC COURT OFFICE IN A MINUTE IF I GO ANY. FASTER-

Bringing Up Father

GENTLEMEN-

IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK-

THANKS:

AND AT SEVEN O'CLOCK

THE NEXT MORNING-

AREN'T YOU GOING TO SIT DOWN- AND EAT YOUR EGGS?

THANKS

GOOD NIGHT

GOOD NIGHT:

ISN'T IT WONDERFUL HOW" YOUR. FATHER IS TAKING AN INTEREST IN HIS BUSINESS ? I KNOW IT'S THE INFLUENCE OF

HIS PARTNER-

-WON'T HAVE TIME MAGGIE. DARLIN- I'M DUE AT THE OFFICE

NOW-N

DADDY HAS BEEN GETTIN UP EARLER EVERY MORNING-

IKIN HEAR HIM COMIN' DOWN STAIRS OR ELSE

HE'S FALLIN”.

DOWN-

THANKS- IS THE

HERE'S YOUR HAT AND

CANE,DADDY TAXI AT

THE DOOR?

BY: GOLLY- HE BEAT

ME TO IT.

AGAIN-

WELL-I GUESS THE ONLY THING

TO DO IS BOY ANOTHER CHAIR LIKE THAT ONE-

$

1935, King Features Syndicate, Inc, Great Britain rights :

irved.

·A· FRIEND OF MINE WHO ISA SALESMAN FOR AN AUTO FIRM- PROMISED TO CALL FOR ME AND DRIVE ME OUT TO ROSIES

HOUSE TONIGHTE

GEEN I'LL HAVE TO CALL: OP ROSIE AND TELL HER I WILL BE ONABLE TO SEE HER TONIGHT AS I ONLY HAVE A NICKEL AND HERE” TT-GOES FOR

THE PHONE

CALL-

€2935: Kine Ficzteres "Syndicate, Inc., Great Britain

WHAT ISN'T THIS ROSIE? OH! LIGOT

HE WRONG »

NUMBER-

"OH I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE HOME-A FRIEND OF YOURS. JUST CALLED AND SAID HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CALL

IN HIS CAR

FOR YOU-

"GOSH! NOW I'LL HAVE TO WALK THERE AND BACK AS I'VE NO WAY OF GET. TINGIN TOUCH WITH HER-

4:15

YES-HE'S WAITING FOR YOU-

LEO MCMANUS

119.15

IT'S THE GYPSY IN ME

IT'S NINE O'CLOCK- POP-

AIN'T YO GOIN'

TO WORK?

JIM-WILL YOU GET

UP ?!

WAKE

OP PAPA