The Rope of Gold

When the unseen person seized him so suddenly from behind he was down but not out by any manner of means. With a deft twist he freed himself from the grasp of his unknown adversary, and, leaping

had not a dark arm reached out to entwine itself about his neck. This startling embrace was follow

prise, he discovered that the end of this particular adven

ut him. Still but half conscious of what went on about

ed, another a

ne about," he tol

e boom of a native drum; one stroke, that was

to camp," he told himself as in a dream. "Do

ss for when next his benumbed brain registered a thought, the light of a torch was shining in his

p and very crooked. But his eyes! Johnny thought he had never looked into a keener pair of eyes. To Johnny's great s

matter-of-fact tone. "Hit you on the head. Good thing I hap

man's eyes again and wo

trange man went on. "You

es

ble, right away. If the Marines or native police don't get

anging on

t it there. Notic

N

a good thing. Lot of superstition and wild practices hanging about them. But you can't change people all at once. New ideas will come, the righ

he continued, answering his own question. "Split it up for kindling wood. That's what they'd have done. The Marines would have done the same. You're wh

inish. The strange short, broad

struck on the head in return. A short, broad, white man, with the skill of a surgeon, comes along and fixes you up. Who hit me?

the better of this and in due time walked into an illuminated circle which was the l

am and I've ha

d high-pitched, the voice of a boy in his early tee

ome acquainted with Johnny. When he learned of the proposed search for the "Rope of Gold" he had begged to be allowed to go along. Permission was granted by his father only on condition that Pompee, a native servant and a very giant of a man, be taken along as his b

w and the spell of the Citadel was upon them. For some time Johnny did not speak. Their temporary abode,

emanded Curlie, suddenly catching

replied Johnny. "Had a vis

not!" Curlie seem

t your window."

ghed out loud. "It's twen

u didn't

not. There

Johnny's tone

eaped to his fe

ed down after a while. And after that, quite soon, he saw something that caused him

d Curlie, pacing ner

ly these natives are like ca

e. "What's he cooking up in that dark little laboratory of his?" Johnny asked himse

"Lots of sense to that. We had a portable outfit

e time. For the present it was to remain th

ide the fire, which by this time had burned it

ng to himself. "Did that visitor of mine come round and try to b

ho can tell? It was s

night's encounter. "That proves," he ended, "t

ctor to appear upon the scene

he was a handy person to meet. Only ho

Citadel hung over all. For a full ten minutes no one s

ere now, waiting for sleep to come. There were hundreds, perhaps thou

the day. This man was larger than any one of us, larger than any of them. And he was greater than all of them," Pompee continued. "The gre

cy again that he saw a figure moving there, to imagine that he caugh

oke, "he may have been angry and imp

thing there,

t?" aske

was a powerful man, the most powerful ever known in Haiti." The French boy's tone becam

al. "And that is what he did. But

d give answer, though each

ce of shadows and n

fore the fire. Then, apparently remembering

said shortly. "Be late getting

the natives,"

. "Natives of Haiti? T

l." Johnny rubbed

r within the grim walls seemed unusually damp and chill on this night, Johnny and Dorn dragged their blankets to a

ittle of this journey in the beginning. True, he had hoped, boy fashion, that something might come of it; that they might find something of real value that would ai

tives before, especially of a long-haired bronze type

only a great deal worse. What can they want? Is there really something hidden

at last to begin the ascent of a flight o

lf. "Cool my blood. Dorn's safe eno

lant, drove him up and up until at last he stood at the very t

that memorable night spreading mortar and laying bricks. And it may be," he caught his b

d power drove you mad, you dreamed great dreams for the good of your people. Now,

to me now," but somehow a feeling came over him that this would be akin t

ad and very long; a perfect p

ilent night, and now endeavoring to live again the da

r sight in all the world. At the back of the Citadel d

ll, shading beautiful white stucco homes. The water of the sea was blue and clear as the most tra

he told himself, as he walked slowly along with bow

rought them only death. Christophe dreamed dreams. He, too, ended in defeat. And why? Gold! Columbus might have succeeded but the greedy Spaniards

s a hero and a liberator until he

s. He was here at this very moment in

s thought. "But we want it at least in par

desolate, cactus grown plain. It was broken in places, but once it was repaired it would bring water to thousands of thirsty acr

the water," the Professor had said. "If only we

" the boy told hi

inking. His first thought was

was in the

is feet. He threw his arms out madly

stant that the un

he told himself. "I have found the

emed to whisper. "You are more than a