The Shadow Passes

by Roy J. Snell

  CHAPTER XXIII IN THE BLUE BEAR'S CAVE

  It was with a feeling of great uneasiness that Johnny came on deck nextmorning. What was to happen? Had that little brown man told the story oftheir struggle in the night? And if he had? He shuddered.

  Yet, strange to say, the day wore on in perfect peace. They were not evenasked to go below and clean fish. The reason for this was apparent, thefish on deck had been taken care of. Since the storm was still roaringacross the sea, no others could be brought in. During the forenoon twosmall, motor-driven crafts came close to stand by.

  "They belong to this outfit," MacGregor declared. "They may have salmonbelow-deck. They're afraid of the storm. That's why they don't come in.

  "Ah, well," he sighed. "We're here for the day at least. Even if your_Krazy Kat_ was in the water, Rusty, we couldn't risk her in a storm likethis."

  "These Orientals are a queer lot," Johnny mused.

  "Queer's no name for it, me boy," said MacGregor. "As for me, I don'ttrust 'em. They're like children, just when they're makin' the leastnoise is when you're sure they're up to some mischief."

  Was this true? Johnny shuddered anew, but said never a word.

  They discovered during their lunch in their stateroom at noon that therewas something vaguely familiar about the brown boy who brought the lunch.Johnny stared at him. But Rusty exclaimed in a whisper, "Kopkina! Youhere?"

  The boy made a motion for silence. "I am spy," he whispered. "Red McGeegood man. Me, I, Red McGee man.

  "You listen," his voice dropped to a whisper. "I tell 'em, that onecaptain this ship, tell 'em you Red McGee boy." He nodded to Rusty. "Tell'em Red McGee mebby plenty mad. Plenty 'fraid Red McGee. They not punishyou for fight on deck last night. Must go now." He disappeared throughthe door.

  "Boy!" Johnny breathed. "I'm feeling better already."

  Two hours later they had added cause for feeling better. Just when thesea was beginning to calm a little they caught the drum of a motor. AsJohnny heard it his heart stood still, then leaped.

  "A motor," he breathed. "That's a powerful motor. If only it's DanMacMillan and his seaplane."

  "It is! It is!" Rusty's voice rose to a high pitch. "There! There it is.See!"

  Johnny did see. He pointed it out to MacGregor. They all leaned on therail watching the seaplane approach.

  "If it's only Dan," MacGregor breathed.

  There came the sound of rushing feet. Apparently every little brown manon the boat had heard those motors. They came swarming onto the deck.

  "If it's Dan MacMillan," said MacGregor, "there's sure to be someone withhim."

  "They'll be looking for us," said Rusty.

  "Yes, and we'll have to find a way to let them know we're here," Johnnyadded.

  "That," said MacGregor, "is going to be hard, with all these." His glanceswept the brown throng.

  "Tell you what!" Johnny exclaimed. "Rusty and I might do a little boxingbout. There's sure to be someone on the plane who knows us."

  "And they'll recognize you by your actions," MacGregor agreed. "It's acapital idea. I'll go for the gloves."

  And so it happened that, as the seaplane flew over the ship, circled,then dipping low, passed within a hundred feet, those in it witnessed astrange sight--two white youngsters staging a boxing match for thebenefit of a host of little brown men, who, truth to tell, gave themscant attention.

  "I only hope they recognized us," said Johnny, throwing his gloves on thedeck.

  "You and me too," said Rusty. "Anyway," she laughed, "that's one time Ididn't knock you out."

  Whatever impression this little drama may have made upon the occupants ofthe seaplane, the effect of the appearance of the seaplane on the littlebrown men was apparent at once. On every face as the seaplane wentwinging away MacGregor read consternation.

  "They're afraid," he grumbled low to his young companions. "Down deep intheir hearts they are afraid."

  "What will they do now?" Rusty asked anxiously.

  "They're already doin' it," said MacGregor, calling attention to the rushand bustle on board. "Puttin' the ship in shape. It wouldn't surprise meif they weighed anchor within the hour. And if they do, me lassie," headded, "you may be lookin' on them Oriental cities within a week, forthey'll be headin' straight for home."

  "Oh-o," Rusty breathed. But she said never a word.

  On that same morning in Smokey Joe's cabin Lawrence was up before the weesmall hours had passed. After one good look at the sea, which was stillrolling high, he dashed back into the cabin to find Blackie staring athim wide awake.

  "Black-Blackie," he stammered. "I--I hate to disturb you. But--but thatblue bear--"

  "I know." Blackie sat up. "Three peaks, a look and a right smart ho,hum."

  "Blackie! It's terribly important. Just think! A little blue bear. Theonly one in captivity, if we get him."

  "I know." Blackie slid out of his bunk. "Get the fire going. Put thecoffee pot on. We'll be off in a half hour."

  "Oh, think--"

  "Put the coffee on!" Blackie roared.

  After tacking an old shirt to a pole as a signal of distress to any boatthat might pass and instructing Smokey Joe to be on the lookout, Blackiedrew a rough map, showing where, according to Smokey's direction, thebear's cave might be found. After that he led the way over the first"peak."

  These peaks were, they discovered, mere ridges. The distance was, inreality, much shorter than they had thought.

  "This is the place," Lawrence said, an hour and a half later. "It mustbe."

  "It is," Blackie agreed. "There are the two scrub spruce trees withSmokey's blaze on them."

  "And there's the cave!" Lawrence was greatly excited.

  "Not much of a cave," said Blackie. "Might be quite some bear at that.Wait."

  With a small hatchet he hacked away at a dry spruce knot until he had apitch-filled torch. This, with the aid of some dry shavings, he lighted.

  "Now," he breathed. "Give me one of the ropes. We'll have to manage totangle him up somehow. I'll lead the way."

  "Al-all right," Lawrence's tongue was dry.

  The floor of the dark grotto was strewn with pebbles. To walk withoutmaking a noise was impossible.

  "Wait! Listen!" Lawrence whispered when they had covered some twentypaces.

  As they paused, they caught a low hissing sound.

  "Snakes," the boy suggested.

  "Not here. Too cold. It's the bear. Get your rope ready."

  Slowly, cautiously they moved forward.

  "There! There are his eyes." Two balls of fire appeared directly beforethem.

  And then things began to happen. A low snarl was followed by the sound ofscattered pebbles. Blackie was hit by the rushing bear and bowled overlike a ten pin. But Lawrence, quick as a cat, saw a hairy head, aimed ashort swing and let go his rope.

  Next instant he was shouting: "Blackie! Quick! Help! I got him! I gothim!"

  The husky little blue bear dragged them both to the very entrance of thecave. There, panting and tearing at the rope, he paused to glare at them.The rope was drawn tight about his shoulders with one foreleg through theloop.

  Blackie, who was both fast and strong, made quick work of what remainedto be done. Fifteen minutes later, carrying the live bear slung betweenthem on a pole, they headed for the cabin.

  To their great joy, as they neared the cabin, they saw one of Red McGee'sgill-net boats awaiting them in the little bay. Smokey Joe had flagged itdown.

  After a hasty, "Thank you and goodbye" to Smokey, they tossed theirpriceless captive into the after cabin of the stout, little motor-boat tohead straight away over a rolling sea toward still more adventure, ofquite a different nature.