men had returned to their tasks.
Sitting cross-legged on the sand at some distance off, Gerry could see
them patiently at work cleaning and polishing their shells. She
remembered that they had seemed to understand what she had said,
although speaking only a few English words.

Walking over to them Gerry as simply as possible presented their
predicament.

When she had finished speaking the small bright-eyed men glanced at each
other and nodded.

"Alle-ight," one of them answered for both.

Then off they trotted, this time disappearing inside their small hut.
Next moment they returned carrying on their shoulders a flat straw
basket set upon two long poles. It was scarcely a basket, so much as a
woven straw mat, which the divers probably used at odd times for
transporting their sea merchandise.

Ultimately Sally was persuaded to allow herself to be hoisted upon this
mat, which was fairly strong since it suffered her weight. Then the two
little men bore her off, swinging easily between them. They ran lightly
from rock to rock until climbing up the cliff they reached the road at
the summit, with Gerry following as swiftly as possible.

They had arranged not to attempt to carry Sally to camp but to some
place nearer at hand, where she could receive aid.

Originally when they had made this plan it appeared to Gerry as a
reasonable one and not one to cause anxiety. Now as she pursued the two
strange little men, who were carrying Sally with such ease and quickness
to a perfectly unknown destination she had a curious sensation more of
bewilderment than fear.

However, one had to keep moving so rapidly that there was small
opportunity for clear thinking.

Leaving the main road, the little men struck into another, which went
first up a bare brown hill and then down again. The second hill was
green with a crop of the ever-present beans.

Finally they climbed to the top of a mesa and brought Sally to a resting
place before a clump of dusty, gray-green pepper trees.

On their left was a hedge of untrimmed shrubs and in front an open
court. Beyond stood an old Spanish ranch house.

After whispering together, one of the little men rang a bell, which hung
on a stand outside this court.

A few moments later a Japanese servant appeared and the three men spoke
to one another in Japanese. Then the servant turned away.

It was all very unusual and puzzling. Before Sally and Gerry could be
overwhelmed by uneasiness, to thei