Chapter I: Front Matter

THE BLUE RAIDER

A TALE OF ADVENTURE
IN THE SOUTHERN SEAS

BY

HERBERT STRANG

ILLUSTRATED BY
C. E. BROCK

HUMPHREY MILFORD
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
LONDON, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW
TORONTO, MELBOURNE, CAPE TOWN, BOMBAY
1920

HERBERT STRANG

_Complete List of Stories_

ADVENTURES OF DICK TREVANION, THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY ROCHESTER, THE A GENTLEMAN AT ARMS A HERO OF LIEGE AIR PATROL, THE AIR SCOUT, THE BARCLAY OF THE GUIDES BLUE RAIDER, THE BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE BROWN OF MOUKDEN BURTON OF THE FLYING CORPS CARRY ON CRUISE OF THE GYRO-CAR, THE FIGHTING WITH FRENCH FLYING BOAT, THE FRANK FORESTER HUMPHREY BOLD JACK HARDY KING OF THE AIR KOBO LORD OF THE SEAS MOTOR SCOUT, THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE ONE OF CLIVE'S HEROES PALM TREE ISLAND ROB THE RANGER ROUND THE WORLD IN SEVEN DAYS SAMBA SETTLERS AND SCOUTS SULTAN JIM SWIFT AND SURE THROUGH THE ENEMY'S LINES TOM BURNABY TOM WILLOUGHBY'S SCOUTS WITH DRAKE ON THE SPANISH MAIN WITH HAIG ON THE SOMME

CONTENTS

I. A BEACH IN NEW GUINEA
II. THE DRUMS
III. THE CHIMNEY
IV. MR. HAAN
V. IN THE TOILS
VI. THE TOTEM
VII. REMINISCENCES
VIII. A RECONNAISSANCE
IX. COMPLICATIONS
X. THE CAST OF THE DIE
XI. THE ORDEAL OF EPHRAIM MEEK
XII. THE LEDGE
XIII. A FORCED LANDING
XIV. AN INTERLUDE
XV. DUK-DUK
XVI. FLIGHT
XVII. THE ATTACK ON THE VILLAGE
XVIII. THE AVALANCHE
XIX. AT ARM'S LENGTH
XX. THE LAST RAID
XXI. JUSTICE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

_Frontispiece in Colour_

'With their arms still bound firmly to their sides, the prisoners stumbled through the forest.' (See page 97.)

'Come up and have a look at this, Meek'

'Now 's the time!'

Up and up, foot by foot, arrows whizzing and clicking

'Feel better?'

'The Raider!'

A score of dusky natives burst into the ring

Grinson marched in at the head of a procession

'Who says I ain't tattooed?'

With every step the descent became steeper

Kafulu sprang upon Meek from behind

The German flung a pail of water over the unconscious Meek

Noiselessly on his stocking soles tip-toed after the German

One of the Germans raised his revolver, but before he could fire, Hoole launched the spear at him

The leader of the dancers was just approaching when there was a roar, and the whirring propeller set up a hurricane which caught at his dress

Grinson let out a bellow like the blast of a fog-horn, and sprang from the trees, followed by a horde of natives

Grinson gave the boulder a shove in the desired direction

With a thunderous crash it struck the side of the vessel a few feet below the rail

Quickly they set their ladders against the barricade, and began to swarm up