Blogging, Writing, and Publishing

  CHAPTER 10      High in the mist-filled mountain tops two figures danced excitedly around their chubby friend. Another tall and lanky character observed it from under the wide brim of his bush hat. He allowed himself a rare smile. The boys have earned some excitement.      “Bart found the ore. Finally, he did something besides trying to kill us with his food,” Charles said excitedly, much to Bart’s dismay.      “My food gave you the strength to carry on. Didn’t it, Angus?” Bart said, looking hopefully to the boss.      “Kissing up to him won’t get you much,” said Roger. “But finding this gold will.” He grabbed the short and stout Bart in a headlock and rubbed his dirty hair heartily, excited that the months of mining had finally been rewarded.      Bart smiled in his goofy manner, enjoying the much needed praise.      Roger and Charles let out a roar of pleasure as they tossed the baseball-...

   “Let’s help them,” Tucker said, grabbing John’s hand and pulling him toward the commotion in the forest.      The village surroundings had been busy with the sound of leaves crunching, vines cracking, and rhythmic chants for the past 30 minutes. Tucker led laughing gleefully as they went to investigate. Finally they found twenty men pulling on thick vines as they advanced the progress of a huge sago palm toward the village.      “It is big, John. It will bring us lots of food. The kind you eat a lot of last time,” said Tucker.      “I don’t remember eating food from a tree. What do you mean?” John asked as he stepped in behind one of the men.      Both John and Tucker were now struggling with the cumbersome tree. They made slow progress as the tree scraped across the jungle floor inch by inch. Awkward at first, John soon fell in with the rhythm of the cadence and found the load easier to bea...