The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-08-29

hollow Of his hand, he gave them h good
vigorous cast towards the shore, and saw
them sink few yards from it, Now,
those will easily be recoverable to.mor-
row morning. Have you anything else
about you-keysor nothing of that sortP
Nothing said the lady.
Il have some silver in my trousers
pocket said the gentleman.
Pitch it all into the river,' said Her
bert this is one of those occasions on
which money is n curse to man.
Just put your hand in my left trous-
ers pocket and take it all out, them
Herbert did so, and produced a whole
handful of silver, which he threw after
the watches
Now, then, we are MS light as We can
get. The water is rising very rapidly.
BE ready to start You must neither of
you attempt to breathe through your
mouths; you must breathe through your
nostrils and nothing more. Just hold
your noses up as much as you can above
the water, do not attempt to lift your
hands above it, for you will sink direct
ly. | will take hold of the other end of
the oar, and swim with you towards
Dittisham; but remember that both your
lives depend upon not lifting a single
finger above the water. 1fyou do that,
you will sink if you do not do that. you
cannot help floating. Do you under
stahd 2
Quite said the lady.
] will try said the man.
Now, then. may God help usl' said
Herbert. and laying one hand on the oar,
while he clung to the rock with the 9th.
or, after little difficulty he succeeded
in extracting the blade of tie oar from
the crevice of the rock in which it had
stuck and it once more hoaIed in the
water.
Now. then said Herbert getting it
round into the proper position. Just lay
your two hands here, where the leather
is
But if | let 60 Of my sister, she will
sink
80, please God, she shall not Here.
madam. place both # your hands now ON
my left shoulder, before he takes the oar.
Now. rest on me your full weight and
never mind swallowing a llt,lo water,
both Of YOU
As Herbert said this, he slipped round
to the side Of the rock where they were,
and placing himself on the lady's right
haud, she took fast hold of his dress at
the point indicated and as she did so,
she felt her weight bone away by the
river
Oh, am sinking Oh, | au sink.
ing p
Oh. no, you will not sink. Keep
your bead down aud rest on me. Now,
quick, my boy, clasp hold of the oar
! will | will p grasrcd the uufor-
tunate man and the moment he did so,
away went all three on the bosom Of that
angry tide, right into deep water
I am drowning am drowning 2
shrickcd the man.
No. 10, you are all right now keep
your courage up-we will soon be on
shore And Herbert, getting sufficient.
ly out Of his reach not TO be cntanglnd
with him, struck the blade of the oar be.
tween his teeth and struck out boldly
for the little fishing village of Dittisham.
Going up the river with the stream and
wind the progress Of the trio was very
rapid and as Herbert struck out with
the utmost possible energy towards the
lights that still cleaned from the cot
tagors' windows, where the beach sholved
down much more gently than in the ad.
jaccnt parts Of the river, he succeeded in
about ten minutes in getting them into
the still water, made by the projecting
race as it advanced out to that narrow
strait of the river where the scene Of
this catastrophe happened.
In a few minutes, Herbert struck his
foot against the shore, and instantly rose
up, the water not coming above his waist
Thank Heaven, wo are safe = said he.
for the first time placing his arm round
the waist of the gentle being, who, with
out a murmur. had so implicitly follow
cd his Instructions but. when hc expect
cd some reply, be found the excitement
of the scene had ended in her fainting.
Knowing well, from past lectures of
bis friend Drysticks, what was the prop
er treatment of lady under the crcum-
stances, and that tho best practice was
instantly to lower the head, Herbert mo
ways reluctant, be it confessed) caught
her light and graceful figure in his arms,
and while the long dishepelled hair fell
down. streaming with water, he raised
her little tiny feet, as she lay in his en-
brace like pale statue. Even in that
time of excitement, lie could not help
momOntarily glancing with an a3miriug
and minute eye, on the lovely features he
pressed to his bosom but the darkness
was too great to do more than just assist
the Imagination in believing that nothing
could surpass her beauty.
Come along quickly, my boy said
he, turning to the brother, who, to his
astonishmont, was so overcome with the
danger, through which he had passed,
that he remained Houndering in the water
up to bis ncok unable to rise
Help me, help cried he, all my
strength is gone.
| cannot help you, my boy ] have to
carry your sister. Come, jump up like
a man all the danger is over now--put
your arms round my waist, and | will
welk slowly to the shore. Cheer upmy
lad we viii 60 and get draught OF vine
and some dry clothes at the village inn,
and you will soon be all right.
Oh, ] thall die shall die
Nonsense, die You were very near
:. = Al. Il e.