Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-13

Oh Jne DOdbnlan |
81 say. Cap'n, here $ trouble p
What is it, Dick2' inquired Eugene,
starting to his feet.
+" Don't you see thar,s a heavy fog rising,
that'll soon kiyer us up so thick that we
won't be able to tell a white man from a mig
ger r. replied the boatman-Dick Winter by
name-a tall, honny, muscular, athletic
specimen Of bis class.
Good heaven 50 there. is !" exclaimed
Eugene, looking of upon The already misty
waters. ct must have gathered very sud-
denly, fcr all was clear a inmate ago. What
is to he done now? This is something |
was not prepared for, on such a night as
this
1t looks troublous. Cap'n, I'll allow
returned Dick 'abut we're in fort. that's
%sartin, and | s'pose we'll have TO make the
best ont
"Bnt what is to be done ?-what do you
advise r. asked Eugene, in a quick, excited
tone, that indicated som degree Of alarm.
Why, eff you war'nt 50 skeered about
the young lady, and it warn't so dead agin
the orders from head quarters, my plan
would bea cl'ar and easy one-I'd just run
over to the Kaintuck shore, and tie up"
mo, no" said Eugene, positively " that
will never do, Dick-that will never do !
| would not think of such a thing for a mo-
ment! We must keep in the current by all
means! I"
EFF you caA.' rejoined the boatman J;
" but when it gets so dark as we can't tell
one thing from t'other, it'll be powerful hard
to do; and eff we don't run agin a bar or
bank afore morning, in spite O. the lest O. US,
it'll be the luckiest go that ever I had a
hand in. See. Cap'n-it's thickening up
fast; we can't see eyther bank at all, nor
the water nyther; the stars is gettin' dim,
! and it looks as if thar war a cloud all round
u.s. at9i
} 81 seel I see!!" returned Eugene, ex-
/ citedly. 'sMeaciful heaven I hope no ac-
, cident will befall us here--and yet my
) heart almost misgives me fer this, | be-
: lieve, is the most dangerous part OF oar
: iourney-the vicinity where most of our
boats have been captured by the savages."
Saying this, Eugene FASTENED below,
/ where he found the other boatmen sleeping
so soundly as to require considerable effort,
on his part, to wake them. At last, getting
them fairly reused, he informed them, almost
/, in a whisper, for he did not care to disturb
= the others, that a heavy fog had suddenly
arisen, and he wished their presence on
n deck, Immediately"
f ga fog, Cap'n,'' exclaimed one, in a tone
y which indicated that he cemprehended the
r peril with the word. a
lush r returned Eugene F" there is nc
necessity waking the others, and having 6
n scene. Up! and follow me, without &
word T.
5 He glided back to the deck, and was al
n most Immediately joined by the boatmen
) to whom he briefly made known his hopes
and fears.
They thought, like their companion, tina
the boat would be safest if made fast to al
overhangiBg limb Of the Kentucky shore
but frankly admitted that this could nc
" now be done without difficulty and danger
d and that their was a possibility OF keeping
d the current. 4
,e tThen make that possibility a certainty
N and it shall be the best night's'work yol
J. ever performed T. rejoined sEugene, m
If quick, excited tone.
We'll do the best we can, Cap'n,o was
t. the response, " bnt no man cay be sartil
Of the current 81 this here crooked stream
in a foggy night"
.e A Iong silence followed-the veyagers
\ slowly drifted down through a misty dark
ness impenetrable to the eye-when, sud
denly, our your commander, who was stand.
a ing near the bow, felt the extended branch
of an overbanging limb silently brush his
face. He started, with an exclamation 81
alarm, and at the same moment the boat
Y man on the right called out:
d "Quick, here, boys we're agin the shore
d as sure as death p sio 3a
n Then followed a scene of hurried and
anxious confusion, the voices of the three
boatmen mingled together in loud, quick
s excited tones. e
Push off the bow p cried one.
"Quick altogether, now oYerwith her ?
a shouted another.
1.-The devils in it! she's running aground
S here on a muddy bottom !" almost yelled q
! third.
. Meantime tie laden boat was brushing
along against projecting bushes and over.
e reaching limbs, and every moment getting
more and more entangled; while the long
# poles and sweeps of the boatmen, as they
S attempted to push her off, were often plung
|, ed. without touching bottom, into what ap
peared to be soft, clayey mud, from which
!, they Were only extricated by such an outlay
I of strength as tended still more to draw tho
clumsy craft upon the bank they wished tc
e avoid. At length, scarcely more than &
minute from the first alarm, there was a kind
of settling together, as it were, andthe boat
became fast and immovable.
+ The fact was announced by Dick Winter
n in his characteristic manner-who added
d with an oath. that it was just what he ex-
J, pected. For a moment or two a dead
e silence followed, as if each comprehended
t that the matter was one to be. viewed in a
: very serious light.
r "IT get over the bow, and try to get the
lay Of the land with my feet,'' said Tom
Harris and forthwith be set about the not
r very pleasant undertaking
r At this moment Eugene heard his name
pronounced by a voice that seldom failed
f to excite a peculiar emotion in his breast,
, ank now sent a strange thrill through every
nerve; and Fastening below, be found
a Blanche. full dressed, with a light in her
/ hand, standing just outside of her cabin, in
the regular passage which led lengthwise
t through the center of the boat.
! II have heard something, Eugene" she
t said, "enough to know that we have met
with an accident, but not sufficient to fully
+, comprehend its nature"
/" Unfortunately, about two hours ago."
! replied Eugene, we suddenly became in
3 yolved in a dense fog; and in spite of
4 our every preeaution and care, we have run
$ aground-it may be against the Ohio shore
) lit may be against an island-it is so dark
49, .--5L III D-4 L. - 3.-,a1 7Tsn-