The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-09-03
aMisffllanenus.
RATHER AN ADVENTURE
FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE

COI lledNcu Sohe, tdhe ule ONcr
So cried n pale, painting man to Will
liam Egerton, who was sculling easily
down the reedy river Cam. Egerton
looked up in the direction of the cry,
and saw a sight which gave him shock,
and made him "hold up' his boat i'm
mediately. The man who called out so
piteously clambered down the bank to
the very edge Of the water, where he
stood with blood pouring from his
nose, his face like that Of ghost, his
dress disOrdered, his neckerchief awry,
his hat pressed tightly over his head,
his hands clasped imploringly before
him as he repeated the cry: "For
Heavens sake, sir, take me over. Do,
for heavens sake put me across!"
"Why can't you go over the ferry ?"
asked Egerton discontentedly. "This
isn't ferryboat."
"For Heavens sake put me across !"
repeated the man, stretching out his
hands as if to catch hold of Egcrton's
boat. "Do put me across-thc devils
are after me!'
"What devils?" asked Egerton.
"The haiifis-thc bailiffs o, put me
across !"
81 doubt whether my boat will hold
both Of u.s." grumblcd Egerton. "IIere
catch the end Of my scull, and pull the
boat in. Gently, gently, or you'll cap
size me-"
For the man had eagerly seized the
acull, and very nearly upset the boat,
which, though it was not canvas
covered, and though it was called at
Cambridge tub, was in reality very
light skiff, such rs many a mother
would think it dangerous for her dar-
ling son to trust himselfin alone. How
ever, the miserable man was able and
apparently delighted to get into even so
frail craft.
Egerton pushed Off very carefully, and
just as he had dipped his sculls for the
first stroke, he heard hoarse, dull CON
fused roaring in the distance, and the
wretched passenger cried "Quicker-
quicker; they're a.coming: can't ye
hear'em 2"
Egerton was on the point OF making
an angry rejoinder, for he didn't at all
like the mans tone; but young men Of
twenty sympathise with those who are
escaping from the bailiiTs, and he mere
ly replied coolly: "AIl right, ,my friend;
as soon as | get settled to my work, I'll
! take you across like shot. / don't
| know whether you care about your
| trousers and things but the blood from
your nose is dropping all over them. {"
The man only shook his head careless.
ly and kept his eyes fixed ON the OPP.
| posite bank.
Eserton gave way with will, and as
he had to steer for himself, he was
| obliged occasionally to turn his head to
| see where he was going. One as he faced
| about again, and looked towards his
passenger, he saw the latter watching Il
| number OF circles in the water astern Of
the boat. As the passenger twisted his
head back to its former position, the
boat gave lurch, and Egerton said
angIily: "You'd better sit still, my
| friend; what the deuce were you look
ing at?"
"Nothing."
"GOu were looking at something, Pm
sure, for | saw the circles in the water
myself; / suppose a fish jumped"
"Hes, that were it, MASTER" said the
passenger dreamily "a fish jumped
| see it,"
BY this time they had reached the OPP
posite bank, for the Cam is narrow
river and the man, having got ashore,
ran up the steep path which led down
to the river as fast as his legs would
carry him, without speaking word or
looking behind him.
SWELL" thought Egerton, AZ he pull
edaway," he might havesaid' Thank. ee'
at any rate but l suppose he is in too
great funk to be civil"
As he rowed along leisurely towards
the favorite inn on the rivers bank, he
heard the voices OF his pursuers getting
palmer and palmer as they came nearer
\ and nearer, and it sounded as if they
were shouting "Murder murder!" He
laughed rs he thought Of the dodge the
bailifls must have used to get n crowd
to assist them in the pursuit Of II poor
| runaway, whose only crime was pro-
badly shortness Of work, which was me-
cessarily followed by arrears Of rent /;
and he chuckled as he thought of the
start he must have helped the fugitive
to get; for the bridge was half a mile of,
and the nearest ferry was close at hand
certainly but had nobody inattendance,
as the young gentlemen at college, who
1 Mere the chief patrons of tho ferria.