The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-01-11

not Trouble myself TO get more than just
enough to show the skipper that it was all
right and then, feeling hot and tired, |
sat down IN lhe boat aud looked about me-
1T was real pretty sight the sides of
the cave were covered with some hard,
shining shells that looked like glaze, and
the way all sorts of different colors shone
about on it was wonderful puzzled me
to tell where they all came from bu there
wasn't one you could mention but
shimmerlng and shining in that cave the
same as they do III a mackereIs sides when
its took out Of he water.
"The sea " a. as still a. a pOnG, but very
deep-fOr there was on seeing To the bot
tom even in that clear water but It look
ed SO cool and pleasant that | thought I'd
take off my clnthe lana give them IA rub,
for they we've not very clean. There was d
ledge of rock on one side, something like a
shelf; toward the entrance IL got very uar-
row and came to nothing. lhe other Nay
it became wider, and led to The back of
the cave, where there was a soIt of beach
which ran up farther than | could see-for
it was darkish there, being long way
fIom the opening.
Il got out on to this ledge and stripped,
and soon had my things washed nice aud
clean. Then | thought L would take a
swim SO III L went. splashing and diving,
and carrying on like = chic. Ii was very
good fun. sir, that we've, but it weren't
fun when | came up again and looked
about me-fer my boat that I'd left fasteu-
ed to he ledge was Gone-gone clean out
of sight, as If 1t had never been there at all.
1t made me feel bit queer, aud | rubbed
the water out of my eyes, thinking | must
have got blinded like but no-lcok as
would. there was no boat, aud nothing to
show where she'd gone.
1t takes a long while telling, sill, but it
wasn't ten seconds after | was out of the
water before | was down by the sjretcher
I'd Jammed into crack of the rock-aud
| weren I none too soon, for the rope was
just Shipping of the end when | fished II,
the stretcher itself being all bent down on
one side, though d put it upright when |
got out OF the DOat. There was no doubt
now where she'd gone she ID gone down
aud began hauling in my rope, botherng
all the while what she'd gone down for
and Id plenty of time 30 think about it,
for, haul as / would, the boat never stirred.
There she was, hard and fast, and | might
as well have been pulling against the living
rock for all the good it did
lit was not exactly a comfortable fix to
be left III that cave without he chance of
getting out again and when | found |
could not stir the boat began TO think
might have to stay there a goodiSh while,
fUT, though some of the crew would be
sure to lind 1t, or the German 10 look
arOuud III day or two, | didn't make up
my mind To waiting FOR them till | saw
there was no chance of getting out any
other way. Just behind where | stood the
waves had made what we call a wind hole,
buJ it wasn't wide as II common chimney,
aud it would take a longIsh jump to get to
it, and no good then, for 1t narrowed at the
top till you could only just the light
coming through. L was looking round,
thinking I'd fasten the rope safe. and then
go up to the beach end, when felt a jerk,
and before | could pull up came the boat
again close to my feet.
- You're come as you wen:,' says |, but
now I'll keep you safe : and L stopped
down to lay hold of her, when there hap
pened the awfulest thing | ever heard or
dreamed of. Straight up out of the water,
not three feet away from me, rose two
great dripping arms. There was never
splash, never bit of noise, but for the
drops of water falling back again into the
sea, but higher and higher those awful
things came up out Of the watel. "A clear
eight feet, and then they turned them
selves and bent toNaId me. | gave a veil
and jumped back, for they seemed as If
they'd almost touch me. | was scared out
of my senses with terror and, instead of
turning to the right, which would have led
me TO a broad ledge, and on up To the
beach, | spraug to the left, and there |
was standing on bit of a shelf, the rock
behind me slippery as glass, and straight
below me the still, green water, looking as
beautiful you could fancy, aud those
two horrible arms waving aud creeping
nearer and nearer.
IF once they touched me, | was a dead
mani knew that well enough. L don't
think | should have been scared to die if
it came straigh forward, by drowning or
any regular seamau's chance /; but to be
drawn into the water 10y those horrible
clammy arms, and pecked to pieces almost
before | was dead by :he creature they be-
ionged tot took the heart out of me, sir,
| don't deny. kept backing close against
the rock, edging away as far ever |
could, when up came the beast itself, and |
could see his cruel beak aud the fl iehtful
look of him as he put his arms closer to-
ward me. With another scream-for ]
was off my head with lright-l turned and
made a spring at the wind hole. How ever
| reached it | don't know ; but it was my
only chance, and somehow hit it. Up
went, sweep fashion, but 1 could not get
far, 1t was too narrow, nd, squeeze aud
push as | might, | could not get on.
Ever so far above me / could see the
sky through the opening at the top ot the
hole, aud some bits of grass aud leaf wav
ing about against the light, ever SO pretty.
| wasn't thinking of such things, but |
took notice of them for all that, and can
see them now, if | ST ut my eyes, just as
they were growing tLen, when | did not
think | should ever see the sky or grass
lgaIn.
Il suppose I had been in that hole about
ten minutes, for I'd done all ] knew TO get
IN, aud gave 1t up bad job, and was
thinking that If was out of the creatures
way | might stick there "A good bit, and
hen perhaps drop and make run for it at
he far eud of the cave. But it was des-
perate chance, sir, for those beasts don't
give up thing when once they have set
themselves To get Il. They will stop aud
xai: a. patient as you like, but you don't
tire them, aud they'll stop aud watch till
you go down before them, sheer wore out
and beat.
~ was thinking Of this when something
c"ld, soft aud sticky .c,-~.-~i my foot. For
a moment | did not think what j, was; but
ID came slowly crawling above my ankle.