The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-12-05

/ | had noticed it, and with start, for W,
were but little more than a mast's height above
the heaving water. thanked God though
that the breeze was brisk, and that we mus
be passing rapidly over. was foolish enough
to indulge hope that we might live until the
other side. | cannot tell you what an agony
of conflicting emotions l endured l won'
try | only know that before the bottom o.
the basket spatted the water, which it finally
did, had grown ten years older.
That first contact with wave came neal
ending my share in the adventure. 1t tipped
the car, and the balloon, rising with the relief
righted it again with jerk that came very
near pitching me head foremost overheard
frightened my grip just in time, but found
myself swung outside of the ropes, and cling
ing perlously with my face turned inward as
| another wave struck us, then another, then
another, then another-and then the floor Of
the basket of the balloon remained in the
water, and the balloon, still obeying the breeze
careened over, and began to drag us with
frightful velocity through the tumbling bill.
lows.
chung to the ropes for dear life, and tried
to climb along them toward the bag, but the
professor was ahead of me, and as he climbed
he called out:
Hale, one of us can get to Canada, and the
other must feed the fish. I've got family
and Pm going to Canada"
felt that it was my death sentence, and
when the next instant saw the flash of his
blade around the ring above the car, and saw
the same baleful light in his eye that had
seen before, l knew my time had come
Nevertheless Imade fierce struggle and leapt
toward him. in the hope that might clutch
the ring or some of the upper rigging; but in
the moment of my jump, the basket dropped,
the balloon, with Kane in the rigging, his
shining knife between his teeth, shot upward
like the rising flight of some great bird, and l
was struggling with the waves. | sank, but
only for few seconds.
had always been stout swimmer, and l
struck out to keep myself afloat as long as
could. 1t was gruesomeprospectt there in the
middle of Ontario, n mite of humanity in an
infinity of water. l could only hope to keep
alive few hours at longest, but | meant to
fight it to the end. These things rushed across
me like flash, while was yet under the sur
face. The very first stroke l made my heel
struck something. / turned and saw the bas-
ket, bottom up, within three feet of me. To
myjoy discovered that while it was of willow
it was waterproof and having capsized sud-
denly was in condition to be used as buoy,
and so | used it.
That was long and weary wait for morn
ing, puC VIC sun pi'thcu oue VI tne easb III last
and then / wished it hadn't, for the light
was binding l looked in vain for land
Evidently had been dropped in the middle
of the lake, and must take my chance of being
picked up by some passing craft before night
Failing that, knew l must die. But after a
morning that seemed year, my aching eyes
were suddenly frightened by the sight of a
steamer blowing straight toward me.
thought she never would reach me, but in
about an hours time she did, and came very
near passing me by unnoticed. l was nearly
half a mile from her course, but she put about
and line was thrown to me, and in five min
utes | lay fainting on the cabin floor.
1t was the steamer Corinthian, bound from
Port Hope to Rochester upon her daily trip,
and if the professor hadn't dropped me when
and where he did, wouldn't be telling you
this story to-day