The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-12-18

could give me seat. L nave long
way TO go, and l am tired
We looked at him and at esoh other.
1t was iree.and .eafy style of asking a
favor but he seemed a gentleman, and
an elderly one too. Common politeness
dictated civility.
4 am afraid, said ALI, we have hard.
ly room; she's only built for three
WAS on the point of advising point
blank refusal, not appreciating his off
hand manner; but Az thought differ
emily.
'All right, said he; we don't mind il
you don't. Steer her in, Jack.
1 steered her in. No sooner were we
near the shore than, quite Unexpectedly,
he stepped almost on my toes, rocking
the boat from side to side.
Hang itP said; take care, or you'll
have us over u
what if / doP he returned. It'll
only be swim; and who minds swim
in weather like thisP'
he seated himself by me, setting the
boat seesawing again, crushing me into
a corner aud without asking with your
leave or by your leave, took the steering
lines from my hands, and slipped them
over his shoulders.
Excuse me- said, making snatch
at them; 'but if you'll allow me-
Not at all, he said; Il always like
something to do, and expect you've
had enough Of it,
His GOODNESS was amusing; he was i'm
penetrable. We waited in silence
second or two.
Come he said, when are you going
te start?'
Perhaps, eaid ALI. bit nettled, 'as
you're in our boat a self-invited guest,
you'll let us choose our own time
The stranger said nothing; he satstolid
and silent. Tom aud ALI set off rowing;
the stranger steered right across the
stream.
Where are you going9' said All
Keep us in
Tn going into the shade; the suns
too hot.
He had the lines; we could hardly in
sist on his keeping one side il he pre-
ferred the other. He took us right to
the opposite bank, under the shadow of
the willow trees. For some minutes
neither of us spoke. With him cram
ming me on my seat, and ramming his
elbows into my side, my position was
not pleasant. At last / let him know it.
Il don't know if you are aware you
are occupying all my seat
He turned on me short and sharp
All at once l noticed his left eye going
up and down like blinking owl: his
mouth was wide open, disclosing as ugly
a set of teeth as L should care to see.
Like flash DR.. Rawle's words crossed
my mind tall, strong, about forty-hve,
iron gray hair; habit Of showing his
teeth, and wink1ng his left eye. Ora
cious powersI was it possible we had q
lunatic with us unawares ?
DR.. Rawle's warning, Don't Jet him
lose his temper, or murder will ensue,
made me bound from my seat like Jack
in-the-box. The boat tipped right out
of the water, but / didn't care. The
man was glaring at me with cruel eyes;
my muscles were strung, my fists clinch-
ed; every moment / expected him at my
throat.
What the dickens are you up toP'
said All. What's the matter with your
'Excitable temperament, hot-blooded
youth, said the stranger.
I could have said something had
chosen, but 1 preferred discretion /;
didn't like his eyes.
'No.o-nothing, / said. Il think I'll
sit in the bow didn't wait to learn
if any one had an objection, but swing
ing round, / scrambled past ALI, and
tripped full length on Toms knees
The boat went up and down like swing;
it was miracle he wasn't over.
rs the fellow mad?' roared ALI.
At the word mad the stranger rose
up straight as post. Mad I he said
do you know, sir He checked him
self and sat down. 'Pooh9 he's only q
boy
In passing Tom l whispered in his
ear. The lunatic, said.
'WhatP said Tom, right out loud.
Either ALI overheard me, or else the
same idea occurred to him at the same
moment, for he stopped dead in the
middle Of stroke, and inspected the
man on the steering seat. Tom and ALI
went on staring at him for minute or
more. / kept my head turned the other
way to avoid his eyes. All at once /
felt the boat give great throb. turn
ed; there was the stranger leaning out
of his seat, looking ut Ali in way l
shouldn't have cared to have him look
at me.
All said nothing. Tom and he sOt off
rowing as coolly as though nothing had
happened. ] extemporized a seat in the
bow, and tried to make things as com.
Portable as possible.
l noticed, although All and Tom were
80 cool, they hardly took their eyes Off
him for more than second nj n TINA