The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-08-26
CHAPTER III.
MY REVENGE.

was half aroused by touch on the
shoulder. and opened my eyes, but the
semi-darkness was still before me.
Then voice I knew said: ''Toms Just
off, but the mornings wet and stormy,
sir. Be advised and stay below; YOU"
had laid down again and was asleep
once more before he had completed
the sentence.
I must have slept some time when a
dull sound aroused me. Hooked about
and it was not until the clock door burst
open and the bird came out that rec
objected where I was.
"Cuckoov I counted six strokes.
Then the dull and distant sound came
down upon the wind and I began to
wonder what it was.
A third time, louder, and now "fat-
ter" so to speak, as if the wind had
caught the noise and borne it against
the stone pillar wherein lay. 1 could
hear Dobson and his companion hur-
rying to and fro, and in few moments
as the former passed the door, called
aloud and he came in hastily.
"What's the matter, Dobson?"
"Vessel drifting in disabled. She'll
strike, I fear. They're signaling for
help-don't We hear the guns %
He was gone. Guns! A vessel in
distress! Here was an adventure, in
deed. I leaped out Of bed and hurried
through my toilet, from time to time
looking out upon the angry, tumbling
sea, driven in before southwest gale,
in broken hills of water.
ocoo,,Io1 70 %ho r,11orx, o,,l ~, !,
grandeur of the scene took my atten-
ton for a moment from the reeling
yacht that was drifting helplessly, it
seemed, fairly down upon the cruel
line Of jagged rocks that were now Wis
IDLE to the Windward.
"Now, mate" said Dobson, "you and
me must take this job in hand. Well
cross the rock before she strikes yonder,
and save the poor fellows"
To their astonishment 1 volunteered
to help.
Excuse me, sir, but you amt any
good in this. You can bear a hand on
the lifeline, howsomever, and if we
should not both turn up to muster,
why"
Without another word they shook
hands solemnly with me and with each
other, and then descended to the rock.
1 followed to the door and made fast
the lines they had made fast about their
waists. The sea was now sweeping over
the rocks, and the kissing Of the foam
was like escaping steam, or the horrid
whizzing of an avalanche, which few
can bear to hear and live after they
have heard it.
The men disappeared round the rock
and left me standing at the door ir;eso-
lutte, a lifeline in my hand, a buoy at
tached to it hanging ready for use.
A loud cry attracted my attention.
cracking, grinding noise-the vessel
had struck, and as looked over the
rushing, swirling waves I could see,
though indistinctly, three white faces
and three pairs of struggling arms in
the water. 1 was fascinated-I could
only stare. Help was yet out of the
question, but even as I gazed one SWIM
mer, with great presence OF mind, turn
ca with the waves toward the lee Of
the lighthouse to a spot where in mo-
mentary eddy he might be saved.
Isaw this now, and pulling myself
together" stepped cautiously just with
out the reach of the kissing waves
which swooped in masses down upon
the rocks and slid in smooth layers Of
water, like thick glass, into the boiling
surf beneath. When I had reached a
coign of vantage the poor swimmer was
still bravely battling with the undertow,
and in few moments I hoped to be
able to have the life-buoy to his assis-
tance..
It seems so unreal to look back upon,
and were I not sure of all this sad
mornings work could almost believe