The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-28

oozed in SO slowly that danger from leakage
had not alarmed him until then; the cur
rent, too, had carried them along so gently
that the danger Of upsetting had not pre-
sented itself. But after they passed the
fort the motion of the waves changed, not
suddenly but gradually, until at last the
boat was rocking like cedar chip in the
eddies of mill race. And still the tide had
not turned. 55 e
Ceasing his bailing for an instant, Tom
thought he heard the sound of water trink-
ling into the boat. Perhaps it was his in
stlnct OF danger and not his ears that warned
him, for the waves we're splashing against
the outside, and the motion caused a con-
slant tapping of the water within the boat.
Tom made q careful examination, and at
Iastfound little hole through which the
water poured in 1itful stream as the boat
rocked from side to side.
must stop that Leak he said Can
you bail?"
The sun had set, and the flush was fading
out OF the western sky, Laura took one
long look around. In all the waste of
waters there was no moving object IF
there had been ship in sight she could
have seen it, she thought, almost despair
ingly. ~ =
She began to bail as well as she could.
with the felt hat, and in her cramped posi-
ton. long line Of gray was coming up
from the south.
1T is fog said Tom. in whisper.
Until he said 1T is fog" she did not re-
allze the almost utter hopelessness Of their
posi- ton. Even if the tide should turn be-
fore they reached the bar, it would be i'm
possible to protect themselves in q foo.
For moment she thought she should quite
break down, the fate before them seemed
SO terrible. Tom had succeeded in stop
ping the leak, and had resumed bailinp.
10 make that task easier, he had cut the
brim from his hat. The fog was now all
around them, and it was quite dark. They
thought they heard the surf moreEd istinctly.
The tide has turned, said Tom,
And SO it had, but just how they would
be affected by the change they could not
tell. Tom kept on bailing, until the amount
OF water in the boat had materially de-
creased. They had not spoken to each
other Tor some moments. At last Laura
leaned forward. Her hand touched TOMS.
and he took it in his own. That hand-clasp
meant to them things unspeakable. Her
hand was very cold, and almost as cold as
his own. In his pocket was silk hand
kerchief; he handed it to her, and babe her
aie it about her neck, for he dared not rise
to fasten it there himself Then he took
both her hands between his own, striving
to keep them warm.
Laura was the first to speak, and her
eo1ce WI was quite firm, scarcely even sorrow
ful: Tom, dear, do not want to die: and
yet death can not take from us the boon of
having died together"
But we shall not die now, Laura; know
we'll not" There was the ring of convic-
ton in his tones. The profound resigna-
ton underlying her words had struck tho
right key in his own nature land the thought
OF bis first despairing mood made him al
most angry. "But it's awfully hungry we
are. my DEAR" were his next words.
"Im ashamed of you," said Laura and
she actually laughed. Tom laughed also.
When two persons in such position can
laugh, it is either very brave" or Every
shocking" according to the creed we first
sucked and the so forth Of our salad
days.
The fog was all around them, and neither
could see the others face. The fog was
cold, and from time to time Laura had
Shlvered once or twice, audibly, though
quite invountarily, for she was brave it,
tie woman. When the ripple of the young
girls laughter rang out amid the fog, (above
the boom of the surf, the far away barking
of the sea-lions on Seal Rock, and the near
yet distant, scream of the fog signal, and
when his own laughter was smothered in
in the fog folds, Tom repeated: Bust am
hungry, awfully-" .#.
What he might have gone on to say is
forever sealed The next moment the
boat struck something with great momen-
tun, and that is oil Laura remembered till
she awoke in the queer little cabin of the
Sarah Emma, brigantine, inbound from
Australia.
womap's gentle face bent above her
own in anxious, motherly regard, and dear
Tom sat on locker behind the gangway,
with glad tears in his eyes to see the color
steal back to her cold cheeks. .t
And now you must have bit to eat"
said the captains wife, in hospitable ac-
cents.
But Laura shut her eyes, half malicious
", and murmured: "Giveit to him, please
he's always hungry" e-..-.,.--.
That's what you'll not dare. to say
when you become Mrs. Tom.~ said the
young man, triumphantly; and as the mat
ronly figure of the captains wife disap-
peared in the shadow of the gangway, he
kissed her shut eyes softly, and turned
away. -. &C..