Middletown transcript., 1886-09-09
some light on shore by which she

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E From far astern still sounded that
|, regular thump, thump, utshe needed
. it little. No two men in a heavy
! boat could overcome the lead she now
had, and when she resumed her way,
, it was in more leisurely fashion.
The breeze was growing fresher ow,
! and had fair sweep in from the sea,
and little by little the surface Of the
water roughened, and by and by white
caps showed themselves, and soon one
: broke against the boats side and
sprinkled Polly with spray, but she
only feathered her sculls a little
higher and kept on with her swinging
stroke.
But then, presently, another and
another, and still another wave, with
a sharp swish, leaped the gunwale,
and Polly began to feel the water ris-
ing about her feet and to wish she
were in some other craft than this
crank, low-sided working-boat. But
bales she had none, and there was
naught to do now but keep straight
on and trust to luck
On she. swung with clenched teeth
and feet firmly braced against the
stretcher, while the salt spray soaked
her clothing and hair, and inch by
inch the water rose in the boat. On
and on, till at last bright spark
cleaned out ahead, and beyond it
Polly's eyes caught the outline of the
island beach. She drew long breath
ofrelief A few strokes more and she
would be under the lee Of the land
and in smooth water. a.,
| But the strokes were never taken.
A wave rolled up and broke over the
side; the half-swamped boat gave
lurch and filled, and then quietly set
tied down, and Polly was in the water,
swimming toward the yachts light.
Not cry escaped her-she had the
confidence of a water-dog. Still she
was tired and fully dressed, and when,
after alternately swimming and float
ing, she finally found herself under
the counter of the Flo, she was we'll
nigh exhausted.
Then she called, just once: Mr..
Lawrence, are We there ?"
Lawrence, doing over his pipe in
the cockpit, heard and jumped to his
feet.
Halloa p he cried, sharply.
"Who's there? ?"
cts me, Polly Dowd. Get me
aboard quick as you can. I'm played
out
Why, what on earth-?" he ejacu-
lated ;but quickly bent over the side
and, grasping the girl, dragging her
on board, where she sank down Imply |
on the cockpit floor.
Diving down the companion-way, |
Lawrence presently brought bottle |
and glass.
Here drink this" he said " it
will warm you, And now, tell me,
what brought you down here? How
did you fall overheard p ~
II pulled down--an' me boat
swamped," she gasped through her
chattering teeth.
Big Mike and Billy Doolan,
dey're-comin' to rob ye-I wanted
to tell ye-Where's yer friend p
Lawrence whistled.
To rob us!" he exclaimed aud
you pulled down. By Jove Polly, |
you're plucky girl. ;"
"Yer friend" she said again :" call
him. Hurry up. Dey're close after
me-" eeas otr
He's gone ashore in the yawl. II
expect him back every moment. But,
here, child. you mustn't sit there in
these wet clothes. Come below y and !
then, lighting the cabin lamp, you
will find some things of my sister in
that after-locker," he explained. and
left her and went up on deck, forward,
to watch for the missing boat. Several
minutes passed without sign of its ap-
proach, and he began to feel uncom-
Portable. 1t was now between l and
2 o'clock, and his friend had promised
to return by midnight. He didn't
relish the prospect of having to meet
single handed two such visitors as
Mike and Doolan and then-what
was to be done with Polly? With
her help he might even now make sail
and land her at home before daylight
but he couldn't we'll leave his
friend "a poor boatman, at best, and
ignorant Of the waters), perhaps,
knocking about in tiny yawl in the
darkness, seeking the yacht.
Sitting on the cabin trunk, strain.
ing his eyes landward and chewing
nervously at the stem of his pipe, he
startled as he felt his arm touched. It
was Polly.
Dey're comm" she said, gravely.
I heard de oars jus now"
Lawrence listened intently and pre-
sently also heard The sound, faint, but
unmistakable. He took the girl by
4