The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-11

sand sweeping in from the sea and far out OF
the sound was rs fierce as any | had cyel
heard
When left the bar Joe pressed me to yis
him again next year.
After my return TO Norfolk sent him n boz
full of pipes. 'obacco and fishing and hunting
stun had found out ho would Ike, adding 4
! large can Of whisky, a DCvolag. lc used who
u storm had wet him to the slim and chillou
his blood, and only at that time; and shortly
| after my arrival home rec we'd u simple but
wholc-soued letter Of than!,s
The first day of the mex December folCd
me in Norfolk ON my way to CurrIuck, and
| | reached Joo'8 hut one evening just rs the
sun SUM; in glory Of amber and PINK that
made the sound look like q aat sheet Of dor
mant flame.
Joe was away, but the door was open, and
having slowed my traps and some boxes
had brought for him, / threw lot Of drift
wood on tho smouiLering omHcrs, and soon
had glowing fire, lighting the rulcly fur
nshed room in whose corners the gathering
twilight had made deep shadows.
Joe came in shortly after the fire had got
well under way aud gave me u cordial greet
ing, and q very favorable report 10 to the
prospects for good two weeks sport We
were out carly the next morning, and for
Eve days had excellent weather and fine
shooting but the morning Of the sixth day
brought n change. The sky was covered
with thin gray vapor and the sun ahone IN
this like "A great red bail Gradually the gray
ness grew deeper and the vnpOr tulckcncd to
vast mass, Of cloud,
Then the sun changed its hue 10 a duh yell
low, aud slowly faded out from sight, and as
it disappeared the low moaning in the air
grew wonderfully intense.
"Thcr'll he a hard blow Joe had said in
the early morning, and after eating our break
fast We strolIed over toward tho seward
beach.
Jocs hut was aAel'er,d by collection Of
sand dunes, among which its low roof rose like
II sharper point. 1t stood midway between
the ocean and the sound, and short walk
was all that was needed to reach either.
When We came to the beach the waves were
rolling mp its changing sands with "A regular
monotouy that seemed utterly devoid Of
fierceneSs, but soon "A wild, sObbing murmur
sounded across the wide eastern eXpauSe,
and they grew more restless, and began TO
toss little foam-crOwned Crest5 against each
other. The day during its first part was "A
changing drcuriness. Tho somber hue Of the
sky, and tho storm sounds in the air, deep
encd, and the great waves darkened, as the
gloom above them assumed a density that
soon was sadly oppressive Occasional puiYs
rutiled tho water, and these quickly grew
heavier and more frequent
Then joe who had clumbercd TO the top
of sand dune, cried: "There she comes"
and fastening to his side, | saw what seemed
a huge wall Of white foam rushing shore
ward
Then some sharply driven rain drops struck
hard on our faces and, with roar, the first
great gust of the gale surgcd past us, and the
foam-Crowned waves rolled laundering up
the beach.
We found shelter in low shed made of
wreck drift, and there watched the sea 1t
was grand and "a wild sight that tumult of
water with the wind surging over it, and
there was a fascination in it that must be
felt to be known As we stood watching thu,
picture, a man came swiftly
down the beach, the wind driving him before
it. He made for our shelter and, as soon as
he could regain the speech that the gale had
deprived him of, said:
"Thcrc's a schooner trying to draw Off
shore above US, but | don't think she can
weather the point yonder."
Joe sprang toward tho beach.
awe must have the boat ready" he said
There were several men In the shed, and /
,ne asked:
"Do You know the vessel"
Eyes, it is Mark Wards schooner. know '
ler by the yellow square on her quarter" |
Int ti... Lii, Il.
Oward Joe, and that his face grew peculiarly |
lard md white; but it was only for mo-
ncnt and then It assumed the old look, only
| strength and tlrmncss came TO the eyes that
nado them burn with n strange brilliancy
lie seemed more erect, too rs he grasped II
inc that hung against the wall of the she'd
nd there was u tone of command in his
'oico, rs he said:
"Come boys we have no time 10 lose" and
won't out, and down the beach, battling with
he wind TINT almost took him Off his feet
We followed, and soon reached low build
NJ, in which the men who were Joes COM
'anions and he, kept n small but sorviccable
ifcboat TWAS where short point jutted
nut just inside of large headland and
ormed shallow, partially protected bay.
he wind was from the northeast, aud Us this
'oint reached out toward the southwark, it
ad narrow belt of comparatively smooth
water bordering its lccward face. The boat
vas run close to this, and the mon, living
own under the lee of tho sand dunes,
watched the vessel to tho northward, rs she
lado desperate fight for an oiilng.
"She can't reach out beyond the point"
MD one, 'for she can carry sail enough"
The schooner was under short canvas,
aving close reefs in al her sails, and still the
lind seemed to bury her in spray, as it drove
er down toward the sand To spread moro
Ill was impossible, as that already set
ms strained to its utmost capacity, and q
lrger surface would bring upon it more
over than it could bear.
mo, sir, she can't reach out beyond the
ONT" said the eldest man of the group, land
shoals fearfully there | don't think there
much chance for either vessel or crew"
Again tho men turned toward Joe with the
range look | had before noticed, but he
lade NO sign.
All this time the schooner had been draw
~ nearer, driven on by the cruel gale, and
gnals for help were now flung out, showing
nat her crew had given up all hope OF reach
* the open water beyond the point
Joe, seeing this, removed his waterproof
lit and stepped into the boat. \ coil of
nall line lay in the stern, its end run through
fair-leader. This end no passed 10 tho men
n shore, and then sat down and grasped