River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-04-05
CHAPTER xxxuL


II was, indeed. the Nampa. Clumsily and
slowly that huge, black, unwieldy craft
Z forged ahead, cleaying her way through the
/ CLASSY waters. and, when darkness fell,
Z came to anchor about a quarter Of q nile
I from land
There was no moon; but the stars gave \
I feeble glimmer, enough to enable one
family to distinguish objects at moderate
distance
By and by lights were seen flashing over
the water and the dip Of hasty oars grew
louder. Then came the sound as Of a boats
keel grating over the pebbles. and soon, in
[ the darkness. black mass. moving as one
man, came tramping solidly up the slope
with measured step toward the tower, which
doomed up high and clear against the starit
dome Of heaven.
Fairfax began counting the men as they
approached nearer.
Twenty. twenty-One. twenty-five, tlosRfy-
three. TwENTY-FoUR, TWENTY-FIVE!
Great heayensi And all powerful fell
lows, armed 10 the teeth, too. Boys, this is
a fight for life, and the 'Namovna's' crew
thirty miles away, Will you risk it,''
What begin that | finish" quoth
Nebbitt grimly.
As no other man said anything they all
lay quiet, watching the turn of events.
Upit marched. that solid phalanx of des-
perate men; shoulder to shoulder, four
ranks deep; SIX men in a line; their case
knives and guns and pistols cleaning and
glittering in the starlight; silent and grim
and led on by n man Of gigantic stature,
who strobe im9eriously before them.
That's MatteO-' whispered Fairfax. as
he glanced mournfully at his own broken
arm and then at the tremendous frame Of
the man.
Al word from their leader. the men.
with one accord, paused and stood motion
less. like statues in the night. Stepping
ont before them. he remained silent mo-
ment. Every voice was hushed, save that
of the breeze murmuring through the tow
or and the wave tapping the strand.
Then be began. Nebbitt, Oxford and Fair
fax, with their excellent knowledge Of
Italian, were easily enabled TO follow him.
Mates ye know how would have won
the Greek woman; but the poor, silly fool
escaped me Ne know how we slew our
stubborn captain and his shadow. Luigi. and
that swart Subian fiend, too, whose knife
bit 50 viciously into my scarce healed side
I We know how we have all risked our lives
Ike brave men. But. like brave men, now
. have we come to our reward The Vampa
I Is ours and so are the broad seas and all
I that sails them For, with the riches Of that
Z Greek dog, we can make our ship a fortress
Z impregnable-
''wil YOU follow re and live the life I
+ speak OFF,
We willr' came back the deep-toned
answer.
Then viii read the writing
Amidst the most breathless silence,
broken only by the roll Of the swell on the
T shore and the distant sound of steam es-
Gaping from the Vampa's safety-valve,
7 Matteo, translating the English into Italian,
read in a harsh. hard voice that penetrated
/ far and near into the quiet night air
''Tea niiiss to ne southwest Of Tzagiers stands
I ne ruiasi f0issr, e Babd. Tsncnfy steps dils
H0rthEard from is eastern doorway IS a stone.
flfrf-oossrsf. This stone ssseioSss ne mouth Of
"a Cd rel long since dried Dosrn this tusll,
I gftsr my fathers death. Ali aad I cast az his
( sossltA-.islasis Of EHio,d ralnC, brass-boiiad
casks ard bozcs barstiag ,rih god and silrsr
coin, diGnioads Of Blafehisss splzsdor pearls far
outsAiHirg those 81 Ind, thousand flashing
I precioEs sfoss6s dsd tsanselte.i lagots-richss
Z sssoalgA for ~ nsadiss; dFraas Of araries. .
/ A wild cheer broke forth at the conclusion
I Of his words. But Il was hushed into i'm
mediate silence BY the sharply-uttered CON-
mand and threatening gesture Of the
Italian.
..NoYv. rnsses. I scanned the shore with
3 keenest eye FOR signs Of life when we Rp-
preached, but Jaw none. save that stranger
craft which we len behind rs, steamiag far
sat 70 sea. But Ike not her locks. Hor do