Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-11-29

have gone to join little JEANNE. And
then, being good and religious girl, Au-
gusta rose to her knees and prayed to
Heaven with all her heart and soul to res
cue them from their terrible position, or,
If she was doomed to perish, at least to
save the child.
And so the long cold night wore away
in thought and vigil, till at last, some two
hours before the dawn, she got to sleep.
When she opened her eyes again it was
broad daylight, and little Dick, who had
| been awake some time beside her. was sit
ting up playing with the shell which Bill
and Johnnie had used to drink rum out of.
She rose and put the child's things little
to rights, and then, as it was not raining.
told him to run outside while she went
through the form of dressing by taking of
such garments as she had, shaking them,
and putting them on again. She was
slowly going through this process, and
wondering how long it would be before
her shoulders ceased to smart from tho
effects of the tattooing, when Dick came
running in without going through the
formaGty of knocking.
ooh, Auntie! Auntier' he sang out in
high glee, "here's big ship coming sail
ing along. Is it Mummy and Daddie COM
ing fetch Dick?"
Augusta sank back faint with the sad
den revulsion Of feeling. II there was
ship, they were saved-snatched from the
very jaws of death. But perhaps it was
the child's fancy. She threw on the body
of her dress; and, her long yellow hair
which she had in default of better means
been trying to comb out with q bit OF
woed-streaming behind her, she took the
child by the hand, and flew as fast as she
could go down the little rocky promontory
off which Bill and Johnnie had met their
end. Before she got halfway down it she
saw that the child's tale was tMe-for
there, sailing right up the ford from the
open sea was large vessel. She was not
two hundred yards from where she stood,
and her canvas was being rapidly furled
preparatory to the anchor being dropped.
Thanking Providence for the sight as
she never thanked anything before, Au.
gusta sped on till she got to the extreme
point of the promontory. and stood there
waving Dicks little cap toward the vessel,
which moved slowly and majestically on;
till presently, across the clear water, came
the splash of the anchor, followed by the
sound of the fierce rattle of the chain
through the hawse pipes. Then there
came another sound-the glad sound OF
human voices cheering She had been
seen.
Five minutes passed, and then she saw
boat lowered and manned The oars
were got out, and presently twas backing
water within ten PAGES of her.
go round there" she called, pointing
to the little bay, land will meet you"
By the time she had got to the spot the
boat was already beached and tall, thin,
kindly-faced man was addressing her in
an unmistakable Yankee accent. Cast
away, Miss?" he said interrogatively.
"Yes," gasped Augusta; ''we are the
survivors of the Kangaroo, which sank in
a collision with a whaler about a week
ago."
"AhW said the Captain, with a whaler?
Then guess that's where my consort has
gone to. She's been missing about week;
and put in here to see if l could get upon
her tracks-also to fill up with water.
Wall, she was well insured, anyway; and
when last we spoke her, she had made a
very poor catch. But perhaps, Miss, you
will, at your convenience, favor me with
few PARTICULARS"
Accordingly, Augusta sketched the his
tory of their terrible adventure in as few
words as possible; and the tale was one
that made even the phlegmatic Yankee
Captain stare. Then she took him, fol
lowed by the crew, to the hut where Nee
son lay dead, and to the other hut. where
she and Dick had slept upon the previous
night.
ITO ba oOptinUed1