The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-16


They cut adTift large boat, and appaF,
emily got nd OF everything they could
spare.
After this It could be seen that she
held her own, and in fact she soon APP
pearsd TO be gaining ground. The wind,
however, had become very light, and
neither weasel made much progress.
We passed close by the drifting boat,
but our commander made no attempt to
secure her, probably not wishing u be
encountered with such thing. In the
hurry and confusion OF the moment the
Frenchmen had forgotten 10 stave a hole
in her bottom, aud had even lefta mum
Der Of oars on board OF her
A few minutes later We entirely lost
the breeze, but the pFlyatser still had o
light breath Of air, and Tom and were
very glad to see her make of, swapping
her fingers, as. one might say, AT the help
less old ssVenty'tour,
1t happened that We two were often
close 10 each other, and as We cast sly
gIauces toward the drifting boat the same
Thought was In both our minds.
"Tom," / Whispered at last, VI the
breeze shouldn't spring up again TIL al
ter dark, why couldn'tWe make q dash Tor
"ihe very thing I'm thinking Of" he
answered softly. "The trade wind will
be- sure to spring up soon, aud that will
take US straight 10 Martinique, ! know
it is a risky piece Of business, but I'm
willing TO take the chances"
We spoke to the other men-the two
who had been impressed respectively
with him and myseli-but they would
not'make the venture, How should we
be able TO find the boat in the darknessP
they asked aud what were we to do Tor
provisions and water In the event OF
reaching her?
But We believed the stake TO be worth
the risk, and our resolution was fixed.
We we're ouly afraid that the ship would
get a breeze before dark,
Tho boat was about three-fourths OF
mile oil, and Us twilight gathered wesaw
that she ranged exactly under y certain |
large star which II would be easy to dis
tinvulsh from all others.
Acknowledgement, a light braeze
began to ill the sails till the ship gather
ed steerageway. There was not mo-
ment 10 lose; and, dropping silently
under the bow, We struck out for the
boat, have since thought that this
was a prodiglous thing to do, there IN
tue midst oil the Atanuo ocean Tue
picture we made as W. dropped from
inc DOW OF tha1 ols sup uaS o'teu EeVuE-
req 10 me.
More and more TIE wind ID l bTeezed up,
80 that we were oo1lgeu 10 allow SOME
thing for the DRIFT OF the boat, for We
could not see her. she must nave
moved q little 10 one slne o. the starLann
suppose we should mlss her aItogether,
we thought!
AT length 1t seemed TO US tnat We must
have swuni more than miie. we were
very tired and began 70 reallze Tue lear
ful position In which we had placed our
selves. Gould We nave passed Tue oolect
oil our search Tue oreeze Increased
rapidly, and the water dashed In our
faces, OF course the boat must now be
drifting very fast, and probably we mad
not made allowance enough LOT tue
wind. q
Throwing ourselves upon our packs
we rested awhile to gall. strength Tor
further effort but such effort must now
be feeble at the best. The dash o. the
waves confused US and as 70 the stars,
We had by this time got them sadly
mixed.
Suddenly Tom Topped over upon his
breast AMI uttered some Kind oil an ex'
clamation:: w
what Ii IT. asked. DO you see
herT
mo; but sec something else. LooS
Look there's a vessels topgallant sails
against the sky|"
Sure enough, it was rs he said. Close
upon US rose the canvas oil square ,rig-
ger, towering through tue darkness Ike
the form OF a great tree. e, Iii
We shouted US loud US possible, and
N. M