The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1889-09-07

| SuOOAhS dCrOSS DdCh VI GIAO Hill "AOA e'
current quite strong enough to swift tly
watt the young voyager beyoud sight
and hearing of his home.
Fortunately, however all voyages
must come to an end, and, half-mile
from the land, the pilotless craft,
caught by cross current swung up to
a huge floating cypress tree, caught in
a trailing grapevine and was held
hard and fast, and after circling
around for a few minutes the now
weary Billy, after great deal of
climbing up and slipping back. man
aged to get upon the log where it sat
and picked and arranged its glossy
feathers until Dicky. at imminent risk
of falling into the water, crawled upon
the cypress and euddled down by his
side.
An hour later, when ellison and the
trapper McCrory returned to the hill
they noticed at once the absence of the
skiff, and upon reaching the house
found Mrs. ellison in despair at the
unaccountable absence of little Dicky.
He amt on the HILL" she sobbed,
1--WE been everywhere, Oh, my baby
my baby-I jest know he's drowned
or bear has got him!"
''Taint bar" dissented McCrory,
''ye can't fool OF Track! Eff a bar
he'd ben on the hill he'd tot it. No
the kids in the skiff It's gone-tho'
how he ever made out tew paddle off,
blest if l know"
1.-The current would take him if he
got clear off the bank" eagerly sug-.
gested ellison, as they hurried to the
landing. "Ef he stuck ter the boat
he's all right"
"Yhar's his hat" announced the
trapper. pointing to the little straw
fabric caught in a clump of bushes.
Come, brace up, Miss ellison! taint
no sign the boys in the water jest
kase his hat is. Whar's that. Billy
duck?-don't know, eh?-well I dew.
He's with the boy, an that's q sure
sign that they're both all right. Eff
Dicky warn't thar, the duck would
come back"
There was sound logic in this rea-
soning, and both his hearers knew it.
McCrory and ellison sprang into boat
end pulled out from the landing.
LET her float with the current, "
said the trapper, Its slow way, but
the only safe one. Let that paddle
alone, ellison; yer excited like, an
might guide her wrong. Eff strike a
straight shute whar l kin gain time
I'll sure gain it"
1t was the only course to pursue.
Every thing depended on following ex-
actly on the trail of the missing boat.
To miss it either way meant death to
thu poor lost baby-death by starva-
tion or drowning.
Suddenly McCrory leaned forward
and caught Gilson's arm.
Not word! Silence; Isee him, but
if you want ter save his life be quiet.
Look yander ter ther left
A floating cypress, with boat tan
gled in the vines beside it. A sleep
ing child crouched upon the rough
bark, his shoulders resting against a
supporting branch. In his arms,
hugged up to his breast, little white
duck, that watched the intruders with
bright and curious eyes; and over head,
something
ellison paIed and gasped for breath.
MY Godr' he breathed hoarsely lis
the child dead or sleeping?"
"Sleepin' as yet''-gritted the trap
per-"but eff he wakes, an moves, it is
death"
1t was terrible sight-the sleeping
unconscious child, and coiled on
branch foot above his head, a Shiny
hideous serpent-a monster swamp
moccasin.
Your rife" whispered ellison,
surely you can kill the snake without
the boy. I'd try it-but-my God! I'm
shaking like leaf"
'It's an awful risk" murmured the
other, mot of hittin' ther kid-thar's
no danger of that-but eff ther snake
amt hit in the head he'll sink tooth
in the lad jest fer Spite
"It's the only way" persisted the
anxious father, you must shoot, and
at once. Heavens! if the boy should
novel,
''It's mighty nigh like bein' my own
kid" murmured McCrory, and his
hand was seen to trembIe visibly as he
drew back the hammer of the rifle.
''Pardner, kaint dew it."
Course it. you must; don't fail me
now Ed. McCrory! Your hand is steady
enough when no one is concerned but
yourself. Didn't 1 see you shoot
pistol out of Jack Sny's hand when
your life depended on it?''
But was mad then, and when I'm
mad kin shoot ther best"
A strange CLEAN shone in Gibson's
eyes for moment
"You are a coward, Ed. McCrory.
A coward and horse-thief like your
father before you! Give me the gun
and l will shoot the boy through the
head! By the gods, he shall not fall
prey to that devil yonder; give me the
gun, and when it is all over l will
settle with you for going back on a
friend in trouble"
But the trapper showed him back,
and again the rife was raised, and
this time not tremer agitated the
long barrel. Yet in the short space