Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-10-23

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! there all snug till the fog lifts and the
wind comes up again. But mind. every
thing must be done as silent as if our
| lives depended on it-which they do
The fog. which gathers with great
/ rapidity and disappears as quickly. had
now settled down upon them. The sails
were lowered to the deck. and tho small
| boat eased into the water.
The next difficulty arose from the
weak condition of the men. who had all
been taken from the hospital ward of
the fort.
III take your place, Jabe,'' said his
wife. Il know how to row, and so does
round the oars to stop the noise, and
| one of you men can steer"
JADE looked at his wife with admira-
| ton. but there was no time for words.
! The two women got into the boat, and
| Eph took the helm. The tow line be-
came taut, and the gunboat began to
move slowly through the water.
Ephraim calculated that it would take
! the redskins an hour to overhaul them,
and by that time he hoped to reach the
| shelter of the island, well knowing that
on the open lake, the savages being
! nearer the surface of the water, might
distinguish their upper rigging in the
! thinner and lighter atmosphere above.
On the same principle he became aware
! that they had entered their haven by
| observing the tops of trees on either
side of the narrow channel. Silence
was now their best defence. The
| women returned to the gun-boat, but
| Eph. remained to guard against sur
! prise. He sat there in the dead silence.
/ Not 4 leaf stirred. Not q wavelet
rippled on the shore; not a bird chirped
! on the trees, while all around hung an
/ impenctrablc curtain of mist. So &C
| customed did he become to the chaotic
stiffness and so sensitive his auricular
! nerve, that he was sure he heard a
/ movement on the island. Then came q
sound of flying steps approaching
through tho forest, plunge in the
water, and the painting breath of a
swimmer. 1t was coming straight to
! him. 1t passed so near that he dis
tinguishcd the antlered head of stag
making for the mainland, where he heard
/ it land, and by calculating the time of
! it's passage, concluded that he was too
near the island. Gently dropping
I
using it as paddle, he lowed the gun
| boat across the strait until he found
| himself in shallow water. Having thus
widened the distance between him and
| the enemy, he sat down to await the
! breeze which would raise the misty
| curtain. Night came attended by the
/ same oppressive silence, and Eph, worn
out with anxiety and fatigue, dropped
| into uneasy slumber in which his senses
retained their vigilance while his nerves
! relaxed their tension. How long he re-
manned in this state he did not know,
but q soft, balmy touch aroused him.
! The stars were shining above and the
wind signing through the tall tree
branches. He stopped for moment to
| listen for other sounds, and sought the
deck of the gun-boat. Jabe was on
guard.
Get all the help you can to hoist the
sails said Eph, ''while 1 tow her
| little off shore
! When the sun arose the little vessel
was dancing over the waves with
strong breeze on her quarter. But far
astern Jabe made out the blanket sails
of their pursuers.
''We're safer here than anywhere else
with those red devils on our TRAIL said
Eph, land as long as they follow us
we'll have to keep to the water, whore
| ever it carries us to-"
I'VE must be near the entrance to the
ST. Lawrence" observed Jabe, land
we'll have to look out for rapids and do
| some fine steering among the islands.
But we can hide there or fight to better
advantage"
At noon they found tho current in
creasing and met few rocky isles, the
advance guard. as it were, of that nu-
| merouS host which evokeS the admira-
ton of the tourist of to-day. Every
moment the situation became more
serious. The foresail was lowered and
still the little vessel rushed on with I'M
impaired velocity. Eph, grasping the
tiller with both hands. found it difficult
to elude the rocky obstacles which arose
as if by magic in his path, threatening
instant destruction as the price Of con-
tact with their iron crests.
''There's barge ashore, over there."
cried Jabe. who was fully impressed
with the peril of the situation. Say,
Eph, do you see it?'
Eph did see it. The beach of the lit
tie island had gentle slope which con-
tinued to the summit and was carpeted
with moss and crowned by tall tree
with wide-spreading branches.
''Stand by for the shock!' Eph shouted,
as he headed the gun-boat for this
haven of safety.
Jabe with rope in his hand sprang
to the shore before she touched, in order
to prevent her from falling off and drift
ing away; but her impetus carried her
we'll UP on the strand where she turned
over on her side, her mast swapping off
close t., the deck. Then the women and
children crep. out, somewhat bruised
by the shock, but thankful for their de-
hverance.
Eph examined the barge critically.
ga good boat was his comment,
.'sound and we'll built-oars in her, too;
she hasn't been here long; wonder
where she came from. Jabe, she'll be
easier to handle than the gunboat.'
Yes" replied the latter: but I'd
like to know if the redskins are follow
ing Us yet"
There's tree; but none of US are
in good condition for climbing re-
marked Eph.
"Jabe;" said his wife, don't you re-
member how | used to climb apple-trees
when | was girl? If you'll help me a
little can Get I'D there" ,Jlbc laughed