Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-11-06

| thing must be done as silent as If our
lives depended on (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 the 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.
| ssI'll take your place, Jabe," said his
wife. 81 know how to row, and so does
Mrs. Knowles. Well wrap our aprons
round tho oars to stop the noise, and
one of you men can steer"
Jabe looked at his wife with admira-
ton. but there was no time for words.
The two women got into the boat, and
E ph took the helm. The tow line be-
cimc 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 tho
shelter of tho island, woll 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 tho 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 leaf stirred. Not wavelet
rippled on the shore; not bird chirped
- x.,1,i mud hun an
| impenetrable curtain of mist So ac-
| 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 a
| sound of flying steps approaching
| through tho forest, a plunge in the
water, and the painting breath of a
swimmer. It was coming straight to
him. It passed so near that he dis
tinguished 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
an oar into the water, and
using it as paddle, he towed 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-
NAMED in this state he did not know,
but a 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 tho gun-boat. Jabe was on
guard.
''Get all the help you can to hoist the
Sails said Eph, ''while I tow her a
little off shore.''
When the sun arose the little vessel
was dancing over the waves with a
strong breeze on her quarter. But far
astern Jabe made out the blanket sails
| of their pursuers.
'Wc're safer hero 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, where
| ever it carries us to-"
eve must be near the entrance to the
| ST. Lawrence" observed Jabe, s'and
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 the current in
creasing and met few rocky isles, the
advance guard, as it were, of that nu-
| merOus host which evol1es the adr1ira-
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 un-
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 to the deck. Then the women and
children crept out, somewhat bruised
by the shock, but thankful for their de-
| iverance.
| Eph examined the barge critically.
ga good boat" was his comment,
s'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."
| EYES," 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 I used to climb apple-trees
when was girl? II you'll help me a
little can get up there Jabe laughed