Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1891-02-26
ell, or the Half-breed
CHAPTER XVI.
A LONG CHASE

los, the wind is dying away, BUG
is fog rising" said Ephraim,
b practicod eye discovered the in
ions of one OF those phenomena
b frequently wrap portions of the
lakes in an impenetrable vail of
bw the first thing to do is to take
B sails, for il won't do to have them
hg like that ard giving notice to
tdslsins whore to nad us. But hold
They've lost tho wial TOO, haven't
They're u LONG way astern,"
n Jahe, and thoy'vo lowered
lankots; but their paddles will
fhein on fast enough"
five minutes they won't be able
us at ALL said Eph. "But there's
Re island on our starboard bow.
make it out?'
. said he did.
|ell, we'll get the boat out and tow
aft behind that island and lay
fall snug till the fog lifts and the
BONES up again. But mind, every
must be done as silent as if our
depended on it-which they do"
fog, which gathers with great
ty and disappears as quickly, had
bttled down upon them. The sails
owered to the deck, and the small
ased into the water.
next difficulty arose from the
Condition of the men, who had all
aiken from the hospital ward of
1t.
take your place, Jabe," said his
81 know how to row, and so does
Knowles. Well wrap our aprons
the oars to stop the noise, and
you men can steer"
looked at his wife with admira-
hut there was no time for words.
10 women got into the boat, and
box the helm. The tow line be-
but, and the gunboat began to
lowly through the water.
lain calculated that it would take
dskins an hour to overhaul them,
that time he hoped to reach the
of the island, we'll knowing that
open lake, the savages being
the surface~of the water, might
uish their upper rigging in the
and lighter atmosphere above.
same principle he became aware
by had entered their haven by
ing the tops of trees on either
the narrow channel. Silence
Nv their best defence. The
returned to the gun-boat, but
emained to guard against sur
He sat there in the dead silence.
= leaf stirred. Not a wavelet
on the shore; not a bird chirped
trees, while all around hung an
)trable curtain of mist. So ac-
ed did he become to the chaotic
Is and so sensitive his auricular
that he was sure he heard a
ent on the island. Then came a
of flying steps approaching
the forest, plunge in the
and the painting breath of a
er. 1t was coming straight to
1t passed so near that he dis
he'd the antlered head of stag
for the mainland, where he heard
and by calculating the time of
age, concluded that he was too
be island. Gently dropping
ar into the water, and
as a paddle, he towed the gun
cross the strait until he found
in shallow water. Having thus
b the distance between him and
emy, he sat down to await the
which would raise the misty
Night came attended by the
oppressive silence, and Eph, worn
lii anxiety and fatigue, dropped
easy slumber in which his senses
their vigilance while his nerves
their tension. How long he re-
in this state he did not know,
Boft, balmy touch aroused him.
Rrs were shining above and the
6ghing through the tall tree
bs. He stopped for a moment to
pr other sounds, and sought the
the gun-boat. Jabe was on
Ill the help you can to hoist the
said Eph, 'while tow her a
! shore"
the sun arose the little vessel
ncing over the waves with a
breeze on her quarter. But far
abe made out the blanket sails
pursuers.
e safer here than anywhere else
pse red devils on our trail" said
Ind as long as they follow us
I've to keep to the water, where
barries us to-"
nust be near the entrance to the
Frence," observed Jabe, land
We to look out for rapids and do
be steering among the islands.
can hide there or fight to better
ge,"
pn they found the current in
and met few rocky isles, the
guard, as it were, of that nu-
host which evokes the admira-
the tourist Of to-day. Every
the situation became more
The foresail was lowered and
little vessel rushed on with I'M
velocity. Eph, grasping the
tn both hands, found it difficult
the rocky obstacles which arose
magic in his path, threatening
destruction as the price of con-
their iron crests.
e's barge ashore, over therep'
lbe, who was fully impressed
peril of the situation. Say,
you see it?"