Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-09-02
ABSOLUTELY PURE

w NOM, tnen, VIII you Laktf
tom, the little cabin boy"
Better take Warlock."
But Mary shuddered, saying she would
rather not 90 at all than have that fierce
native in the boat with her.
The visit to the reef, which was about
a lnile distant, had been proposed by
Mrs. wilkins on the day before, and,
thinking that she would enjoy the trip,
the captain offered no objection TO her
taking the cabin boy with her. True,
he was not very strong, nor was be skill
ful with an car, but the calm, clear
weather would apparently hold for many
hours longer. 50 that there seemed to be
no danger. even if the boat was poorly
handled.
As the young skipper had some work
in store for his men ON this day, he could
not afford to send any of them with his
wife except Warlock, who, not under
standing English, could be better spared
than one Of his shipmates.
Still adhering to her resolution not TO
take him, Mary finally set out with the
cabin boy in the dingey, which had been
lowered for her, and ere long she reached
the reef.
Through his glass, the captain had
now and then watched his wife, as the
boy with his Ratchet knocked Of pieces
of coral for her, when, all at once, with
out the slightest warning, a "~cat-squall"
struck the sea. A mist, which had
been gathering round tim hills of the
island, had been blown about the reef,
now hiding Mary and Tom from the
watchers gaze, as the ship tore along
before the blast, with the men aloft
taking in sail.
Like all squalls of the kind, this one
was of brief duration, and ten minutes
after it burst upon the vessel it had died
away, leaving a light breeze, by which
the ship, close hauled, was headed mp
toward the reef. The captain a~nxiously
watched for his wife, but seeing no sign
of her he turned pale.
cay" remarked the old sailor who
had acted as spokesman 10 the skipper
the night before. "'The bad luck has
commenced. This comes Of our having
a Jonah aboardr'
Ee looked as he spoke at Warlock,
whose keen glittering eyes were turned
toward the reef.
you're right, Ben" answered the
sailor whom the old fellow addressed.
You can make sure that the captm viii
never see his wife or the boy again, both,
as | take it, having been drowned in the
squall!"
All hands were now looking off to-
ward the reef. The captains heart
sank.
1T cannot be that she is lostr he cried
TO his mate.
The latter took a long squint through
the glass.
Heaven help the poor LADY," he said
Il see nothing Of her"
Suddenly Warlock sprang down from
the rail forward, upon which he had
been standing, and with three bounds
reached the quarterback. He uttered a
shnn cry. ~gesticulated with his arms,
aud pointed off the weather bow, from
which a strip Of mist had just cleared.
Looking that way, the captain saw a
spectacle which made his heart bound as
if it would break through his ribs.
Clinging 10 the dingey, which was
turned bottom up, was his wife, while
about fifty fathoms behind her, on the
reef, and pointing at something between
it and the imperilled lady, stood Tom,
the cabin boy. That sOmething-what
was it? One quick look through the
glass revealed it to the captain, who
quickly recognized the long, black fin
cleaving the water like a knife, in the
direction of the struggling woman
"a shark he cried, ga shark Down
with the quarter boat"
The boat was soon lowered, and in
spite of his lame leg, which greatly inn
peded his movements, he managed TO
scramble into the light vessel after his
men. Among the latter was Warlock,
provided with his harpoon, which he
had brought up from the f~orecastle.
The breeze now had died away, and
under the vigorous strokes of the oars
men the boat fairly seemed 10 fly.
The captain, while urging his crew,
turned his gaze alternately upon his wife
and the shark. Mrs Wilkins, still cling
ing TO the keel Of the overturned dingey,
was much exhausted and must soon let
go her hold. She did not see the monster
behind her cleaving the water with its
ugly fin so rapidly that it would evil
IDENTIFY reach her before b approaching
boat. In a faint voice she called to her
husband 10 make haste, An appeal which
went TO the very hearts of the men and
put vigor in their arms.
Eve will be too late!" groaned the
captain. Pull, boys, pullr'
Never before did oarsmen so exert
themselves; but the boat was still fully
fifteen yards from the poor woman. when
the shark, now ear enough to her to
prepare for seizing its victim, was seen
to make the terrible rotary movement
for diving. in order 10 snap at her sub
merged limbs.
Then Warlock sprang 70 his feet. With
quick eye measuring the distance be-
tween him and the shark. he raised bis
barbed weapon m high.
As he would have TO dart over the
woman 70 strike the monster behind her,
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