The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-29
A STRANGE ADVENTURE

Allen, had crossed the river in their canoes
to get bucket of fresh water from spring
a quarter OF mile distant. They had taken
the lantern with them, and l was lying back
in the tent in the darkness with my head
prOpped up on a roll Of blankets.
A swinging lamp dangled from the ridge
pole overhead, but had no inclination to
light it. We had padded good many miles
since early morning, and now. after good
SUPPER was disposed to sleep.
AS often happens on canoe trips, sunset
had found us in a locality that offered no
suitable camping place On one side of the
Susquehanna the mountain came steep to
the waters edge, on the other side was the
railroad, running close to the shore. So in
default of better site, we had chosen this
spit Of sand and gravel, barely ten yards in
diameter, and propped up our little A tent.
a narrow channel, swift but shallow,
separated US from the shore, twenty yards
distant. The tent faced in that direction,
and without turning my head | watched the
boys progress by the light of their lantern.
They reached the bank in safety, and after
a flash or two the lantern vanished in the
bushes.
After this 1 think fell into doze. At
all events, / sat Up very suddenly, under the
impression that some one was moving out
side. The smolderiug embers of our camp
fire threw just enough light inside to show
me that the tent was empty. l listened for
a few seconds and soon heard cautious but
unmistakable footsteps crunchng the gravel
and moving toward the front Of the tent.
1 concluded that the boys had returne d,
and so sure was l OF this that withO ut
giving the matter a second thought or even
taking the trouble to hail them. l laid my
head back on the blankets. glancing care
lessly as / did so through the open flaps Of
the tent. My range of vision extended some
distance up the river shore, and away off in
the darkness l saw the gllmmer of distant
light.
This sudden discovery alarmed me. l
realized its full meaning instantly. MY COM
pauiOnS had not returned-they were still
quarter OF mile away, and L was at the
mercy of some evil-minded intruder. who,
believing the camp to be deserted, had come
to plunder
For a few seconds, confess, fright abso-
lCtely deprived me of action. Then / reached
into my pocket for little revolver that l
had brought with me, forgetting all about
the guns in the fore part Of the tent But
the weapon was in my coat pocket and the
coat was lying behind me. l turned round
very cautiously, fearing to make a noise, but
that instant a shadow darkened the en-
trance, and an arm was thrust into the tent
Il was withdrawn a second later, aud with
it went on object that l recognized instantly
my doubled arTeled gun. which had been
leaning against the tent pole.
My fear fled at once. That gun had been
my companion for years and was most
highly priced possession. Was l TO lie
quietly still and see il carried of?
Springing to my feet l shouted angrily:
Drop that gun!'
Il
of footsteps toward the rear of the tent. and
snatching quickly at my coat, | dashed ont
side and around the angle. The thief was
in full flight. l could hear him spashing
through the shallow water, and when |
reached the edge Of the land his form was
outlined dimy between me and the shore.
BY determination was speedily formed. /
thrust the revolver into my pocket, tossed
the coat aside on the sand and dashed into
the water IN pursuit, bent on recovering my
cherished weapon. l could look for no aid
from the boys for thy were still some dis
tance away and up the river. while the rob-
Der was heading diagonaliy down stream.
My revolver was loaded, but | had no desire
to shoot the fellow, so l fired two chambers
in the air, hoping to bring him to halt.
At that moment he scrambled out on a
rock, and With savage exclamation pointed
the gun straight at me. l heard the sharp
click OF the trigger, but 1t caused me not the
least alarm had removed the shells before
cleaning the weapon that evening.
This delay on his part allowed me to come
within half Z dozen yaris Of him. Then he
spaShed on toward the shore and l fol-
lowed close at his heels, laundering over
slippery lodges, and wading breast deep
through holes between the rocks.
TIE man soon clambere out shore. and
| could sea him dinly As he went at a rapid
pace up the cindered bank that Sloped from
tie railroad to the river shore.
Since his 4 rllv Jt tputpt ShoOt
my feelings had undergone change, and as
1 Spashed through the remaining half dozen
feet Of shallow water emptied the pistol
as fast as could pull the trigger 1t made
the thief run faster. that was all, and l was
chagrned 10 see him vanish IN the gloom.
But l was not prepared to give up yet.
Instead Of climbing straight ND the bank l
ran down the river shore, making no noise
on the soft sand, and relOadIng my pistol as
L ran, L soon discovered what | was search
Ing fOr-a spot where the bank Of the rail
road was not so steep, and with the Impetus
gained by the speed at which | was run
ming, | dashed right up over the yielding
bed Of cinderS to the level of the track.
Ny little ruse had succeeded. Ten Yards
ahead was the thief swinging gracefully
owe T the ties. He must have discovered me
at the same time for his pace quickened
very perceptbly. At that moment believe
| could have shot him, and pointed the re-
vOlveT several tines 1t was no use-I
could not bring myself to pull the trigger.
Drop the gun or I'll frev' | shouted sew
eral times, and this had no effect what
ever l strained every muscle in the race, de-
termined to OveTtake him and recover my
properly at the point Of the revolver. |
had always been accounted a good runner,
and ! concluded to make this. a test Of my
powers. have no doubt that | should
eventually overhaul the rascal, but | little
knew what was in store for me.
HE road curved inst ahead. and as we
rounded the bend barely half dozen yards
apart, l saw switchman's red lantern
shining at the side Of the track. As IdaTted
pas this l heard al indistinct shout, appa-
rently in the rear, and then a great black
mass doomed up directly in front Of me.
The thief had disappeared, and for a mo-
meut | thought the earth bad opened and
swallowed him.
Then the situation flashed suddenly upon
me. The blackneSs before me was the
mouth of the big Vosburg tunnel-a recently
completed feat OF engineering, which |
then recollected was somewhere in that vi
entity.
l wonder. now. how I could have been so
reckless; l certainly should have known
better-but l hated to lose that gun, and,
with bitter anger against the thief, l
plunged right into the tunnel Perhaps
expected to find some dim light in that
sitting hole TO guide the pursuits. But the
gloom was intense, and after running on
for q few yards. hearing indistinctly the
rapid footsteps of the fugitive. l came to a
dead stop.
l knew it was useless to go any farther
The thief had no doubt found a safe hiding
place by this time. and my gun was ire
trieyably lost Suppose he should turn and
assault me in the darknessl 1t was by no
means unlikely, and the thought sent cold
chill down my back.
| resolved TO get GU. Of the tunnel just as
quickly as possible, and at once turned back
toward the entrance, tramping rapidly over
the ties, for | was in the center of the rail-
way track. 1t was fatal blunder to beiray
my whereabouts so plainly. l had gone less
than halt a dozen yards, when / detected a
slight sound behind me. This frightened
me terribly and / broke into wild run, but
unluckiy my foot caught between the ties,
and down came, full length, brulsing my