Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-07-03
VERY small ostricnes!" remarked Dono-

VERY small ostricnesr remarked Dono-
van.
IF they are ostriches. and If We are on
continent" began Brian.
do you still doubt its' interrupted Don
ovan, ironically.
Then this must be the American con-
tinent, where these birds are found in
great numbers" continued Brian. THAT
is all l intended to say"
About seven o'clock in the evening a
halt was made The following day, unless
some unforeseen obstacle prevented, was
to be spent in making their way back to
SIoughi Bay-the name they had given to
that part of the coast upon which the Yacht
had been driven.
Besides, it would have been impossible
TO continue their journey further south
ward that evening, as they had reached
another river, which was evidently al
outlet of the lake The night was spent
in the open air this time, but the boys
slept so soundly after their long tramT
that even the loudest thunder-clap would
not have aroused them. 1t WIS nearly
seven o'clock when Brian woke his com
rades, who instantly sprung up, eager to
take look at the land on the other side
of the river.
Its a good thing that we didn't try to
cross the stream last night" exclaimed
Wilcox. Eve should have found ourselves
In regular swamp"
Yes, there seems to be an immen
swamp extending southwark further than
the eye can reach, replied Brian.
Look at the wild ducks, and teal, and
snipel' cried Donovan. IF we could
nDl tal- nY1r artar har ba rim.
ter we surely should not want for game
"And why nott" replied Brian, who was
leading the way up the right bank Of the
stream.
On his right lowered tall clif-the last
of long line OF less lofty ones. Could it
be that this line of cliffs was a continue
ton of those that skirted Slough Bay
and then extended northward? This was
question the boys could answer only at.
ter they had made a more thorough ex.
ploration of the region. On the right bank
of the stream, which was about twenty
yards in width, the water extended up al
most to the very base of the cliffs; but the
left bank, which was very low, could
scarcely be distinguished from the marshy
plain which extended far southwark. TIC
ascertain the course of this stream it would
| consequently be necessary to climb the
| cliff: and Brian mentally resolved not &c
| return to Sloughi Bay until after he had
made this ascent
| Look! look!' cried Wilcox, suddenly.
/ The object which had attracted his at
| tention was pile of stones, which seemed
| to be the remains of a rude wharf.
There is no room for doubt this time
said Brian.
mo" responded Donovan, pointing to
some pieces of wood at the end of the
! wharf.
These fragments were certainly the re-
| mains of u boat, for among them was 3
moss covered scrap of rotten wood, the
| shape of which indicated that it had one
| formed part of boats keel, and from
which a rusty iron ring was still hanging
IAN iron ring, as | livep' shouted Ser.
vice.
And they all stood there motionless,
| gazing around them, as if the man who
had once used this boat and built this
wharf was about to appear before them.
But no human being was visible. Many
! years had elapsed since that boat had been
left on the rivers bank; and whether the
man who once dWelt here ha@ ever seen
his fellow-men again or whether his
| wretched existence had ended here it was
| impossible to say.
The singular behavior of their dog sud
denly attracted their attention. Fan had
certainly discovered a scent. Her ears
stood straight up, and her tail waggcI
violently, and she kept her nose close to
| the ground.
Look at FanP said Service.
'She scents something" replied Dono-
van, advancing toward the dog.
Fan had just paused with paw uplitted
and mouth open; in another instant she
had darted to a clamp of trees that stood
near the base of the cliff on the lake shore.
Brian and his comrades followed and
soon found themselves in front of yener-
| able beech, upon the bark OF which were
carved two initials and date, arranged
| In this manner