Smyrna times., 1892-01-27
DRAWN INTO THE WHIRLPOOL

thiCket, with a look that bOded him
no good. Just then two men came
pulling around the point behind which
mis- boat was mOOred, and one of them
said to the other, loud enough for the
watcher in ambush to hear, although
not loud enough to wake the sleeper
in the boat:
There's a rich Englishman come
into Langeness in his yacht, and he's
offered big reward to any man that'll
fnd out what those letters are that are
carved on the sea-king's grave.
The other laughed
Why doesn't he offer a reward for
The moon ? Does he think money would
tempt men to 20 into a whirlpool that
can swallow the stOutest beat like a
biscuit ?"
But then at the food tide you may
20 through it without harm if you
start at the right moment
"Ay, if you do. But who would be
such AN idiot as to risk it ?"
Then they passed on and their voices
were lost in the distance.
The moment their boat was out of
sight behind the rocks, wild face
peered through the matted bOughs and
a bulky figure rose and crept toward
the sleeping boy, with long knife in
its hand. One quick slash cut the
mOOring rope, and the boat slowly
drifted seaward with its slumbering
occupant.
"1he current sets straight for the
whirlpool" !" muttered the rufian with
IA cruel laugh, land when he's missed
they'll think the reward tempted him.
I'm quits at last with his father for the
threshing he gave me =
Only few miles from the spot a
small rocky islet had sunk down into
the sea ages ago, creating by its fall
one of the most dangerous whirlpOOls
in northern waters known as the
well of Tuftiloe."
In the midst of the whirl stood up
one dark, pillar-shaped crag, the sole
remnant of the lost islet, which some
Norsemen, believing it to be s0me an
cient hero's tomb, called the "Sea
Kings Grave" And in fact passing
yatchtsmen had seen upon it, through
their telescopes, traces of rude carving
and something that looked like the
half effaced letters of an old RuRic
inscription. But although the whirl-
pool, like its big brother the maelstrOm
was believed to be impossible at GER
tain states of the tide, no one had ever
dared to try.
The Quickening motion of the cur
rent, as it bore the light boat swiftly
along, reused the boy at last but it was
TOO late. Being half asleep,it was
L. vA.,k
mad befallen him or whittier he was
going, and the first warning he had Of
this rush straight upon certain des-
tructiOn was the roar of the distant
whirlpool, which, tide being now full
full ebb, was at the height Of its
fury.
Fully aroused at last MAIDS Nilssen
seized the oars and pulled until they
seemed on the point of swapping, bat
all 10 vain.
Faster and faster the boat was whirled
along, nearer and nearer to the terrible
ring of white foam that marked the
deadly whirl, and now he could
see plainly the grim old crag
that kept watch over that CHASTITY
abyss, and now he almost touched its
outer eddy-and now he was drawn
into it and began to spin round in les
seuing circles, nearer and nearer to his
| doom.
And all this while the ripples spar
kled, the sun shOne in a clOudless sky
the white winged sea-birds scared ma
jestically above and seemed to mOch
him with shrill cries.
1t was hard to die amid all thi
brightness and beauty; but die h
must, for there was no way Of escape
Even in this dire straight, however
with the hungry waves leaping arOunC
him, the brave boy did not lose his
presence of mind. A faint chance was
left him and he seized it.
As the boat made it's final whiT
around the central crag before plung
ing into the awful depths below, h'
sprung upon the gunwale, and exert
ing all his wonderful agility, made
desperate leap that landed him on thu
lowest ledge of rock, bruised, bleed
ing and dizzy, but saved for the mo
ment. In another instant the boat hsl
disappeared.
But what should he do to fill up tb
long hours that lay between? He fel
that the dizzy dance of the water
around him aud their ceaseless roa
were already beginning to Hnstring hi
nerves and make his brain reel: an
he knew he must find some way {
cOunteract their influence or he shOul
fall into the abyss.
Just then his eye caught the antiqu
letters cut in the rock above hin
which no living soul but himself ha
ever seen so near, and the sight
them gave him an idea.
f, He knew nothing of the offered r.
:. ward, but he did know that thel
were people who thought such thinJ
valuable and paid we'll for copies
]. them. If he escaped it might be wort
something, and meanwhile it wOul
divert his attention and keep him fro
losing nerve. So, turning his back
the water he set himself to trace IL
letters with the point of his knife Q
metal match box he had in b
pocket.
L. was long task, but he complete
7: it at last; /; then he climbed to the Il
a Of the rock, hoping that the sight
81 his form standing out against the 81
1bbAaOb Nuo VI aOuAD Ba
sing fisherman.
y For long time he waited in val
and he was just beginning to think
- would have to try and save himself
swimming, for the hour of aoOd-ti
was now drawing near, and the vi
lence of the whirlpool was now begi
ming to abate, when, far in the d
tanee he suddenly deserted til
sail.
No shout could be heard at such
T.. distance, but the boy unwound t
red sash from his waist and waved
over his head till his arm ached, a.
after a pause of terrible anxiety,
. saw the boat alter her course and sta
right out for him.
!. The skill with which the two m
who handled her kept clear of {
current by which MAIDS had been sws
away, showed that both were practis
sE Beamen, and as the boat neared hi
the boy recognized one Of them as
by father.
When the rescuers came near enou
= for a cry to he heard the fathar eri