The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-07-28

ueu eyes the hinges pdTtcu easily iFotu
their hold on the side of the cage The
next instant the great. tawny brute
was crouching before the open door
screaming with fury. lie launched
his long, 1.-THE body straight at Grabb,
but pumped down on the bare boards
The raftsman escaped by the very skin |
Of his teeth. Urged To desperation by |
his peril he made tremendous leap
for the passing pier. lie fell short OF
the mark. but few strokes brought
him To the eddy at the side, and ne soon
had hold Of the masonry
As Spitfre turned. with . screech OF
baffied rage. to seek another victims
Fosdyke ran out on one OF the sweeps
and, dropping into the water, clasped
his arms about the blade. There he
chung. his frightened face bobbing UP
and down with the yellow tide.
Spitfire hesitatcd TO follow. and Mel
and took advantage OF our chance TO
bolt for the cabin. Hackett joined US
at the door, and we scrambled inside to-
gether Mel quickly drew the door
shut and turned the little button. We
pecped anxiously through the crcvices
in the rear end. Grubb had climbed
out on the front Of the pier and was
looking blankly after the receding raft
Fosdykc was still clinging to the oar
blade, in mortal dread that Spitfirc
would crawl after him. There was
some likelihood of this, for the brute
crouched on the extreme edge of the
raft, humping the planks with. his
long tail.
"Wa-al. this is purity fix" snarled
Hackett. '.Here we are, cooped up in
the shanty an just at the worst bit OF
the channel, too. If we swing broad
side were sure to go to pieces on the
rocks. How in thunder did the brute
git out?"
We gave an account of the affair. and
it only increased the big fellows wrath.
Its them tarnation boys" he
growled .rll bet anything they
looscncd the screws in the hinges
wish had 'em here now. I'd tan their
hides we'll"
At this point Spitfire trotted toward
the cabin and made circuit of it three
or four times, snufing at the chinks
ana screaming shrilly. We almost held
our breath. The brute was evidently
ravcnous with hunger.
Presently he crept to the forward end
of the raft, but returned too quickly to
allow Fosdyke chance to gain the
cabin. The luckless fellow had no al.
| ternativc but to remain where he was.
He kept shouting at the top OF his
voice to attract the attention of people
| on shore.
Meanwhile. tn raft, already tn rned
slightly zigzag. was speeding on
through the Dauphin river; on each
side could be seen the patches Of swirl
irg water that marked the location OF
Submerged rocks The current ran
with almost the speed of q mill-face.
We'll be on the rocks in a minute or
two, if some one don't get to them
sweeps." exclaimed Hackett- This is
a vallyble lot of timber, an l amt the
man to stand by an see it lost. I'm
acoing to smash that ugly brutes
head.'
He picked mp the. AK and started FOR
tic door Mel and tried TO stop him.
brt TO no avail. lie opened the door
ard dashed out with a lusty shout
Taken by surprise. Spitfire retreatcd
half dozen yards Then he turned
ard crouched for spring. His hun
gry, glaring eyes emitted a greenish
light.
The intrepid raftsman waited with
uplifted AK. For few seconds Mel
ard stood breathless.
Crash. We were almost knocked of
l ~. II. 49, ho
ground on a hidden rock. The current
ins tanly whirled the stern end around,
ann the dizzy motion confused the
panther. He forgot to spring. and
clsred at Hackett, who still stood on
guard with the ax.
Crash again. This time the stern
epa had fastened on the rocks, and the
great raft lay broadside across the
channel, swayin and trembling in the
fierce current Waves broke over the
. edge. sending little streams OF water IL
every direction.
The strain lasted only . few sec onds
With a sharp crack the raft parted IL
the middle. and Spitfire. who chancet
TO be right on the section-line. wa'
, plunged suddenly into the gap. Out
end held fast, but the other half swune
loo~e, and went swiftly down stream
; We forgot our peril in watching Spit
: fire. He battled hard fer life as thu
> current whirlcd him away. but thu
e loose part Of the raft overlook him. ant
4 his tawny body vanished in the twink
: ling of an eye. He did not reappear
!; though we watched for q moment O
I two Fosdyke had crawled of thu
swe.p by this time, and he and Hacket
+ ex changed malicious ,grins over tn
e On nshcrs untimely end.
We could see three boats speeding
out from the Dauphin shore to rcscu
e Grubb. and when this was accompsishe'
/, they came down to the raft The othe
y portion had meanwhile lodged on tn
y rocks not far below. With the kiDdl
! help Of the Dauphin people. both sec
tions were dislodged and Joined togeth
9 er in the quiet water along shore.
: Rut the whole raft was in such
: strained and shattered condition tina
Hackett considered il advisable to u
I. up at Harrisburg. where we arrive
= shortly after noon. Several lumbe
dealers came down TO look at the tin