Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-07-20
shouted back instructions to his COM

task, we stepped around the corner OF
the cabin, hoping for a chance to assist
at the sweeps The raft was just glio-
ing between the second and third piers
of the bridge, with little room to spare
on either side.
CLOVIS that for steering, lads?" cried
Grub, exultantly.
The sound seemed to anger Spitfre,
for a rasping screech came from the
cage.
''Shut up. you brutev' shouted Fos-
| dyke, tossing chunk of wood against
the door,
There was another screech followed
! by dull thump, and before our horri-
| fed eyes the hinges parted easily from
their hold on the side of the cage. The
| next instant the great, tawny brute
| was crouching before the open door
screaming with fury. He launched
his long, 1.-THE body straight at Grubb.
| 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. He fell short of
the mark. but few strokes brought
him to the eddy at the side, and he soon
had hold of the masonry.
| AS SplCurG tuFneO, Win d SCrOccu OI
baffied rage, to seek another victim,
FoSdylze 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 hesitated to follow, and Mel
and took advantage of our chance to
bolt for the cabin. Hackett joined us
at the door, and we scram bled inside to.
gether. Mel quickly drew the door
| shut and turned the little button. We
peeped anxiously through the crevices
| in the rear end. Grubb had climbed
out on the front of the pier and was
| looking blankly after the receding raft.
Fosdyl1e was still clinging to the oar
blade, IN mortal dread that Spitfire
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 we're 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. I'm bet anything they
| loosened the screws in the hinges. /
! wish l had 'em here now. I'd tan their
| hides WELL
| At.this point Spitfire trotted toward
! the cabin and made circuit Of it three
or four times, snuffing at the chinlzs
and screaming shrilly. We almost held
our breath. The brute was evidently
ravenous 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 lucl5less fellow had no al
tentative 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 zigza0, was speeding on
| through the Dauphin river; on each
side could be seen the patches of swirl
| ing water that marked the location of
submerged rocks. The current ran
with almost the speed OF a mill-r ace.
Wen be on the rocks in minute or
two, if some one don't get to them
sweeps" exclaimed Hackett. This is
| a vallyble lot of timber, an 1 amt the
man to stand by an see it lost. I'm
agoing to smash that ugly brute's
| head!'
He picked up the ak and started for
| the door. Mel and 1 tried to stop him,
| but to no avail. He opened the door
and dashed out with a lusty shout
Taken by surprise, Spitfire reiterated
half a dozen yards. Then he turned
and crouched for spring. His hun
cry, glazing eyes emitted a greenish
| light
The intrepid raftsman waited with
| uplifted ak. For few seconds Mel
and / stood breathless.
Crash! We were almost knocked Off
our feet as the forward end of rhe raft
ground on hidden rock. The current
| Instantly whirled the stern end around,
| and the dizzy motion confused the
| panther. He forgot to spring, and
| glared at Hackett, who still stood on
guard with the ak.
Crash! again. This time the stern
| end had fastened on the rocks, and the
great raft lay broadside across the
channel, swaying and trembling in the
fierce current. Waves broke over the
| edge, sending little strea ms of water in
| every direction.
The strain lasted only few seconds.
With sharp crack the raft parted in
| the middle, and Spitfire, who CHANGED
! to be right on the section-line, was
| plunged suddenly into the gap. Our
| end held fast, but the other half swung
| loose, and went swiftly down stream.
! We forgot our peril in watching Spit
| fire. He battled hard fer life as the
current whirled him away, but the
loose part of the raft overlook him. and
his tawny body vanished in the twink
| ling Of an eye. He did not reappear,
| though we watched for a moment or
! two. Fosdyke had crawled off the
sweep by this time. and he and Hackett
! exchanged malicious grins over the
| panther'S untimely end.
| We conld see three boats speeding
out from the Dauphin shore to rescue
Grubb. and when this was accomplished
| they came down to the raft The other
| portion had meanwhile lodged on the
| rocks not far below. With the kindly
help of the Dauphin people. both Sec
tons were dislodged and joined togeth-
err in the quiet water along shore.
But the whole raft was in such