Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-03-22

hcn he gave his undivided attention
20 the task that lay before him That
1t was liiicly to prove n stern and diff
cult one he quickly realized His con-
ccption OF the winds force had not
been exaggerated The speed of the ice
boat was something fearful and he
found that lie had but slight control
over It. Al first he was content TO
swing along ON the track Of the Elf,
which was more than a quarter of "a
mile ahead Of him, and still speeding
dHgonally toward the opposite shore
OF tie river lie could see Dick pcrched
on IN, rear end, but could not make
out what he was doing. A moment or
two later there was proof to show that
the littl1 fellow had bccl experiment
irf with thc sails. The Elf suddenly
swung about and slipped straight
down In!d.rivct for one hundred yards.
Ihcn 1t tucked diagonally toward the
Port Dr,vcrton shore. Possibly these
movements were due to the vagaries of
the wind, though Andy thought other
wise. lie quickly hauled on the jio and
altered the Al.ratta's course to that Of
the Eli.
Ills satisfaction vanished when he
spird u reef Of out-crupping rocks be-
tween the two boats. Their presence
above the lee was due to the fact that
the river h Il frozen when at low
stag. The barrier extended clear from
mid river to the Port Trevcrton shore.
an the En- had been below II when
she tucked.
he only course open to Andy was to
circle around the rocks, SO he at once
tackled toward them. but when he had
reached and passed their outermost
edge and WAS minded to tack in the op-
poaiic direction such squirt of wind
came on that the jib-sail was helpless.
The Alfratta dartcd nearly across the
remaining half of the river Then II
hwung straight down stream, parallel
with the shore, and at distance from
ii of several hundred feet.
For time Andy made no attempt to
litter his present course. lie was on
one side of the river, the Eff on the
other Finally tho other s1at came
lacking over rs far as mid-stream,
when it turned and kept parallel with
the Alfratta. Andy was undecided
wiat TO do lie could see Dick waving
his cap at him.
III tack across now" he reflected,
"lll likely drop behind the Elf and be
driven clear to the other shore before
can turn around But II fool away
any time Dick may blundcr into an air
hole. It's n mighty awkward fix"
lie hcsitatcd u little longer, then all
choice was suddenly taken out of his
hands As he glanced down the broad
vista OF giittcring ice he saw something
that male his heart leap and his blood
turn chill Half mile ahead, in mid
river, was great sheet of open, black
water. The Elf was dashing straight
toward it,
or II moment Andy was sick with
despair Then his resolve was taken.
lie tuggcd maGIy ut the jib-sail, and to
his delight the Alfratta instantly
tackled outward IL sped faster and
faster. The two boats were now tray
Cliag On opposite sides of triangle.
NoGll they meet in time, or would
both iiud watery grave in the vast
air hole?
Andy knew that there was scarcely
a chance. Yet he did not finch in the
face OF almost certain death. lie
stccrcd the Aliratta steadily on. deter
mined 10 save Dick or perish with
hin.
Meanwhile the ELI encountered some
rough ice and fell little behind This
made Andy's chances brighter. The
nest minute was full of horror and
suspense. The two iccboats rushed
madlv on, one headed straight for the
air holes, the other striving To cross
above it, Dick saw the peril now, and
his sarill cries echoed far on the air.
ANDY waved his hand chcerily. lie
could See moving black speclss over ON
the Port Vrcvcrton shore
Now the gap of yawning black water
was just ahead. Nearer and nearer
swept thcElL Closer aud closer came
the Allrdtta The sides of the triangle
were rapidly dwindling to Il point.
Andy felt his heart rising to his throat.
lie scanned the distance between the
two boats and thought that he saw a
g!cam OF hope.
Dick" he shouted with all his
might, crawl up front BE ready for
me. II | miss jump off. DO you under
staud?"
Dick nodded. Thea he quickly
obcyed orders. Now the critical mo-
Ircnt was ut hand. At distance OF
only twenty feet from the brink of the
air-holc the Alfratta dashed obliquely
across the bow of the Elf. There was
II crash and n culver, and that quickly.
Andy snatchcd little Dick and dragged
him from his place of peril
Tho Elf swung about, and ground
swiftly on. She plunged into the
black water, and was sucked down by
the swift current. The sails hoated
for a moment and then disappeared.
The Alfratta barely cleared the fur
thermost edge of the air-hole. She
tackled rapidly across the river with
her double burden, and five minutes
after she ground safely ON the Port
Trevcrton shore, a mile and half be-
low the village Most Of the crowd
were on the spot, having run swiftly
along the bank. There was great
cheering and applause, and Andy
blushed to find himself hero Phil
burst into tears when little Dick
jumped into his arms. Later on he
begged Andy's forgiveness, as did also
Jack and Frank.
There's nothing to forgive" said
Andy. I'm only sorry the Elf is lost
We can't have that race now, Chi
cRgo Tribune,
ENGLISH noblemcn are the only ones
in Europe who ever wear coronets on
their heads, and the sole occasion when
they do so Is at the coronation Of the