Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-01-04

''Those anchored ones, across the
channel, will wait for day? We must
pass them?'' she said.
'sSholy, missy. Eff dem wont leebe,
we's got to run dey," be answered,
gravely. "Lay lowl she's a-comin'y"
Again the pair nestled low In The
straw, Pete backing the skih slowly n
he lay fat along the gunwale, watching
the second transport pass. Again tho
signal-lights, again the answers Of the
anchored transports. Then through
the gloom the boatman's trained sight
took in three huge black hulls beyond
the channel, their positions fixing on
his brain.
The second steamer had passed, the
third not yet in sight; and the lskiff,
Pete judged, had drifted down half
mile.
''Now, bossy," he said. simply, yves
gwine ter cross da chainil, sholy. Den
We'll resk de transputs, fur wunst! Pull
long an slow!''
Again the skiff few over the water.
headed straight for Virginia. Across
the channel, well into the slack below,
and well-Pete hoped-below the an
chored ships, he glanced over his shout
ttCI. w ALL tuSbG lstl1SC CiiC OlSSh 411tSo
his oar, Evans stroke spinning the
boats head upstream, as he caught the
quick whisper:
Lift, bossy! Left 'er drift! Kiver,
quiclS!''
For either had the darkness made Pete
miscalculate the drift, Or Evans quicker
stroke had headed the boat diagonally
across, not straight. For-not twenty
yards ahead-into the eyes Pete conf
IDENTIFY turned, cleaned the stern-light
of a vessel, its height proving her big
one. Then, as he spoke and turned, he
glanced below, and dimly through the
gloom shone the lights of a second!
No time for speculation now. They
were almost beneath the towering hull,
well within hail or easy pistol-range!
Only careless security, or untried ears,
had failed to catch the plash of oars,
the breathless trio waiting for a hail.
probably a volley. But neither came;
and silence as of death covered what
might have been q phantom ship.
Meanwhile, the sli1f, in slack form
the current, began to drift slowly to-
wards the second light; and Pete, low
crouched in the stern, noiselessly shipped
his paddle and turned her head shore
ward.
Intuitive1y the others had stretched
in the hay, drawing the oilcloths well
over them, breathlessly expecting the
whirr of bullet or the G.aft of a BEN
COLA.
Flat on the water, no head showing
above her sides, the light craft an
swered well the feather of Petc's strong,
slow wrist. Inch by inch she bore
away, passed under the dirn-looming
stern, almost grazing the still blades of
| the propeller. But, spite OF the blacks
strength, the sl1iff drifted fast; and he
dared not quicken his paddle, fearing
| noise. For now on his quick ear
sounded the dull tramp of the deck
watch on the second transport, and the
dim CLEAN OF her consort's stern-1ight
fell on the low black slziff drifting be-
tween twin dangers! So the steersman
let her swing closer in, beyond the
! light,-almost too close,-before he
softly turned her shoreward.
For high above him doomed the sec
ond bow; and biscuit dropping from
it had fallen in the slziff. And the muf-
fed tread above now sounded clear even
to the two beneath the oil-cloths. But
to neither of the three did thought OF
capture come, the reckless daring of the
boy relying on his tried, trust-to-luclk
theory, the calmcr courage of the girl
upheld by nearness to the goal she
| must reach now, the peril-hardened ne
gro crouched quiet and cool, his body
motionless, his strong wrist barely feel
ing the noiseless paddle.
Under the very nose of the tall ship
drifted the skiff, quick-turned into the
gloomy shadow of her great sides, car
ried slowly downward by the slack.
They were through the barrier, the
enemy well behind them! They were
safe And Pete, turning the boats head
to shore, wore away cautiously, but
faster. Just then, out from the black
shadow astern, came the calls: ''Boat
astern, sir!''-''Where away?'-s'Port
quarter, sir!''-so rapidly rs to merge in
one.
al three could hear the officer run
aft and his gruff reply, as he lowered
his night-glass:
Nonsense, Keefe! see nothing"
No time to lose now! Quicker, but
still noiselessly, the brawny black wrist
twisted the paddle, the, boat answering
as a live thing and gliding swiftly
away, but not before the ghost1y blue
bengal-light CLEANED o1ninous across
the water. And just within it's radius,
scarcely visible, 1oated on the low,
black boat.
There she lays, STRIP the watch cried,
pointing.
''Pshaw, man! that's only an old log.
But give her a shot, anyway"
Pete heard the shrill hiss of bullet
close above his head, and q splash as it
struck the water well beyond. But he
did not even vince; and no sound or
movement showed the dim. log-lil1e OBJ
ject floating there to be anything more
suspicious.
But at the shot the first ship flashed
her lights, and, still beyond, the third
answered TIE signal, lighting the water
80 brightly that the boat-gliding swift
ly almost out of radius now-showed
clearly. And, with the sight, rifles
cracked from the nearest ship, bullets
cutting the water all around, and one
striking dull into the stern of the bold
blockade-runner. Then, rearing his
tall form IS the boat glided again be-
yond the lights, Pete swung his oar,
crying:
Lay low, missy!-Row, bossy, row!'
Another volley came, some bullets
Kissing very near, as Evan bent to his
oar and cried. cheerily:
"Prll, Pete! It's run or hang, nowi''
TO BE CONTINUED
Willing to Wait.
Uncle Ebony-I's in trubble, suah,
NJ I