Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-12-11
THEY HAULED HIM INTO THE BOAT.

| A''H' ''NS LEA iiin iiNiA iiiih ipiINi
almost on top Of the grim, slimy mon
htcr beneath.
The washerman saw, and yelled in sud.
den fright. The cry brought men rum
ming out of the house. Tom could swim
q little, and had anyone been quick
enough, could have caught rope; but
the ship was sliding through the water,
md he was already abreast of the gang
way by the time the men rushed aft
he was away on the quarter out OF
reach.
flying black form flew past the
ethcrsand John Serooky leapcd over The
tnfirail into The sen astcrn.
Between his grinning teeth he held
his sheath knife. With grand. sweep
ing strokes he Glove his way toward
Tom.
"IIor rpi Tom? lIoi' up! I'se
comin" yelled John Seroolsy, ps he
swan townrd his man.
Cuba reached him, sputterirg.
"Ail right, sonny. Use here, boyl"
And, trcnding water, he supported Tom
by clutching the back OF his nrm. in
which position Tom wps unable to
grasp him, Though on his approach hc
had attempted to do SO,
Heavens! what distnn0e the ship
Ind drifted already, although she had
been thrown up into the wind.
''Whcre de Park, sonny? You see
bim?" spluttered Cubn.
"N-no!" qnavered Tom. II hope TO
God he's frightened uwny!"
Al fhnt ipu T,b 60.
iliIny body pass his thigh. He looked
round fnrtive,y, and for a moment n
Rpnsm of horror crossed his face.
"Whnt's-mntter-C
"Not'ing-not'ing de metteg. Here
dc boat comeIn
Indeed. the dinghy was now rushing
toward them under the wild strokes OF
her crew.
"Tom, / let you go o minute. strilse
out for de boat"
"What-whats de mattcr?" gnsped
Tom. But Cuba had suddenly tlivcd,
and Tom had to splash to prevent him
self from sinking.
The boat dashed up as Cuba rose 10
the surface. terror In his eyes. The
bow man clutched Tom, and In mo-
ment he had scrambled into the boat
"Quick. boy!" screamed Cuba. ms
swirling eddy disturbed The wnter close
to him. AZ they grabbed him his face
distorted and his white teeth snapped
suddenly together.
WHATS up. Guba?" cried the bow
man, MS he felt the mans body fall sud-
denly limp in his grasp.
They need not have asked. One OF
Cuba's legs had been bitten off, and the
rest of him horribly mnuled.
They hnuled him into the boat. lay
ing him down op the boards
they turned in haste towards the ship.
'My--good-God!" qunvered Tom. as
he bent over him. "Cubal Cuba! old
sonl"
John Serooky opened his glazing eyes
and his lips moved. Tom fcnt over.
"Sonny. amt hut ciillered man. I
know; but-would you kiss me-sonny?
Use gwine-T'sc-"
Tom bent ovcr-even in that moment
unable to forget the presence Of the
rest: but. as his lips touched the dying
man. the tears sprang out and blinded
him to n]i else. AS he dnshed them away
with his shirt sleeve Cuba's head lollcd
over to one side. and the light left his
eyes forever.
John seroolsy had paid his debt OF
gratitude.
The next day the sea monster sw01n
round them with Cubn's knife stucis
half deepin his back. After many trials
they caught him and hacked him TO
death savngely.
The carpenter made n coffin for the
dead man; they only buried him when
breeze had waited them far from
the spot ~ the tragedy.,-London An
snerE -~-...