The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-02-04

Frost Giant got a liti;, liter start
than We did and the owner OF the Mist
Maiden looked somewhat concerned.
But our pilot was no novice. as he soon
proved 10 our satisfaction. The Frost
Giant, now a little ahead. put her helm
hard down. and dashed athwart our
bow. making for the opposite side OF
the lake, where the wind was strong
est Our pilot had evidently been
waiting Tor this. because the Mist Maid
en- clipped across the wake OF her rival
and made straight for the point mark
Ing the turn In the lake. shortening
the course two hundred yards at
slight sacrifice Of wind. This maneu.
yer put the two boats again abreast,
and after rounding the point they
closed In on each other We were now
dashing along at magnificent speed,
with the driving wind over our quar-
ter. The girls sat In the box as quiet
as mice, their eyes cleaning with ox-
element For a mile or two the Mist
Maiden and the Frost Giant drove
along. almost abreast. and with scarce
ly twenty feet OF Tee between them
The crews hardly exchanged word
and the silence was broken only by tho
whlrring runners and the steady swish
OF their sharp iron heela
Now the Frost Giants larger spread
OF canvas began TO tell on her speed
and she drew slowly away from us. Our
fair masoots faces were a picture when
the Giant soon showed us a clean pair
OF heels. and We all felt little dubious
all except. perhaps. our imperturba-
bic skipper. Il hardly seemed possible
for any boat 20 improve on our terrific
speed and hold together. yet the Frost
Giant was certainly doing u. hut soon
the eyes OF even our calm helmsman
began TO sparkle a little. and though
the tiller shook and trcmbled In his
hands from the rapid pounding OF the
runner beneath. he held the Mist Maid.
en- straight TO her course.
Both boats skirted the first and sec
ond fields OF set-llnes on the same side.
and we were compelled to drop in our
rivals wake. The first and second big
cracks both boats crossed. close to the
shoreline, on the same side. the Mist
Maiden stlll following the Frost Giant.
To gain on her. then. swerve from the
rafFua ana me- knr nanw.aN s.tsfta 49,
less. Though the little Maiden pound
ed along al a speed that would have
taken our breath had Il not been with
the wind. the memorable Giant con-
tlnued TO draw away from as. Now va
rapidly neared the field OF set-llnes be-
yond which lay the last big crack-one
mile from the dam. and the Mist Maid
en- in the rear fully forty yards. The
Eros; Giant yeered sharply 10 the left
10 make a long angle for the passage
over the crack. shortening the run and
clearing the set-lines. The Mist Maid
en- shot straight ahead. The lookout
turned around IN frenzy and shouted
'set-llnesi Swing her to port, quick
You can't make the crack on the
rlghtF-
But the skipper never a word said
he" What was the matter with him
We looked upon the race a. lost.
cry OF derislon went up from the Frosi
Giant. II was too late now. under IN,
fearful speed. TO make sharp turn 4
the left: TO the right was no better
and the set-ilnes were almost under us
The only thing 10 do was 70 throw hel
up IN the wind. az the risk OF tearinl
on the runners. But still We spe,
straight ahead. The lookout danced II
excitement; the girls cheeks were pale
the rest OF us were dumhfounded ani
helpless. and lngulfment In the crack
nov hardly a hundred feet away. stare,
as IN the face. Snap snap, and twl
set-llnes were gone 10 Dayy Jones'
locker
"set-llnes, sot-lines!" again hoarse
" screamed the lookout
"set-llncs be- --." II be nnlsheI
the sentence the Wild wind charitable
waited away the rest Of the bought
helmsman's words across the ice. wher
there we're no gentle ears TO hear. Tn
lookout wheeled around In despair
now thoroughly frightened. and cried
"Heave her to- Hoaye her to, Tor God
sakeT
hut on We went Snap snapl wen
the set-lines again and with the I'm
! precautions OF the outraged hsherma
family borne TO our ears upon N
wings OF the wind. We dashed stralgh
Tor the crack The thin black io
yawnod before us. The girls screamc
In fright aud clung 20 the swayln
boat hrCathlcs1. Then che struck m
thin Tee bent beneath me blow as 10
lnruli us aud the icy water lotiol frol
a score of cracks. but before we coul
sink. ho .,anch lule Mist Maiden ha
mounted tho solid Gee on lhe 9th,
side. then she dashed nohly down d.
straight course. and reached ihe dan
falls ;a.riv aoennls before che Fro
Giant and in just eleven minutes ar
thlr,y-two seconds from the time %
LETT DE clshi-mIo bridge.