The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-09-02
"Ard can't we 60 at all now?" be
n nix cd

wind and tide carry us" replied the
gentleman, as he looked at his watch
and then gazed anxiousiys out over the
bay, on which the only sails visible were
| a long distance off.
Then how are we going to get to
grandma's for dinner?" said Uaisy, in
dismay.
But the May Queens long, shrill vhis-
ties for help drowned Clinton's answer,
| if, indeed, he had known how to make
any.
"Oh, look, Frank!" exclaimed the
lady, during an interval in the blasts
I'VE must be drifting out to sea-
That's what l feared" said the gen
tleman, gravely, for the tide is still
running out, and what wind there is
is blowing in the saine direction"
Let's go down and see the break.
will you, Daisy?" proposed Clinton.
And hand i'll hand they went down
stairs, but there was such a crowd
around the shaft that they could not
get near it.
Daisy was rapidly growing very nerv-
Gus, and Clinton was wondering what
he could do or say to reassure her, when
IA man with a gilt band around his cap
bcckoned to him from the after gang
way.
| There were two deckhands leaning
over the railing near him, holding on
to the ropes, with which they had just
lowered one of the life boats into the
water.
Now don't be frightened" explained
the mate, "bur just let us pass you
| down into this boat. Some of YOU pas
sengers will be sure to want to go ashore
when you find out the anchor won't
hold when it's irst dropped, and as you
two are the youngest on board it's no
nore'n right you should have first
show"
But where are you going to take
us?" asked Daisy, in some alarm, as
stout arm placed her safely in the stern
of the lifeboat.
fright around Sandy Point-you can
just see it over wonderland UP the river
to Sunside."
EXACTLY where we want to &C." said
Clinton, as he slid down rope into
the bow.
You might unhook those blocks"
began the mate, as he sent the men
away in answer 10 a call from the cap
tain, "and catch this rope. The boat
will ride easier, and"
But another loud summons from the
captain called the officer forward, and
the children were left alone.
Here, Daisy, please hold this rope
minute, while l unhook these pull
leys, as the man told me to do; or you
might tie it 10 that ring"
So saying, Clinton passed the line
the mate had thrown him to his sister,
and proceeded to cast Off the hosting
gear.
He had barely completed his task
when Daisy startled him by giving a
spring that very nearly sent him over,
board, and crying out:
"Oh, Clint, the ropes gone!"
But, Daisy, why did you let go oil
it?"
81 was just trying to tie it as you
said, and it slipped right out of my
hands. And, oh, see how fast we're
drifting away! Can't you catch hold
OF something?"
And the little girl almost held her
breath while Clinton leaned as far over
as he dared ard tried to clutch at the
rudder chains.
But just then the lifeboat sank down
between two waves, and when it came
up again there was space of several
feet between it and the May Queen, for
the anchor had caught hold of the bot
tom at last, and the first of the flood
tide swept the smaller boat swiftly
away.
The children at once began to shout
for help at the top of their voices, but
as the steamboat had now begun to
| blow off steam, and as most Of the pas
sengers were on the forward deck,
watching vessel that had just been
sighted, they were neither heard nor
seen.
i Cant you row back, Clint?" asked
Daisy; then, as the boat rose high on Il
wave, only to Sink into the green depths
again, she added: "Oh, no, don't Try
but see if we can't get to the land."
i Clinton, meanwhile, Was tuggine at
the oars, which were several sizes too
large for him; besides, he had only
rowed once or twice in his life before
So when he found that the wind had
changed, and was now blowing shore
ward, he decided that it was best to
take Daisy's advice.
See if you can steer against my
rowing" he suggested, when he had
finally succeeded in pushing one of the
huge oars into it's place. Just keep
the rudder turned that way-so. 1t
didn't look to be very far to the mouth
OF the river when the man pointed II
out, and, if we can only get into the
tide there, it'll carry Us right up to
Sunside. | used to watch it come rush
iug in last summer"
Thus, with the help of wind and tide
and the one oar, the lifeboat was
brought nearer and nearer to rhe strir
Of beach, until, finally, the children
could hear the booming of the breakers