Evening star., 1898-08-27

knocked senseless by the immense bodies
of floating ice in the bay.
The air. which had been warm and balmy,
now seemed to grow sharp and cold. and
then the long twilight glow faded into the
shades of night. Di;nly in the distance
Dane could discern the snowy hood of
Mount Fairweather looming to his right,
while on his left lay Skidmore Island, en-
circled with rows CT floating icerocks, which
CLEANED and sparkled in the moons rays
as she appeared above the horizon.
1t was a beautiful scene and this the boy
dimly realized, even in the midst of the
horrible fate staring him in the face. On
and on the iceberg swiftly sailed until at
length, tired and weary, the boy must have
fallen asleep-onlX to awaken with a sud-
den start, to realize that he was drifting
on an iceberg on the open sea, surrounded
by floating masses of ice that bumped and
crashed about him with heavy thuds.
But through the long, weary night the
iceberg drifted steadily on, and Danes
hope that he would be picked up by some
passing steamer began to grow dim. If
he could have steered the berg into the
channels through which the steamer had
passed on her way to the bay he felt there
might have been a chance for life, but once
out on the Pacific ocean and he knew there
would be no hope.
Suddenly in the dim gray light of early
dawn he jumped to his feet. A light A
light!
With eyes almost starting out of his
head, he glared at the faint signal that
hght nickered, and then with a sob Dane
saw II was growing larger. 1t was a ship
and she was headed in his direction.
Then the boy began to shout with all
his strength. until he was so exhausted
that only hoarse, rasping sounds came
from his throat. At length, with a cry,
he pulled off his coat, and, tearing it in
pieces with a match he found in his pocket
he set it on fire.
A second later a bright flame shot up
across the water VIII they see his signal?
Yes, thank God, for suddenly Dane saw
one of the lee boats sent adrift of her
gr1pes and two sailors sprang into her
lowered to the ssa and now, with strong
sweeping strokes of the oar, the little boat
shot over the dark waters toward the boy
breathlessiy Dane watched the boat, the
csaseieSS tapping of the waves against the
iceberg the only sound that struck his ear
Ana now the boy saw rope flung far over
the heaving waters. What was he to do?
Swim-yes. swim for his life
With q muttered prayer to God to give
him strength Dane sprang into the sea and
disappeared, but a moment later the sail
crs saw him heroically struggling toward
the rope. 1t was hard work, a dead pull
against wind and tide, for there was a
strong sea and the boys strength was
weakened by his long fast
But the rope seemed drifting farther and
farther away with the tide. A ringing
shout Of encouragement from the sailors
reached his ear, and then again thu rope
was flung across the dark waves.
one more struggle, a few more strokes
and now with benumbed fingers and breath
coming in choking gasps, he seized the
rope felt the men hauling him to the boat
Two hours later, when he was able to tell
his story, he found he was on a whaling
ship, bound for Alaska; but the kind cap
tain soon turned the prov of his vessel and
headed for Sitka-
Three days later Dane, with cry of JOY
grasped the hand of the professor, who, in
his delight at seeing the boy alive fairly
sobbed with joy.
And Harry-wsll the lucky rascal was in
the other boat, which managed to steer
clear of the floating iceberg But Dane
poor fellow! had met with an experience
which would last him lifetime as many
bright moonlight night he would awaken
and for a moment think he was on an ice
berg drifting on the open sea-