Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-08-04
A DAREDEVIL DEED.

There was no moon. The night was a
perfect one The vaulted heavens were
studded with stars, which scintillated
with fauItless brilliancy
1t is strange they do not come, :"
muttered Lawton. as he iinpatiently
paced the beach. If he keeps monkey
ing around with those pigtails, We'll be
nabbed yet "
Joe McAllister. ostensibly fisher
man, was the only confidant and fellow
worker Lawton had A sharp, shrewd
Scotchman, hard headed and as cool as
ice in times Of danger, Joe had more
than once acquitted himself to his COM
panion S full satisfaction. Of medium
height, with a scrubby, sandy beard,
covering nearly his entire face, he pre-
sented a somewhat ludicrous appear
ance. but glance at the small, sharp,
gray eyes, which CLEANED from beneath
his heavy eyebrows, would convince the
beholder Joe was no fool His sunburned
countenance was surmounted by shock
of coarse, rebellious, red hair, which
had a fashion of peeping out from under
the rim of his hat with impudence char
acteristic of the wearer.
Light footsteps were heard jogging
along the road, and, while satisfied it
was McAllister with the contraband
Cinnamon, Lawton, with his usual eau
tion stepped into the shadow of tree
until reassured by short, low whistle,
which he answered.
''How many?" was Lawton's saluta-
ton
-Four. "
"Humph You'll get us caught yet,
Joe, with your tagging back.
"Hoot, mon Yedinna ken the twirls
and twists Of these jibberin diyils.
They're like lot of old women with
their chatter.
We'll, be quick, y said Lawton, with
the imperious air of command natural
to him. "And the pay?"
"I've got it, mon, $500, right in my
pocket. Dye suppose l d be a-foolin wild
thin if not? Indeed no.
At signal from Joe four shadowy
forms glided out of the darkness, and
with chattering teeth took the places
indicated for them III tho stern of the
boat.
Joe and Lawton silently divested
themselves of their coats, and showing
out into the stream pulled swiftly to-
ward the shadow Of the island, hugging
its protecting gloom until they cleared
the point. Here they rested upon their
cars. listening intently for sounds Of
pursuit
The smuggling Of Cinnamon had gone
Oh to such an extent that the United
States government was making extra
efforts to put IL stop to it,
A system of patrol had been inaugu-
rated extending along the line, and it
was hazardous undertaking to run the
gantlet.
The current of the river as it struck
off the American shore set in toward
the island which divided If, causing it
to recoil with much swiftness, quickly
sending them down stream
Their destination being a point be-
low, where their cargo would be met
by a conveyance and then driven inland
to catch an early train for the west,
Lawton and his companion lost no time
in pulling for the Michigan shore. The
oars were muffied, SO there was COM
plete silence.
Suddenly the regular dip of oars was
heard, the length of the stroke designat-
ing to the quick ear of the smugglers
the presence Of trained sailors pulling
in man-of-war style.
With set teeth the fugitives--for
such they had become-shot their boat
back into the shadow and breathlessly
rested on their oars, listening to tho
regular click of the oars of their pur-
suers
These seemed to be rounding the
point of the island from the Canadian
shore
.'Are you sure of what you say?"
came Deep stern voice dancing over
the water
Perfectly. sir, came the reply.
There were four Of them in company
with q short, thickset man, but they
drove like the devil down the river road
and thus eluded me. They must have
embarked somewhere in this vicinity,
and that's why shot the signal. y
"You did right. Confound it, it's
getting as black as your hat. and you
might as well look for a needle in a
haystack as for these venturesome
devils Starboardl Well pull for the
cutter and make running chase with
the searchlight. .
With this the click of the oars grew
| fainter. and for moment the two men
and their now thoroughly frightened
! companions breathed easier
by =, we've got to pull for it
now. Joe, said Lawton in an under
tone If they get that internal elec-
tricity on us. IT'S all up.
Prudence was thrown to the winds.
The muffiers on the oars were removed,
and the two lnen SIT themselves down
| to their work in earnest Their muscles,
standing out like whipcords, piled back
| and forth under the skin with clocklike
regularity, while tLeir light draft mar
row boat shot forward at marvellous
speed
AS the commander had said, it was
indeed dark. Clouds Of inky blaclSness
low ooscured the iirmament. from out
# witch lightning shot with vivid bril-
fancy The roll of distant thunder and
low soughing of the wind, the ADVANCE
guard of the storm, toId the smugglers
of new danger in their path.
Between the roar Of the now increas-
ing peals Of thunder there came down
to the perspiring men the "clanks
clank, clank, 2 Of the windlass, accom-
panied by the ''Heave, ahol" of the
sailors as the anchor was being raised
A fash of binding brilliancy from
the searchlight illuminated the dark.
ness, then settled down to steady glare,
as it was slowly turned up and down
the river.
| By this time the waters were being
churned into foam by the wind and the
sea was rapidly rising Presently came
the patter, patter, patter, Of the big
drops as skirmishers Then came the
downpour.
The fioodgates of heaven seemed open,
4 while peal after peal of thunder followed
the incessant flashes of the lightning.
LaWton and Joe kept steadily at their
oars, but the great strain was beginning
/ fo fell an them when tn their inv the