The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-06-18
PART w.
CHAPTER XVII.

NARRATIVE CONTINUED BIT THE
DOCTOR - THE JOLLY-BOAT'S LAST
TRIP.
This fifth trip was quite different from
any of the others. In the first place, the
little gallipot of boat that we were In
was gravely overloaded. Five grown
men, and three OF them-Trelawney
Redruth and the captain-over six feet
high, was already more than she was
meant TO carry. Add TO that the pow
der, pork and the breadJbags. The
gunwale was Tipping astern. Several
times we shipped little water, and my
breeches and the tails of my coat were
all soaking wet before we had gone 100
yards.
The captain made US trim the boat,
and we got her TO lie a little more even
ly. All the same, we were afraid 70
breathe.
In the second place, the ebb was now
making-a strong ripping current run
ming westward through the basin, and
then southland and seaward down the
straits by which we had entered in the
morning. Even the ripples were a dan
ger to our overloaded craft; but the
worst OF IL was that we were swept out
of our true course. and away from our
proper landing-place behind the point.
" we let the current have its way we
should come ashore beside the gigs,
where the pirates might appear at any
moment.
III cannot keep her head for the
stoclade, sir" said 10 the captain.
was steering, while he and Redruth,
two fresh men, were at the oars. THE
tide keeps washing her down. Could
you pull little stronger?"
mot without swapping the boat"
said he. "You must bear up, sir, IL you
please-bear up until you see you're
gaining"
/ tried, and found by experiment that
the tide kept sweeping us westward I'M
I'll / had laid her head due east, or just
about right angles to the way we ought
to go.
wen never get ashore at this rate"
said I.
"If It's the only course that we can
lie, sir, we must even lie IT," returned
the captain. 1--WE must keep upstream.
You see, sir" he went on. "if once we
fropped to leewnrd Of the landing
place, it's hard 10 coy where we should
get ashore, besides the chance Of be-
ing boarded by the gigs; whereas, the
way we go the current must slacken.
and then we can dodge back along the
shore"
The currents less Already. sir" said
the man Gray, who was sitting In the
fore-sheets; "you can case her of Bit
Thank you, my man." said ]. quite as
II nothing had happened; for we had
oil quietly made up our minds to treat
him like one Of ourselves
Suddenly the captain spoke up again.
and thought his voice was little
changed.
THE gum" said he.
ct have thought of that" said i. for I
made sure he was thinking OF q bonn
bardment of the fort. ''They could
never get the gun ashore. and II they
did, they could never haul IL through
he woods"
Look astern. DOCTOR" replied the
captain.
we had entirely forgotten the long
nine; and there, TO our horror. were the
five rogues busy about her, getting on
her jacket, as they called the stout
tarpaulin cover under which she
sailed. Not only that, but IL flashed into
my mind at the same moment that the
round shot and the powder for the gun
had been left behind. and stroke with
an ak would put IL all into the posses
sion OF the evil ones aboard
Israel was Flint's gunner" said
Gray, hoarsely.
Az any risk, we put the boats head
direct for the landing-place. BY this
time we had got SO far out of the run
of the current that we kept steerage
way even ut our necessarily gentle rate
of rowing, and could keep her steady
for the goal. But the worst OF II was
that. with the course / now held, we
turned our broadside instead Of our
stern 10 the "Hispanjoia," aud offered a
target like barn door.
I could hear, as well as see, that
brandy-faced rascal, Israel 'tands,
pumping down a round-shot on the
deck.
-Who's the best shot7' asked the
raptain- -.