Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-05-23
CHAPTER III.
II GIVE MY SHARE TO YOU"

81 GIVE MY SHARE TO YOU"
Good luck and fair winds followed
our adventures until they reached the
stormy Gulf of California, where an ac-
cident occurred which greatly affected
Toms future plans.
1t was an hour before sunset and the
two passengers were leaning over the
stern watching the water fly swiftly
under the counter, when loud shout
from aloft attracted their attention.
Looking quickly up they had barely
time to spring aside when heavy block
struck the deck beside them with ter
rife force. A rope attached to it hit
Toms companion across the chest,
sending him backwards. His heels met
the wheel ropes and the next instant he
struck the water astern and disap-
peared from Toms sight.
It had all happened so quickly that he
hardly realized what had occurred until
the sailor aloft shouted:
"Man overheard! Man overboard!"
With the promptitude of a sailor the
man at the wheel sprang to the rail and
cut adrift the life preserver, which was
always ready for use, and at the same
time the captain rushed on deck and
ordered the ship hove to-
Then Tom tore OFF his coat and shoes
and leaped over the rail before the cap
tain could detain him.
Like most Cape Cod boys, he had
learned to swim at an early age, and a
pond in Merrivale had enabled him to
indulge in the exercise in late years, so
that when he came to the surface he
felt no anxiety for himself, although
the vessel was some distance away.
He struck out with all his might in
the direction of the vessels wake, and
soon caught glimpse of a white face
ahead rising and falling on the waves.
Keep up till / reach you'll" he shout
| ed to encourage Avery, who was fully
80 yards away.
There was no reply, and when Tom
was within dozen strokes of his friend
the latter suddenly threw up his arms
and began to sink.
Tom reached the spot just in time to
grasp his hair and drag him to the sur
face, where he lay utterly unconscious
and unable to assist himself. Tom sup
| ported him as best he could, but his
clothes soon began to drag him down,
and his limbs felt like lead. He was
nearly spent when something white
swept before his eyes on the top of a
sea, and he saw that it was the life
buoy. With last effort he struck out
and succeeded In grasping 1t.
| In the meantime the Seabird hadbeen
brought to the wind and a boat lowered
with all possible speed, but 1t is slow
half mile distant before the boat struck
the water with Capt. Coffin in her stern
Although the buoy supported Tom
easily, he found it no easy task to keep
the unconscious mans head above the
surface, and when the boat reached
them he was pulled from the water il
a state of utter exhaustion.
Avery showed no signs of life. and
when the vessel was reached he was
taken to his berth, where the old cap
tain gradually resuscitated him, Ton
having changed his clothes in the.mean
time and regained the use of his limbs
When he reached the stateroom hi
was shocked at his friends face. Their,
was look there which comes but once
to humanity, and which froze the word!
on his tongue.
Scott, sit down." said the old miner
II can see by your face what you reae
In mine, have no time to waste. I'm
dying man, Scott. Something hal
given out inside and my time is up
Don't interrupt me, please. must tel
you something while I have time"
| He paused an instant to press hi
| hand to his side, saying:
| 'When that hit me something snapped
In here. I think rib is sticking int
my lungs. Take off my belt, Scott
Hurry up! Don't stop to ask question.
| now!"
| Tom obeyed, and with trembling
fingers the dying man drew forth {
| folded bit OF paper, whispering;
tits yours, and 1t means fortune
TO you! Get me pen and paper ant
then write what tell you'll"
His request was soon complied with
and with faint voice he dictated:
4 st, John Avery, being about TO die
give my share in the gold mine discov
cred by my partner. Dick Reed, to tn,
bearer, Thomas Scott, who has risket
his life for mine twice"
| When this unique will was on pape
he added:
"Give me the pen. There, needn't b
any witnesses. Dick Reed knows my fist
| and he's as square as die. This paper i
a map to tell me how to reach the mine
It's secret trail leads to 1t, and onl,
three men know Of it. You will be ricl
4 If you live to reach 1t. Trust no one
but go by yourself. Take the money ii
my belt, too, and use it as you please
You may find my brother Bill at TIL
mine. He was sent for, too. You'll ge
my share"
!. A violent At of coughing interrupte,
him, and before it ended the handker
chief he pressed to his lips was stained
with his life blood.
i Tom hastily summoned the captain
but the old miner sank into an uncon
] soious state, and before morning Ton