Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-06-07


touched since the broad arrow was painted
on her bow" answered. "By night she is
guarded by single man, but that troubles
me less than would fly on a hot day. BE
has seen his last sun if he thwarts me. care
not for one man nor three if / can but guide
my approach. From aught have seen
and have watched her well-nothing has
been done to her, naught carried away. She
was thought fit to go on an errand to Pigot,
only wanting in men, arms, and provisions;
even the fresh water slowed forward may
be good!"
"Arms and provisions you can have.
They are even now in the barn room" he an
swered slowly and in strong contrast to my
excited speech. But" he continued. as he
closed the shutters, blocked the windows,
and lighted the candle, Knight you not
overshoot your vessel in the fog, or run into
some of the anchored feet when once
adriftw
CAY, all is chance!" broke in Ames; "and
'twere better to take the chance than to be
run to earth like tired fox, as is like to
happen in biding here. What, then, would
come to you, Peter? Like enough you would
help weight third string, and We all hang
together!"
'When does the tide ebb tonight"
asked.
Near eleven, or at about the setting Of
the moon," Burt answered. Then after a
moment he continued: "Well, God be with
you, gentlemen! I will do my part. Like
the refuge in the barn, made the boat and
hid it while yet Washington held the city.
1 clearly foresaw the outcome of his col
lision with Clinton, and little doubted the
ultimate use of both barn and boat. Either
is at your SERVICE"
With the opening of possible escape before
me, and one demanding immediate action,
my spirits went aloft in the measure Of
their former depression. Nor did fear
their reaction, as enough uncertainty lay
before to keep mans eyes and wits awake,
and that, too, without the aid of liquor.
Even after the decision to trust to the boat
was made, my mind misgave me. Was it
better to drag this girl into the danger of an
attempt to fly through plan which might
be nipped in the bud and end by our rum
ming at once into the hands of the enemy, or
lie in a suffocating box with the doubtful
chance of being overlooked? Even if safer,
the latter would become more than awkward
if necessity demanded protracted conceal
ment, and if discovery ensued it would but
serve to damn our generous benefactor. Be
sides, to tell the truth, I had no wish to be
found like scared, rabbit in hole. A
mans pride hangs, on nigh as long as his
breath, if he be properly balanced, and !
had made reputation of which, to say the
least, I was not ashamed. Nay, would
make bold and novel move, and, if it must
SO come, end my life like man with his
liver of the proper color.
This much settled, and in less time than
it has taken to write it, l thought and spoke
DO more Of the barn room, but turned with
the rest to making ready. Beyond the boat,
the bundle of provisions, an extra brace of
pistols, and rapier, we mulcted our host
of nothing. In an hour the boat, which was
no more than ,lat-bottomed scow squared
at the ends, was brought from its hiding
place. 1t was fitted with the toughest of
oars and but one thwart, and was damp
affair altogether, its concealment having
been made through covering it with boards
on which had been piled mass of wet salt
weed. 1t proved tight, though terribly
heavy, but as worked completed the de.
tails of the start, and had determined that
the use of oars would but menace our safe
ty, SO that speed, or lack of it, would be q
quality cutting no figure. We would but
drift and steer.
After cleaning it, there was little else to
do but load the boat, getting the arms snug
ly bestowed, and then wait for the slaoking
of the food tide. It was tedious end impa.
tisnt writing, fee I fAaEsa ~ thaA ~ M