Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-06-15
CHAPTER XVI.
THE CABIN OF THE PHANTOM.


With my mind lost to all else save the
calculation Of the speed and distance we
We're making and my body braeed forward
awaiting the proper moment to swerve the
boats course, | was suddenly startled by
quick exclamation from Ames, which was
at once followed by rasping bump and
the heelng of the scow until the water
poured in over the gunwale. At the same
moment the starboard oar received blow
hat almost tore II from my hand, and what
seemed a huge black object arose along
side and quickly vanished in the mist and
darkness astern. The suddenness and
fmartucss Of the shock were startling: but,
quick as were the appearance and disap-
pearance Of the obstruction we had toulcd,
i recognized it to be the spar buoy which
marked the outer edge of the reef extend
ing from the Hook into the river.
One might have cruised a week under the
conditions besetting us and failed to have
picked it up. 1t was like cropping through
the proyerbial haystack and finding the
proyerblal needle without having looked for
il, and though its greeting had wellnigh
Teen disastrous, it gave me the one point |
wished with absolute accuracy ! now
knew that we were nearly dead on the
\ ;
indeed, had we missed the rude warning Of
the spar, it was but fair to reckon we would
have fouled the schooner herself unless in
my miscalculations had altered our course,
In which case We would have missed her al.
together.
Quickly turning the boats head about,
let 1t drift stern first, and even before / ex-
pected, heard the rush OF the tide against a
GesseFs stem, while almost instantly, mag
Lited through the fog, doomed up like
blank wall the bow Of the schooner
80 suddenly were we upon it that the jb
boom was well over us before | sighted the
black hull, and with all my might checked
the boats way, grasping the bobstay in
time to save the taut cable, and we came to
a rest. The suck Of the rushing waters
against the broad fiat end Of the scow
made me fearful that the noise would call
the guards attention forward and, wills
pering into the ear of Ames to hold all fast
until returned, gently rid me of my boots,
took my sword betwiXt my teeth, sWarmed
up the stay to the bowsprt, and stood again
on the deck of my own schooner
At last twas done. The exultation felt
would be but natural to any man who sees
the successful ending of difficult under
taking Fog and darkness were as nothing
to me here; my way aft would have been
clear had been blind, but hardly had |
gotten abreast the foremost when ! heard
the burly tones Of one man addressing an
other, and the noise OF oars as they fell into
rowlocks came plainly to my strained ear
Stepping softly over the bulwark, | lowered
myself to the channel and listened.
An yet get astray in the fog an come not
back by dawn, I'll have We in the guard
house for bein OIL post, said the Foice from
The deck.
Nay" came the answer from a boat;
eve do me a good turn by giving me tins
leave; fear me not Ill ne'er betray you or
fail to be back in time for you 70 get ashore
IT'S a summers fog, an Will melt by sun
rise Tell him will fetch the rum.
Fetch It, then, but not in ger skin, was
the return. III they speak o me, say ye
heard was going on a quest to kingsbrldge,
20 be back on the morrow Ne had better
belay yer In. for We are off post, an hold