The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-20

depth astern. making destruction APP
near inevitable And there is an ,angry
swish and a resentful see hing in tie
rushing water as it lifts the STE n
on high and hurls the craft like IN
like an arrow from bow before 1t,
But neither Of these men seemed TO
realize the danger they were in. or If
they realized it. they were careless
concerning it. And while he at the
stern stood with feet apart, his right
hand graspng the filler and his left
firmly holding the straining sheet,
Craddock prepared himself for the
leap he was to make, upon the sue
cess of which their safety depended.
From a small thing in the distance.
the Devils Nose doomed greater and
mightier as they advanced. 1t seem
ed to be rushing toward them at
fearful speed. growing taller and
mightier. and more Ominous as 1t
approached The waves beat against
it with savage fury and clouds OF
spray and chunks of water were
hurled almost to the summit.
It seemed to Craddock as they
drove onward. as if his friend was
steering straight for the forbidden
rock: but he never looked astern. He
knew that the hand that held the til
Ter was strong, tried and sure.
Then came the mighty boom Of
the maddened waters against the bar
rier of rock and the yacht was en-
veloped in a shower of foam and mist.
through which. half obscured. the
black monument lowered. The helms
man released his hold upon the sheet.
the boom flew forward with a sudden
crash against the shrouds. the sloop
keeled over to starboard until her
deck was half submerged in water
and she came about like the snap
ping of a whip. 1t was at that in
slant that Craddocl< made his leap.
Twenty minutes later the slOop was
safely mCored within the little bay.
which was as placid as mill pond,
and the two men were snug in the
cabin with nothing but the roar of
the rushing wind above them and the
booming of the water against the
western extremity of the rock to re-
mind them of the perils through
which they had just passed.
While the storm ragged on and day
light became smothered by advancing
night. they cooked and ate their sup
per. and smoked their pipes in tran
quill security. Why they were where
they were oyertaken by furious
gale in the most dangerous part of
the North sea. does not matter. but
if a coast guard. or IL customs officer
could have inspected the articles
that were stored away in secret lock
ers aboard the sloop. he might have
called them by the now almost OBJ
solete term. smugglers. Ostensibly,
however. the sloop was nothing more
than mere pleasure boat. and they.
two ventursome sailors. who found
it possible TO navi gate a craft which
ordinarily should have carried Il crew
of four or five.
When morning same the storm had
increased in violence. and SO mighty
were the seas which swept before it
that not infrequently clouds Of spray
and masses of water leaped over the
summit of the rock. to again fall
into the sea many fathoms TO lee
ward. The rushing of the wind, split
in twain by the barrier which shell
tered them. came together again be-
ycnd the DEVILS Nose with noise
like distant thunder.
After they had disposed of their
coffee. he who had held the helm
through tho storm of the preceding
night. and brought the slOop safely
into this strange retreat. said to his
companion, while theF stood together
at the bow.
"Craddock. this pile of natures ma
sonry contains the unwritten cpl
taphs Of thousands who have persisted
here. II has other secrets. too. and
one of them | have discovered. and
will show you. DO YOU think. if we
climb to the summit Wonder, that YOU
can keep your hold upon the slippery
rock against the gale?"
Craddock shrugged his shoulders.
and. without reply. turned toward the
lingev which had already been
launched and was moored on the port
side of the sloop. They sculled it
quickly to the head of the bay. and
soon began the precarious ascent of
the Devils Nose Two-thirds of the
distance to the summit they came
upon u level space no bigger than a
dining table. which in the center was
cleft apart. leaving Il space not more
than two feet wide and as dark as
midnight within: and into this forbid
tiIS DIUtt TIC DlS iHdll. Nltliout "a
PLANTATION or hesitation, dropped.
Craddock followed. and Il moment la
ter they stood in a natural cavern
that was created when the rock was
formed.
Il doubt" said the leader, IF there
lives another man today who knows
OF the existence of this cavern. Hank.
DO YOU hear that whistIing moan? 1t
is like the vibration of a hundred
aeolian harps. ! have a lantern here:
wait til | strike a light and | will
show YOU something grander than
you ever saw before" Then, present
~ he led the way up the slippery
rock. and as they advanced. the weird
moaning and whistling became loud
er and shriller. until it seemed as if
there were living things lowering
around them and fArieking in their
ears. 1t was the voice of the gale as
it rushed through an opening in the
rock high over their heads: and af
ter they had mounted to it. Craddock
saw his friend put the lantern down;
then his arm was seized in a firm
grasp. and he was led around a jut-
ting boulder into the light of day.
The wind struck them like q blow