The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1900-02-08

present, fear"
"Well, l don't know" said Ray.
thoughtfully. He walked over 10 nwin-
dow and looked ont. On all sides was
field Of ice.
"Job wanted to try to reach shore.
but / wouldn't let him." remarked the
keeper.
81 was willing to make the attempt,
/ though" added the assistant
"Yes. know you were, but 1t is too
late now. lis almost night"
~ don't believe that ice is solid, and IL
anyone could get through il l could"
said Ray. Suppose try it,"
mo, no; the ice is packed.too tight
ly. wouldn't hear to it," declared
his father, emphatically.
"There goes tug into the harsor.
Look. she is making a channel" cried
Ray. II can go ashore easy enough"
The keeper turned pale and sunk into
chair He pressed his hand to his
head, as If in pain.
There! you have got to have that
medicine, and that's all there is about
it," exclaimed Ray.
IL do feel as if it would save me from
fit of sickness" groaned the sufferer.
| but"
| "Oh! never mind the butts. am 60
ing. Job, you mind the lamps till |
get back. Come and help me get the
boat into the water"
The keeper protested feebly, but Ray
was so confident that he could reach
shore in safety that he gave in at last.
The boat hung from davits out OF the
reach of the waves, but 1t was easily
| lowered into the water and Ray, de-
scendng the iron ladder cautiously, let
himself into the light craft. Without
much difficulty he forced his way
through the cakes of ice until the chan
! mel was reached, and then, following in
the wake of the tug, succeeded in reach
ing the wharf.
1t was hard pull and the boy was
tired, when he made the boat fast, but
he would have time to rest while get
ting the medicine, and he had no doubt
that the return trip could be made
without any more difficulty than he
had experienced in coming ashore.
But in this he was mistaken, as he
soon discovered.
] When Ray left the lighthouse the
| tide was at its full and the ice near
" stationary. But now the tide hac
turned and was running out. The mo.
ton of the water had started the
II eat cakes, and the result was that
the channel was entirely obliterated.
The boy was not pulled quarter Of
& mile before the ice began to settle
in all about him. requiring oil his
strength to move it. This work was
fatiguing, and he was wet with per-
spiration, in spite of the cold air, be-
fore he realized it.
To add to the difficulties night was
coming on rapidly, and suddenly the
great star of light flashed forth from
the granite tower, warning all vessels
of the dangerous reef. He stopped to
lcok at it for n minute, then picked
up the oars again.
"Come, this won't do at ALL" he
said to himself. 81 must do better
than this, or l shall not get home
tonight"
Ahead of him was little space Of
what appeared to be clear water. He
bent to the oars, and, with vigorous
tug, sent the boat spinning ahead. In
another minute he was sprawlng in
the bottom. The bow had struck n
piece of ice with terrible force, and n
sharp point had pierced hole through
which the water was beginning to bub-
BILE. With his handkerchief he par
tally stopped the leak, but not en-
tirely, and then tried to row on again.
But this time the boat utterly refused
to move. 1t was fast in the ice. All
about him were the ice cakes, driven
together by the action of the tide,
and there was nowhere loophole OF
5 escape. For the first time he realized
, his position and sunk back in the boat
in despair.
Half mile away, as near as he
could Judge, stood the lighthouse. He
lifted his voice and shouted until he
was hoarse. Then the utter useless
ness of it was apparent, for even II his
father should hear him he could dc
t nothing. There was no other boat
E and a rescue from that quarter was
] out Of the question.
S What shall do?" The words thai
S his thoughts had formed escaped In
e voluntarily from his lips, and they sl
, most startled him, % lonesome did
s they seem away out there. amid thu
- floating ice. He was gradually drift
= ing out to sea, and before long would
be on the broad sound. But ther'
d was no help for him, and he fount
e himself wondering what the enc
!, would be.
II Up in the great tower he knew tha
= his father was at that moment fret
q ting about him. He gazed at th
i light in silence, and tried to pictur
l. the loved ones and what they were do
/ ing. Then he found himself shiver
o ing. oh! how cold he was. Overhead
% ol h., Tic, ayaro;co Tho fraa1irc won't N