The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1900-03-15
JUST TOO LATE.
An Experience on an Island in the South
Pacific.
By Herbert NJ. Brace.
THE storm was over The Pacific


had calmed again. The waves
rolled in and broke on the sandy shore
of the little guanu island as monoton-
ously as before; but nowhere was the
schooner Martha week overdue with
water and provisions for the men, to
be seen. 1t was hardly probable that
she could have lived through the gale.
The "niggers.'' the cowardly
wretches. had stolen the bulk of the
water the night after the storm, and
had put of in an open boat for their
nearest nCis hbor, miles away over the
trackless ocean.
There were 10 of the blacks. They
might have killed their two white
bosses" but they seemed to have
been satisfied with leaving them to
die of thirst and to bleach with the
guano beneath the burning sun of the
South Pacific.
The two white men were brothers.
They had come to the island few
months before 10 superinfend the
guano gathering. The tropic fever had
seized Harry, the younger of the two,
and even when the storm brokr he
was ravirg with dolirum. \ week
later, when calm came over the trou-
bled waters. he was slowly recovering.
Their scanty supply of water was
fast diminishing. and no signs of the
Martha. The elder brother. Tom. was
becoming hopeless. They would have
been without water long before, but
Tom had not taken his share. He had
hardly drunk enough to keep his dry,
parched throat from cracking during
those days when IIarry's fever was the
worst, and Harry raved about ripping
brooks. the orchard, and the old apple
tree that grew by their bedroom win
dow at home.
Another morning, and no sign of the
boat in all the wide stretch of blue
sea.
Harry reused himself from his stu
por, and looked eagerly into his broth
er's face.
mo signs of the Martha this morn
ing, Tom?" he said, feebly.
None, Harry none"
The sick man fell back YEARLY. Tom
Dudley turned his face away to hide
his emotion.
We'll, never mind, old man." Harry
tried to say, cheerfully; well pull
through all right, never fear. How
long did you say the water would
last?"
Tom had not said. but Harry caught
him unguarded for the moment.
Two days only, Harry. and-and"-
Toms voice faltered-'t days at the
most. and-and the storm"
Yes, YES, | know, Tom" the sick
man went on: "the Martha may have
gone down in the storm last week.
but while there is life there is hope
yon know. old man. and suppose the
same max be said of water; - cheer
up. old fellow: two days are a long
time sometimes, you know, and the
schooner has probably only been
driven off her course. If such is the
case she'll be here before Wednes day;
well be all right, after all. Make the
best of ii Tom. and let's see what we
have for breakfast"
There was but little enough to eat
and but a drop Of water to quench
their consuming craving.
They ate in silence. When they had
finished Tom left the little hut and
FASTENED down to the beach. He gazed
long and wistfully over the sea, but
the:s was only the placid blue water
gistening in the sunlight. No. sign
of life in all the great expanse, ex-
cept now and then sea bird skimming
over the waves toward that line in
the distance where the blue sea and
the still blner heavens met.