The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1900-05-19
DICK RODNEY;
Or. The Adventures of
An Eton Boy.
by JAMES GRANT

BY JAMES GRANT.

CT1AH E1 AAN
"All's over now" said Tom Lam
bourne. as he grasped the tiller with
a firm hand, after carefully wrapping a
blanket round poor Hislop, who droop-
ed beside him in the stern-sheets.
(Which way shall we pull?" asked
the bowman. as we paused with our
oars in the rowlocks.
1T matters little, mates" cried Tom,
in a loud voice, with his left hand at
the side of his mouth, to send wat
he said forward above the roar OF the
wind and sea. I'VE must be many
hundred miles from Brazil, the nearest
land. and we can do nothing now u
keep our boat alive by baling n
steering till daybreak. Now, Master
Hislop," he added, lowering his voice,
how do you feel, SIR"
II feel that l am quite in your way
my lads-a useless hand aboard. to
onsum YOUR food and water" re-
piled Hislop, family.
why, sir" said Probart, the stroke
oarsman, you don't think we could
have left you to burn in that poor old
brig?"
mo, not exactly; still I am of no
use to you, and l feel"
What, sir, what?" asked Tom, anx-
lousy.
Heart sick and despairing," moan
ed Hislop, letting his chin drop on
his breast.
Don't talk so, sir" said Lambourne,
stoutly; despair found a place
In the heart of a British sailor"
You are right. Tom; and perhaps
I'll gather Roadway and get to wind
ward yet"
"Of course you will" replied Tom,
cheerfully; "but here's a sea coming
together, lads, pull t~ogether!"
Despair might we'll have found a
place in all our breasts at that awful
crisis; but Toms bluff and cheerful
way prevented our hearts from sink
ing, though the hours Of that awful
night seemed dark and long.
Well, without compass, chart, oil
quadrant, there we were, ten in num-
Der, in an open boat, tossing upon q
dark and stormy sea, enveloped in
clouds, with the red lightning CLEAN.
ing through their ragged openings, Oh
at the far and fat Acknowledgement
of where we were, where to steer for
or what to do, and full of terrible
anticipations for the futurei
We were silent and %sleepless.
My heart was full OF horror, grie.
and vague alarm, when l thought o
my home-the quiet, the happy ant
peaceful old rectory, with all who lovec
me there, and whom l might never Sc,
again.
The hot tears that started to m!
eyes mingled with the cold spray tina
drenched my cheeks, and there seem
ed but one consolation for me. that m.
father, my affectionate mother and sis
tiers, dear Dot and little Sybil, coul,
never know how l persisted by hunge
or drowning, if such were to be m.
fate.
All the stories I had heard or real
of ship-wrecked men-their sufferings
their endurance of gnawing hunge
and burning thirst, their cannibalism
their mortal struggles with their dear
G0l lIlSHuS lOI IuC ldSL hlOISSl VI 1OOl
for the last drop of water, and hoy
the weak persisted that the stron
might live-crowded upon my mem
DRY to augment the real terrors of GU
situation.
So suddenly had this final catas
trophe come upon US that we had cor
siderable difficulty in assuring gu
selves Of its reality, and that it wa
not a dream-a dream, alas! fro1
which there might be nc awakening.
So hour after hour passed dark,
slowly, and silently on
The turbulence of the wind an
waves abated, the lightning passe
away, the scud ceased to whirl, tn
vapors were divided in heaven, and
faint light that stole TREMENDOUSLY VI
ward from the horizon served to ind
cate the east and the dawn of the con
ing day.