Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1900-03-30


Fosters mind. The presidents author
ity over all aquatic matters connected
with the Slowe had 70 long been I'M
questioned that the strangers asser-
tion of independence came as a shock.
He felt that he had been "set down
and called to order over an element
ary law regulating the traffic of the
river-actually told by implication to
keep on the right side
For a while Edward Foster let
things drift, fervently hoping that the
tricycle. might come to a smash and
the river be freed of a nuisance that
he could not see his way to check.
Then people began to make a griev-
ance of the presidents inaction. Tho
finest regatta that they had had for
years was rapidly drawing nigh.
Everybody knew that the attendance
would be exceptional owing to an un-
usually valuable prize list and the
country crowd that would be attracted
for the menagerie and circus adver-
tised to arrive in Salsey upon the
same date. 1t would be intolerable il
the man, Davis were allowed to tri-
cycle here there, and everywhere
over the river, as he affirmed that he
intended to do. There would be an
Mr.. Foster should really move in the
matter.
"All very fine! But how! What
can / do?' the president grumbled.
"The man does not care a tinkers
curse for you, or me, or anybody"
People, being irresponsible, were
not satisfied. The president, being
president ought to move somehow in
the matter. AT length Edward Foster
determined to send an official letter
to the delinquent. An answer came
back by return of post.
Mr.. Davis was of the opinion that
people were envious of his novelty
and that they exaggerated. If Mr.
Foster was not aware of the fact, as
his letter would seem to imply, and
would refer to the Regatta Subscrip-
tion List, he would find that Mr.. Davis
was a subscriber, and so had a moral
right to be present at the regatta.
The president of the Salsey Rowing
Club brooded over this reply for two
days. Then he went to Bonsors and
called one of the watermen aside.
BILL" he said, 81 am hiring the Jane
for regatta day. / shall want you just
before the Salseys Schools race
comes off to row Miss Foster in her
away from this part of the river
down to the first lock"
The Schools race is, for local
reasons, always the great event of
a Salsey Regatta 1t attracts the atten-
tion of the crowd more than any other
detail of the programme. At the ex-
citing moment when the course op-
posite to Bonsor's was about to be
cleared for the great race the presi-
dent intended to foul Mr. Davis's tri-
cycle with a dinghy so skillfully that
the cockney would be covered with
public obloquy as a careless, reckless
fool who has at last received what he
deserved-a well-merited upset and
ducking.
A gray stone bridge, with several
arches, crosses the river a hundred
/ yards below Bonsors boatyard. The
stream widens beyond the bridge, run
mig by a fine promenade upon the left
to a terminal lock. Halfway between
the bridge and the latter another side
lock on the right gives access to a
lower river. II was toward this side
lock that Bill, according to his orders,
began to row Miss Foster upon the
day of the regatta, just before the
course was cleared for the Salsey
Schools race. The river was crowd
ed with pleasure boats Their pro-
gress was slow as Edward Foster
watched them from the midst of a
gayly-dressed crowd at Bonsor's. At
length they disappeared out of sight
under an arch of the bridge and, Ed
ward Foster Immediately stepped into
a dinghy that was being held ready
for him at the wharf by a waterman.
"Shall l shove yer off, sir?" the man
asked
The brass band of circus and me-
nagerie was playing noisily and in a
field behind Bonsor's yard. What?
No, not yet. Hold on a bit" the pres
ident replied.
A minute passed. Suddenly, Mr..
Davis's motor-tricycle rolled forth
from an arch of the distant bridge,
trumpeting discordant staecato warn
ings to the crowd of boats and began
to dodge its way in and out of them
toward Bonsor's. CAN right Shove
out!" said the president, sharply.
catching sight of it.
The waterman obeyed, pressing
hard upon the outrigger, and after
ward hand over hand along the length
of a scull. The light craft yielded
steadily outward till there was water
enough for the president to take
a stroke. A glance over his shoulder
told him that the tricycle. was ad-
vancing rapidly. He must be quick.
He began to head the boat hastily
round into a position that would en-
able him, after taking a few strokes,
to deliver a slanting blow into the
wheel of the tricycle. as it passed.
Presently another glance behind told
D. ,,k Int
torily completed. A weak man would
now have dashed forward. But the
presidents nerves were of STEEL He
saw that he must wait five seconds
or more for the advance of a heavy
family boat The blow, delivered
from behind this, would make the tri-
cyclist appear more plausibly in the
wrong. One, two, three seconds had
passed. The president leaned for
ward. His blue eyes cleaned
But the stroke was never taken
that would have launched him at the
tricyclist. The presidents purpose was
suddenly distracted by an Outburst OF
terrific believing. It seemed to be
approaching the river by the lane
leading to Bronsor's, growing louder
and louder. There was scarcely time
to speculate what it might be when
the gayly-dressed crowd in BOnsor's
scattered in all directions like flock
OF scattered hens.
With a powerful action of the
wrists, the president reversed the
blades of his seulls to back water Sc
that he could come into view of the
yard gate. Suddenly he looked pas
the angle of tarred plank she'd
half of the fimsy gate of the yard was
open; and, believing, blundering
trampling toward it, he saw the darl
brown body of an enormous anima
] ILL., ,hfuCoaroc O4tfalr os