The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1900-01-26

night was too black for the men on the
steamer to see the BLACK Cat"
The captain had taken extra precau-
ton to avoid collision Of any kind,
and half dozen lookouts were dis
tributed throughout the schooner. With
but half her sails spread to the gentle
night breeze, the BLACK Cat" glided
easily and noiselessly through the
| water.
The Royal Mail was now far up the
river, and her lights could just be dis
tinguished; they flickered, then were
gone The BLACK Cat" was crossing
the path of the steamer, not more than
three minutes after she had passed.
Hist" came a cry from lookout
in the bow. me hear cry-cry-see?
Listen!"
"Ho! Me hear uni" said another
lookout who had strained his ears
What UNI be? Man in water?"
Him over there!" shouted fellow
who was as black as the night itself.
"Hark! Hear de same zing over?'
Captain Torrevo had rushed forward,
and was listening intently.
Family there came to his ears the
words, Help! am drowning! Help"
boy in the water" said the captain,
whose ears never deceived him on the
water. Hey! Port there! Hard!
Stand by there to rescue! Lower away
a boat"
Men sprang to obey the captain, and
in an instant there was small boat
resting on the water, with four
swarthy and almost murderous looking
men in it-for what? To rescue hui
man being from drowning. These men
would take the life Of another as quick
ly as look at him If his life was neces-
sary to their own safety. But the cry
for help that came from the black wa
ter of the river had found response
in their own hearts, as it might have
found in the hearts of the manifest and
most courageous of the sailors on
man-of-war
When Rob struck the water, after
his sudden plunge from the deck of the
Royal Mail" he went down deep into
the river and for a moment was bereft
of his senses But this was simply for
the moment, and up he came again to
the surface, to battle bravely for his
life He saw the receding lights OF the
steamer, and cried out as Justify as he
could for help. But the steamer had
gone too far for his voice to be heard
on board, and it was heard instead by
the men on the "Black Cat"
Suddenly Rob, who was not trying to
swim, but simply to keep himself
afoat, which he was able to do, heard
the plash of oars near him. Then he
heard the voice of man calling out to
him:
"'Hoy! Hoy! Where him be-"
Here I ami" shouted Rob. This
way! This way!"
A few strokes of the oars brought
the boat nearer still, and then the boat
was allowed to drift, while man
stood in the bow ready to seize the
person who needed help as soon as he
came in reach.
Light, quick!" said this man in the
bow.
Suddenly a CLEAN lit up the dark
ness, and the rays of small lantern
were turned on the water. Rob was
then about ten feet from the boat. He
at once took few strokes toward 1t.
He was seized in the strong hands of
the man in the bow, and in moment
more was dragged into the boat
His life had been saved-by SNUG
glers.
The lantern was extinguished, and
an instant later a light was displayed
on the deck of the BLACK Cat" To-
ward this the men rowed, and in about
five minutes more Rob, shivering,
soggy with soaked clothing, and ready
to shout and laugh and cry all at once,
from his mixed emotions, stood on the
schooner's deck.
Ito be continued.)