The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-25

- SAJ
The aDatcr's shalloao,'' said Job. "Shdll
aDe go dSflOTe2"
ing with the ocean, they had scrambled
to what instinct said was coign Of
safety and now clustered, brawny,
well armed group, on the forecastle
head.
A short cable off from where we
were wedged the land rose high and
dry-a small island, so far as we could
make out in the as yet uncertain light,
The waters shallow" said Job Ire
halion, with his broadcast grin. .Shall
we go ashore, captain?"
I'VE can wade most of the way"
said l. land, for the rest, those who
can't swim can raft themselves on
planks. There are plenty of them
floating about"
What about sharks?" observed
Alec.
"Oh, no. hop chuckled the old man.
Never fear the sharks. They've en-
joyed good meal Of fat Spaniard;
they won't be hungry for lean Eng
lishmen. See, I'll give lead" And
into the water he Topped and padded
with his arms to the shore.
The rest of us followed, some swim
ming. some on fragments of wreckage.
and in short time all got safely to
land.
| 1t was a small island about two
miles in girth that we had been cast
on, and the myriad sea fowl circling
around our heads showed US there was
little danger of starvation. But as
there was no pond or stream in sight
half Of us scattered in search of fresh
water, while the rest busted them.
selves on the shore or in the sW.f, lay
ing hold Of any bits of wreckage that
might drift within reach. Spanish
bandit and Spanish soldier worked
and no one could have told that a
dozen hours ago they were flying at
one another's threats. But, though we
had by no means ceased to regard the
Spaniards as prisoners, the pressing
need of the moment thrust party ran
j cors into the shade. We were all ship
wrecked, and for the time everything
/ else was of minor moment
The blazing sun quickly dried what
ever we were able to rescue from the
water, SO we were soon in position
to light fire with which to cook the
sea fowl which some of us had caught
Before nightfall we had goodly array
Of these hanging on splits before two
huge fires and scores OF fresh eggs
roasting in the embers.
Better food this than you've beer
accustomed to Of late" cried the ole
man, as he threw down carcass from
which he had been tearing the tough
fishy fiber with his teeth. But tn,
sea fowl will soon become scary If w,
stay here long, and then we shall hav'
to take to barbecued Spaniard. oh
no, no.! A juicy morsel, indeed!'
I turned from the old ghoul with ,
thought he WINGED.
"Ah, ha, ha! Jack, how do you lik
/ the prospectY' he inquired banteringly
ooh, no! I'd give another toe nail, i
the torment chamber had left me one
ITO see those great jaws of yours mum
bling over rib of fat Spanish NUT
tom
peace, cannibal," said l. 1.-The Sc
fowl will last us for many long day
and when they're gone we can live o.
shellish.''
NAY, but the old mans right, Mas
ter Topp," growled Jan Pengony's dee
voice. "Gulls soon gets scary, an ifs
. is bad to depend on, let alone being thi
sort O. food to fight on at the best {
times"
.'rhen," said Alec decidedly, eth
sooner we get away from here the be-
ter. There are six other islands clus
!, tered near us. One is a mere wav
! washed rock; four are I think, abor
!, the size of this, and one, which lie
some league and half to the soutf
! east, appears to be of considerabl
size"
: AYE, captain, if we had a boat I
j, reach it, put in Pengony.
: "We have what's as good-the ms
! terial for a raft" replied Alec. NOV
: I think that the first thing to be don
is for small party of us to raft
= across to that larger island, and sc
= what prospect it offers. If bad, we al
= no worse off than before, and can CON
. back and make larger raft on whic
= we may attempt the voyage to tt
Spanish main itself And once Their
and in the neighborhood of SPANS
towns, we shall be able to improve OF
4 fortunes by a sufficiently generous us
= of our English muscle"
= wen help ourselves and spoil til
: thieying dons, no fear, captain" oil
served one of the men. "But if that
to be our venture what call to so owe
a to the large island at all?"
: Because hope we may find shi
% there, or even a town. | have hear
. that the Spaniards have pearl fisherie
: hereabout, which ought to prove a
n easy quarry for us, while the othe
!. plan may mean long, tiresome hun
a lasting for months"
d "Axing your pardon, captain" sal
= another, ''but wouldn't it be best
a build the big raft straight away?
= there's SpaniardS on that there islam