Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-12-10
! THE COURIER ]
! OF THE CAR /
BY Jules Verne
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the three horses on board. Michael,
Nadia and the driver embarked aiso,
and they showed on.
For few minutes all went well. A
little way up the river the current was
broken by long point projecting from
the bank and formed an eddy easily
crossed by the boat. The two boatmer
propelled their barge with long poles,
which they handled cleverly, but as
they gained the middle Of the stream
1t grew deeper and deeper until at last
they could only just reach the bottom.
The ends of the poles were only foot
above the water, which rendered their
use difficult and insufficient. Michael
and Nadia, seated In the stern of the
boat and always in dread Of delay,
watched the boatmen with some un-
easiness.
Look outp cried one of them to his
comrade.
The shout was occasioned by the new
direction the boat was rapidly taking.
1t had got into the direct current and
was being swept down the river. By
diligent use of the poles, putting the
ends in a series Of notches cut below
the gunwale, the boatmen managed to
keep their craft against the stream and
slowly urged 1t in slanting direction
toward the right bank.
They calculated on reaching 1t some
five or six versts below the landing
place; but, after all, that would not
matter SO long as men and beasts could
disembark without accident The two
stout boatmen, stimulated, moreover,
by the promise of double fare, did not
doubt of succeeding in this difficult
passage of the Irish.
But they reckoned without an Incl
dent which they were powerless to pre-
vent, and neither their zeal nor their
skillfulness could under the circum.
stances have done more.
The boat was In the middle Of the
current at nearly equal distances from
either shore and being carried down at
the rate of two versts an hour when
Michael. springing to his feet, bent his
gaze up the river.
Several boats, aided by oars as well
as by the current. were coming swiftly
down upon them.
Michael's brow contracted, and an ex.
clamation escaped him.
"What is the matter" asked the girl.
But before Michael had time to reply
one of the boatmen exclaimed In an ac'
cent Of terror:
"The Tartars! The Tartars"
They were indeed boats full Of SOL
diers, and in few minutes they must
reach the ferryboat, 1t being too heav-
lily laden to escape from them.
The terrified boatmen uttered excla-
nations Of despair and dropped their
poles.
Courage, my friendsw cried Michael.
Courage! Fifty rubles for you If we
reach the right bank before the boats
overtake us!'
Incited by these words, the boatmen
again worked manfully away, but 1t
soon became evident that they could
not escape the Tartars.
1t was scarcely probable that they
would pass without attacking them.
On the contrary, there was everything
| to be feared from robbers such as
these.
"Do not be afraid, Nadia" said MI.
chael, 'but be ready for anything"
81 am ready" replied Nadia.
"Even to throw yourself into the wa
ter when I tell your
whenever you tell me-"
"Have confidence In me, Nadia"
81 have indeed"
The Tartar boats were now only o
hundred feet distant. They carried a
detachment of Bokharian soldiers on
their way to reconnoiter round Omsk.
The ferryboat was still two lengths
from the shore. The boatmen redou
bled their efforts. Michael himself seiz-
ed a pole and welded it with superhu-
man strength. II he could land, the
tarantass and horses and dash of with
them, there was some chance Of escap-
ing the Tartars. who were not mount
ed.
But all their efforts were In vain.
The soldiers from the first boat shout
ed.
Michael recognized the Tartar war
cry, which Is usually answered by lying
fat on the ground.
As neither he nor the boatmen obeyed
this injunction, a volley was let fly
among them. and two Of the horses
were mortally wounded.
At the next moment violent blow
was felt. The boats had run into the
ferryboat.
"Come, Nadiar' cried Michael. ready
to jump overheard.
The girl was about to follow him
when q blow from lance struck him,
and he was thrown into the water. The
current swept him away. His hand
raised for an instant above the waves,
and then he disappeared.
Nadia uttered cry. but before she
had time to throw herself after him
she was seized and dragged into one
of the boats. 81
In a few minutes the boatmen were
killed and the ferryboat was left to
drift away while the Tartars continued
to descend the Irish.
CHAPTER WI.