The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-12-21


very high. In consequence the current
was changed 10 regular torrent rem
dering the passage difficult enough. A
swimmer could rot have crossed, how.
ever powerful q ole he might be. and
even In ferryboat there wonld he
some danger
But Michael and Nadia, determined
to brave all perils whatever they might
be. did NOT dream " shrinking from
this one.
However, Michael proposed 70 his
young companion that he should cross
FIRST, embarking In the ferryboat With
the tarantass and horses, as he feared
that the weight OF this load would rem
der Il less safe. After landing the ear.
rage on the opposite bank he would
return and fetch Nadia.
The girl refused II would be the
delay OF an hour, and she would not
FOR her safety alone be the cause Of H.
The nmhartaion was made not with
orr difficulty. for the banks were partly
Hooded and the boat could not get in
near enough.
However, after half an hours exer
ton the hoatmen got the tayaniass and
the three horses on board. Michael,
Nadia and the driver embarked also,
and they showed or
For a few minutes al 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 Tie boat The two boatmen
propelled their barge with long poles.
which they handled clcverly. but as
they gained the middle Of the stream
II grew deeper ana deeper until al 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 tile
boat and always IN dread Of delay,
watched the boatmen with some IN
easiness
Look out! cried one Of them 10 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 IL IN q slantlng direction
/ toward the right bank.
They calculated on reaching il some
f1s4. Al haf "a
place; but, after all, that would not
matter SO long as men and beasts could
1 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.
I But they reckoned without an Incl.
dent which they were powerless TO pre-
vent and neither their zeal nor Their
skilhulness could under the circum
stances have done more
The boat was IN the middle OF tie
current a nearly equal distances from
either shore aud being carried down al
! the rate OF two versts an hohr when
I Michael. springng to his feet, bent his
gaze up the river.
Several boats aided by oars as well
I as by the current were coming swiftly
\ down upon thcm.
I Michacps brow contracted, and On ex.
clamation escaped him
what Is the matterg asked tile girl.
But before Michael had time TO reply
one Of tile boatnen exclaimed IN an ac-
cent Of terror:
"The Tartarsl The Tartars'"
They were Indeed boats fan OF sol
dicrs, and Ia d fcw minutes they must
reach the ferryboat 1t being 700 hcav.
/ lily laden to escape from them.
Tie terrified boaimen uttered cxcla.
nations OF despair and dropped their
poles
Courage my frlends" cried Michael.
Courage Fifty rubles for YOU n we
reach the right bank before the boats
overiuke u.s.
melted by these words the boatmen
again worked manfuily away, but il
soon became evident that they could
not escape the Tartars
! II was scarcely probable that they
J NHhlh lfi y MAlNNuA AllNiNlNk thtll.
On the contrary. there was everything
to be feared from robbers such as
these.
do TOT be afraid. Nadia" said Mi
chacl. but be ready for anything"
II am ready" replied Nadia
Even TO throw yourself into the wa
/ ter when | tell your
Whenever you tell me-
Have confidence in me, Nadia"
II have indeed
The Tartar boats were now only n
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 pole and welded II with superhu-
man strength. II he could land the
tarantass and horses and dash Off with
them, there was some chance OF escap-
1 Ns... al.