The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-01
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On the Niaych to the Sea
1899, by the piblishers of THE SArIoSAL
Pete and Sandy Learn Something About
Oystsrs-Also About Sharks-Trouble in
Getting a Boat

We've got to keep in the woods, and
out of sight o their lookOuts on the fort,
said 81 to them as they were tightening
their girths, and rcarranging their saddle
furniture. "That'll take a ride of at least
eight or 10 miles, for the clearing extends
much farther on that side. They seem
to have bin expecting an attack from the
sea- from Il force landing from the ships,
and pushed out their abats. and other in
fcrnal inventions much farther. But now
we know for Itain where the salt water
and our ships are, and can make straight
for them
Il wonder if this is really the sea, that
we've bin reading about always! said
the inquisitive little Pete. Somehow, l
can't actually believe that we've come to
it. I'm going to run down there and taste
the water and see if it's really salt"
20, Sandy, just come down here, and
taste it, too he called presently. Its
regular brine. And | believe / see some
real oysters, in the shell, growing right
on the bushes
oysters don't grow on bushes, Pete.
What nonsense is that you're talkingE
said Sandy. hurrying down. oysters are
Il shell-fsh, that grow in the water, like
musScs.'
Now. don't be so awful smart" an
swercd Pete. You'll get took down agin,
! like you was about that rice. You said
| that rice probably grOwed like suntlower
seed, or broom corn seed, or cucumber
seed. You never can tell about things
down here
Il was only making wild guesSes then"
| Sandy humbly admitted. I'D never
thought how rice grOwed. | didn't even
! know it was Il seed, but when | came to
| think that it growcd at all | saw it WAS
! likely to be Il seed, and then | began
I q. .1-s1rv
growcd. But | do know that oysters are
a kind of fish, and that trees are-well,
| they're trees-and there's no earthly sort
o connection between fish and trees"
well, you smart AlecE,'' said Pete,
triumphanty, as his partner reached the
waters edge. Amt that tree! And
that? And that? And thatE'
We'll. they're saplngs, at least ad-
mtted Sandy.
And what's them things growing to
their roots. and to the branches there
| that run down into the water! Amt
! them oystcrsI'
! They certainly do look like oysters in
the she'll" admitted Sandy reluctantly.
They certainly look as if they were
! growing there. same as walnuts and APP
pies. But | can't understand it. And
| can't understand anything growing from
| the roots and the limbs both ard mt the
same time 1t amt mt all according to
nature. And, look, Pete. There's a dead
! tlec laying out there that COTS more than
any of them. That beats all
Lets wade out and get some,' said
! Pete, probing the water with a stick.
It'll be great fun to pick raw oysters
! right often the trees and cat them"
Il guess we can catch up with EN-"
said Sandy. easily persuaded, and sitting
down to pull off his shoes. I'D like to
know how am oyster tastes when it's
pulled green
We'll have plenty o time said Pete.
The Sergeant and Corporal are looking
at Il horses hoof and pounding in the
nails OH his shoe. Come on
They waded out some distance on the
soft, smooth sand and began examining
curiously the oysters fastened to the
limbs and roots.
They are oysters. sure as you're alive"
said Sandy, breaking one off, forcing open
the shell with his knife. and finally tast-
ing. Just as sure oysters as you ever
paid two bits plate for. My, how good
| it tastes, After all, they don't grow on
trees; they just stick to the trees and
grow
Now, Smarty, try to arGy out of it."
said Pete. You'll never allow that |
can possibly know more'n you, you stuck
up cuSs. | said they grow ON trees, and
they do grow on trees. and you can't
make nothing else out Of it, talk as long
as you please
Il wish we'd brought our nosebags out
to carry n LOT to tho bovs" S.ndy hegon
when he was startled by a rush of fish
and other animals past his naked legs.
He turned his eyes out on the river and
saw a sharp. shining fin cutting through
the water toward him like a flash. He
shouted at Pete, who gave a glance. and
saw that the fin belonged ia an enormous
fish. now rising to the surface
AN almighty big gar he pVrl1impd
Jrc.IipT for tho gbnrn ,,.hitbcr Sondv
had oIrr,d,, anJ Tho wore St frigbt
rned thar tba., trimmed and fol- boaJinr.,
in tha water As they aoundaraJ nm
,g,iu and turned their henJS hocL,,rord
the vnrn almost n0raIvzed with scaing
q pigontic white body shoe. inward ohove
tho water and u Ioug mouth far moro
terrible Than the oIIigntnr's nnen with =
vnrd-Ionr zane. showing an ,wfuI a,.rov
of sharp. white. saw-IiI,c teetb In his
rush after the small fish tbc sbort had
struck n sond.bar. which sbuntcd n Ioraa
mart Of him above the water Tho hoTc
LET off ayoniZing yelIs which cnr+niT,Iy
shoUld have been heard in Fort MAI
lister.
Pete Won blamed littln hr,t :, ebor+od
shorty ,,Innin0 Locl; ..,vhot in tho I'LL
,re Won nm tn now Canrbt a,ntbo,, III
gato,.g'; am
"Worse.n an olIiqator-o hundred .ir,as
worse Give me nIIicotors crerr dny
r,tbnr,n tbatu moannJ potc c,a,nino 10
sbnro and ,oirtin% to tho SbSri, Co.
ha come an shnra md cbaso -, ord b.
"t.rtnd for hi. borSc VIM ,.,iti ,n "
mt nm his hos