Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-05-01
ASTRAY IN THE NIGHT.
BY NORMAN DUNCAN.

to the water-a fleecy, white cloud,
sweeping gracefully toward us. 1t was
only when we were enveloped-when
the shore line had become indistinct
and, growing DINNER yet, disappeared
that l was startled by the thought
that there might be some difficulty in
making land.
say l called to Jack, in alarm,
you know your way about here pretty
we'll, don't you?'
Jack glanced up and perplexed
look overspread his face. He gazed
about him in every direction for a
moment, but he saw nothing save a
circle OF black water about the boat
and a white wall roundabout and
| overhead. I wondered which way the
camp lay-even, in fact, which way
the shadows lay. l was utterly con-
fused. The breeze had failed, and
there was no perceptible current. No
where was there visible any object by
which our position might be fixed.
1 think said l, that the boat was
heading due north when last saw the
shore, but I'm not certain. 1t was
most certainly northerly, at any rate
Why said Jack, confidently, 4
know this lake so well that l could
smell my way ashore, if there was no
other way
we were in no danger whatever.
At most, it appeared, the discomfort
OF spending night on the water was
all that we had to fear. But have
you not remarked how suddenly great
perils may come? How, in a twink
ling, men pass from a safe place into
an overwhelming. deadly danger? And
how the situation may be precipitated
by the very slightest miscalculation?
Now III row you ashore said
Jack, as he put up his fishing tackle
and took the oars.
He began to turn the boat about.
He pulled vigorously on his left oar
and backed water quite as energetical-
ly with his right. This he kept up for
much longer time than | thought
sufficient to turn the boats head to the
south. | was not, however, in any po-
sition to make suggestions. The power
in Jacks strokes gradually decreased,
until he came to full stop. He gazed
intently this way and that. Then, find
ing nothing to arrest his eye, he turned
suddenly to me.
Which way does she head now?'
he asked
i think you have turned too far
81 don't think l have turned far
enough said he.
III you were to row on straight
course as she heads now said. you
would land somewhere near the head
waters of the lake
Jack rowed doggedly on the course
of his choosing for half an hour or
more without developing anything to
give us clue to our whereabouts.
Night added to the obscurity. We
might have been on a shoreless waste
of water for all that we were able to
see. The midst made the night i'm
penetrable. | could but dimly dis
tinguish Jacks form, although he sat
not more than five feet from me; soon
| could not see him at all. At last he
lifted his oars and, as l inferred,
looked over the bow.
It's a wonder he said, that they
don't show light at the camp
L still think your course is wrong
said l. AT any rate, no torchlight at
the. camp could possibly penetrate this
mist. Had we not better decide to lie
here until morning?'
We can't do that Jack answered,
with kind of fierceness in his tone.
My wife would be too anxious. We
must make the camp
81 heard the oars rattle in the row.
locks and the splash of the blades in
the water The boat moved forward
Jack was rowing strongly-almost an
grily. 1t was plain that he was losing
his temper. 1t is hard enough for a
man to walk in straight line with his
eyes blindfolded; it is much harder to
row straight course over smooth wa
ter in the dark. No inexperienced man
can do it. He fails to realize that his
right arm is much stronger than his
left; even though he may do this, he
cannot measure out equal strength to
his arms. l was reasonably certain
that Jack was rowing in wide circle.
When his breath came in gasps and his
SITOheS were SLOW anu ldDOTeQ, / SdlQ.
Let me have go at it, jack
"'All right, said he, well change.
Perhaps you'll have better luck than L.
"'Be CAREFUL said l. We're over
deep water here
"He let the oars swing to the side,
and made ready to steady the boat. l
heard him rise. The boat rocked a
little. He is heavy man, and some
what unsteady on his feet 1t was so
dark that l could not see him; only
then did l know that he was on his
feet, waiting for me. rose in the
stern myself, and with the utmost eau
tion advanced a step, stretching out
my hands as did so. swayed to the
left-fairly lurched. Have you never,
in deep darkness, suddenly felt loss
of power to keep your equilibrium?
You open your eyes to their widest.
T1kl. &. - l.