Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-06-04

ac overhead. l wondered which way tn
camp lay-even, in fact, which wa
l. the shadows lay. was utterly cor
l. fused. The breeze had failed, an
e there was no perceptible current. No
;. Wnere was there visible any object b
r which our position might be fixed.
g think said I, that the boat wa
n heading due north when last saw th
y shore, but I'm not certain. It wa
K most certainly northerly, at any rate.
Why, said Jack, confidently, 6
. know this lake so we'll that 1 could
l smell my way ashore, if there was nc
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 I'll row you ashore, said
Jack, as he put up his fishing tackle
and took the cars.
He began to turn the boat about.
He pulled vigorously on his left oar
and backed water quite as energetical-
~ with his right. This he kept up for
q much longer time than l thought
sufhclent to turn the boats head to the
south. was not, however in any po-
sltlon to make suggestions. The power
IN Jacks strokes gradually decreased,
until he came to full stop. He gazed
lntently this way and that. Then, find
ing nothing to arrest his eye, he turned
sudder'y to me.
Which way does she head now?'
he asked.
l think you have turned too far
l don't think / have turced far
enough said he.
If 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 a clue to our whereabouts.
Night added to the obscurity. We
might have been On shoreless waste
OF water for all that we were able to
see. The midst made the night i'm
penetrable. l could but dimly dis.
tlngulsh 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
looked over the bow.
Its a wonder he sal
don't show light at the
still think your cour
Vr.i<,~ ---A=4--=-=zr,---I--
mist. Had we not better
here until morning?
"We can't do that ia
with a kind of fierceness .o....
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 tor
man to walk in straight line with MS
eyes blindfo!Ged; it is much harder 10
row a straight course over smootn Wa
ter in the dark. No inexperienced man
can do il. He fails to realize that his
right arm, is much stronger than MS
left; even though he may do this ne
cannot measure out equal strength 10
his arms. I was reasonably certain
that Jack was rowing in wide circle
When his breath came in gasps and his
strokes were slow and labored, SAID:
"Let me have a so at it, Jack.
"..All right, said he, well change.
Perhaps you'll have better luck than l..
"..Be careful said l. were over
deep water here
"He let the oars swing to the side,
and made ready to steady the BOAT.
heard him rise. The boat rocked
little. He is heavy man, and some
what unsteady on his feet. 1t was SO
dark that could not see him; only
then did l know that he was on MS
feet waiting for me. rose in the
stern myself, and with the utmost eau
ton advanced step, stretching out
nv hands as | did so. swayed to the
left-fairly .urched. Have you never
in deep darkness, suddenly felt loss
or power to keep your equilibrium!
You open your eyes to their widest.
Nothing is TO be seen. You have no
longer, if l may so phrase it, sense
of nernendicularity. You sway this
way and that, cropping for something
10 keep you from falling. Thus L
felt.
"sAre you ready?' said Jack.
"'All ready said l.
"I made a second step forward
AGAIN the boat rocked, againg the dark
ness confused me, and had to regain
NV balance. In tlat pause 1T struck
me with unpleasant force that we were
both poor swimmers, weighted with
great fishing boots; and l recalled tha'
we had seen the boat sink, although
she was empty, when we had washed
; her out the day before. If she were
full of water now, l thought, 'sn'
!, would flutter from under Our feet. 4
third half-crawling advance brough
me within reach of Jack. He caugh
nv outstretched hands and drew M
forward until we were very close.
"Look QUIT he cried.
a az had crept too far to the rlgn.
n The boat teetered alarmingy. w
n caught each other about the mldoi
S and crouched down waiting, rigid un
e til she had come to an even keel.
e "'Now!' said Jack.
81 made the attempt to pass MN
t, The foothold was uncertain; the dart
70 - >,os ;nconceivably confusing.