Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-01-05


be. did not dream of shrinking from
this one.
However. Michael proposed to his
young companion that he should cross
frst, embarking In the ferryboat with
the tarantass and horses. as he feared
that the weight Of this load would rem
der It less safe. After landing the car
rage on the opposite bank he would
return and fetch Nadia.
The girl refused. 1t would be the
delay of an hour. and she would not
for her safety alone be the cause of it.
The embarkation was made not with
out difficulty, for the banks were partly
flooded and the boat could not get in
near enough.
However. after half an hours exer-
ton the boatmen got the tarantass and
the three horses on board. Michael,
Nadia and the driver embarked also,
and they showed off.
Fer a few minutes all went well. A
little way up the r1ver the current was
broken by a long point projecting from
the bank and formed an eddy easily
crossed by the boat. The two boatmen
propelled their barge with long poles.
which they handled cleverly, but as
they gained the middle of the stream
it grew deeper and deeper until at last
the 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 a delay,
watched the boatmen with some I'M
easness.
Look out.' 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 i'm n series Of nOtches cut below
the gunwale, the boatmen managed to
keep their craft against the stream and
slowly urged it in n slanting direction
toward the right bank.
They calculated on reaching it 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 al
the rate Of two versts an hour wheI
Michael springing to his feet. bent his
gaze up the river.
Several boats, aided by oars as wei
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 reps
| 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 mus
reach the ferryboat, it being too heav
lily laden to escape from them.
The terrified boatmen uttered eXcla
nations of despair and dropped thei
poles.
Courage, my friendsw cried Michael
Courage! Fifty rubles for you if w
reach the right bank before the boat
overtake u.s."
Incited by these words, the boatmel
again worked manfully away, but
soon became evident that they coul
not escape the Tartars.
1t was scarcely probable that the
would pass without attacking then
On the contrary. there was everythin
to be feared from robbers such a
these.
''Do not be afraid, Nadia" said NJ
chael, but be ready for anything"
81 am ready" replied Nadia.
Even to throw yourself into the We
ter when l tell your
Whenever you tell me-"
"Have confidence in me, Nadia"
81 have indeed"
The Tartar boats were now only
hundred feet distant. They carried
detachment of Bokharian soldiers o
their way to reconnoiter round Omsk.
The ferryboat was still two length
from the shore. The boatmen redo,
bled their efforts. Michael himself sci
ed a pole and welded it with superhl
man strength. If he could land ii
tarantass and horses and dash off wit
them, there was some chance Of escal
ing the Tartars, who were not noun
ed.
But all their efforts were In vain.
The soldiers from the first boat shou
ed.
Michael recognized the Tartar wa
cry. which is usually answered by lyir