The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-06-10

ing of claws On the wharf across the
the head and shoulders Of hound
outlined against the clear sky. Dun
can recognized him as dog belong
ing to a neighbor, and the wild hope
flashed into his head that here was
messenger that might summon assist
ance. oh, If he could only be made
be made to understand!
With voice and gesture he tried tc
coax the hound down into the dock
The animal evidently appreciated the
fact that something was wanted OF
him, for he ran whining back and
forth on the edge of the wharf, as
if seeking place to descend. Final
ly, however, to Duncan's bitter dis
appointment he turned and bounded
off.
Two sides of the ice-cake parallel
to his body we're now cut through.
but the hardest of the three, thai
across his thighs, had hardly been
touched. And the water had already
laid it's icy clutch On his hair. How
freezing cold it, was! 1t had crept
under the cake. and was chilling his
whole body. 1t. was flowing into his
ears. The back of his head and neck
seemed to be turning into ice.
Then came. ten minutes of painful.
desperate effort. The shipmaster's
body was almost destitute of feeling
because of the fearful numbness that
had crept ever it About him the
rising water edd;ed and gurgled. His
whole life depended upon that little
sharp piece of steel set in the horn
handle. The cake was cut halt
through; few more strokes would do
the work.
Again that slight swapping sound!
The brittle blaze had broken like the
other!
With a mighty effort Duncan flung
both arms powerfully down on the
tongue that still held to the slab by
its half-severed end, preventing his
escape; but the firm mass showed
no sign of yielding. Again, and still
again. with the strength of despair
he dashed his elbows against the un-
feeling ice. bruising them cruelty. But
his second and third attempts proved
as the first
you never can do it, You never
can do it," voice seemed to keep
sayin. over and over in his ear.
Il will do it," he shouted. And
for the fourth time. his muscles hard
as steel and his energies doubled and
trabled by the deadly peril, he hurled
his tense forear :, upon the mass that
held him down.
Crack! The cake split of, and lay
loosely across his chest.
He had succeeded at last, but not
moment too soon, for the water was
tapping his cheeks. With fnal en-
daavor he pushed the severed cake
aside, and putting his arms behind
him, lifted his stinfened frame to an
upright position. The long chilling
pressure had almost numbed his body.
and he was weak as reed from the
struggle he had won.
A few minutes more, and the rising
tide floated the slab sufficiently to al
low him to draw his legs from under
it.. and he crept slowly up out of the
water
1t was hard work to climb the lad
der at the head of the dock; but grit
and resolution conquered, and Duncan
found himself at last on the molder
ing timbers of the wharf. 1t would
not do to remain there, however, so.
slowly and painfully. he started to
drag himself homeward.
The effort he was obliged to make.
hard though it seemed, was of the
greatest benefit to him, for it gradu
ally set the blood circulating cics
more through his benumbed body. By
the time he had gone two hundred
yards he was able to rise to his feet.
and begin slow, hobbling walk. On
reaching home he said nothing of his
adventure. although he felt its effects
for weeks aftsrward.
Duncan is now captain of three
masted schooner, well-known in the
coasting trade. In one of the draw
ers of the desk in his cabin is a horn
handled jack-knife with both blades
broken This he preserves as care
fully as a veteran Of a war might
treasure some object that had stop
ped the bullet aimed at his heart
Youths Companion.