Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-05-06
CHAPTER XvII.-CoNr1NuEp.

They approached the gateway con-
Meeting the ocean with the bay.
This they found to be passage
not more than 100 yards in width,
the cliffs rising sperpendicularly or
beetling over the water. Outside was
bar over which the long swell of
the ocean rolled in curling breakers,
as they reached the upheave of the
shore. Inside was deeper water,
where the waves regained part of
their strength as they. glided smooth
ly into the gateway.
Lets see if we can get outside"
said Mr.. Kent. eff we can pass those
breakers we can paddle out a mile or
so and perhaps size up this island.
D Let's try it. You can swim, I sup
pose?"
Eyes, 1 can swim. and I guess we
will have to- before we can pass
those breakers" said Sidney as he
watched the great9surges sweep over
the bar. 1--WE will try it if you wish
TO take the risk
"I am not afraid said Mr.. Kent,
stoutly.
."An right. We will leave our guns
and shoes ashore" suggested Sidney.
Our shirts and trousers are no more
incunbrance than bathing suit
They stripped and padded the raft
boldly out to the. bar. The nearer
they approached the higher did the
combers appear. A mass of green
water would rise from thes-sea; it's
upper edge frayeds with line of
light; the top-heavy mass would
poise for an instant and then fall
in a graceful curve, breaking into
spouting masses of foam. The roar
of these falling tons of water was in
their ears, but they pushed steadily
on. A giant wave dashed it's strength
out in n watery roar SO near them
that the spindrift was in their eyes
and the salt on their lips.
'Now is tho chance!". shouted Sid
ney. "Hard!s Row hard!"
They pushed on their crude pad
dies with all their strength. One
hundred yards away the sea was an
undulating plain Of smooth rollers.
Could they reach it? The next wave
rose before them. The forward end
of the raft tilted back until it was
nearly upright. Five feet in their
rear the swell broke and churned the
water in fury. ss
"Hurrah!" shouted Sidney. "Once
more and we are. all right" AS he
spoke a mountain. of water weHed
up from the ocean. Sidney gave it
one glance. He knew the moods of
the sea too wen to make any mistake
about that wave. Fifty feet away
it reared it's csest. Dark blue and
blending green above it rose until
1t, lowered above their heads.
s"Dive into it," cried Sidney, as the
edge of the comber broke into daZ-
cling white.
Mr.. Kent hesitated for a moment,
but Sidney divedS straight into the
breaker. For a few seconds, which
seemed minutes, his ears were filed
with the crash of waters. The under
tow pulled him down af if he were
a straw. 1t seemed as if the weight
of tons was holding his down; but,
with a 1usty stroke he came to the
surface. He shook the water out
Of his eyes and looked for Mr.. Kent.
He was not in sighti
Sidney raised himself out of the
water as high as possible and
searched the foam-fiecked water. The
succeeding wave swept over him.
Like all good swimmers, he kept his
eyes open when under water. To the
right he saw the dark outlines of
some dark object, and struck out for
it.
AS Sidney came to the surface the
second TING, he saw Mre Kent only
few yards away. He was conscious
and was struggling desperately but
wildly to keep afioat. In q moment
Sidney was by his side. The next