The Western news., 1904-10-12
CHAPTER II,
Age and Infancy Drift Ashore.

Age and Infancy Drift Ashore.
With the closing in Of darkness the
storm abated. As if rebuked by the
deep shades of night it skulked away
like subdued trespasser. Only its
rumbling, disappearing footsteps could
be heard in the distance.
But for the booming OF old ocean s
mad waves, who seemed to feel that she
had conquered all within her grasp and
was reaching out her arms for the sky
and rocks to catch all above and about
her, a stiffness would have prevailed
such as only exists in calm after
great storm.
The fishermen began to emerge from
their homes. The news OF the terrible
fate of the ship and her crew had
spread about the village. While there
was none of those hardy fellows who
would dare the white-capped waves,
yet they could not sleep while succor
might be rendered In some manner.
Beacon lights were kindled upon the
hills along the shore and above the safe
landing places go that if any craft
should have survived the storm it
might steer for the place where landing
did not mean certain death, though the
best was hazardous.
"More wood!" they shouted, as the
fires began to die down and in every di-
rection spectre-like forms were eeen
moving about like shadows among the
big trees that lined the hills near the
shore.
Others lined up near the waters edge
with ropes in hand, and strained their
eyes and ears for glimpse or sound
that would direct them to place
where humanity's most charitable act
could be bestowed.
But it was night of work and vigi-
lance without reward. No. an object
was seen, not sound heard save that
of the receding waters as they returned
to the deep from which they came.
The sun shot above the horizon the
following morning with flash. The
sky was as clear as crystal. The
waters were as smooth on the bay as a
lawn. Only out on the bar did an oc-
casional whitecap show it's head.
1HC DCaNl Was bOOl1 1llcu WITH men,
women and children. The smoldering
fires on the hillsides sent swirling
streams Of white smoke straight toward
the heavens. The great trees above the
beach had Strengthened their boughs
and no evidence remained of the battle
with the storm save the broken limbs
and the high piles of driftwood that
Uttered the shore.
On the approach of newcomer a
first glance was cast out over the bay.
1t was followed by cloud of disap
pointment on his or her face. Sand
Island had claimed many victims and
another disaster was to be added to her
record.
Buried deep into her sands was the
hull of another vessel. Only few
stumps OF masts remained above the
wreck. Strain their eyes as they would
under the shadow of their Lands or
; through their strongest glasses, not a
living thing could be discovered on or
about the remains of the vessel which
had made such gallant fight the pre-.
vious day.
Suddenly boat shot out from the
shore to the east. An involuntary hiss
escaped through the lips of the other
fishermen. 1t was old seadog and his
boys. They Lad slept through the
night while others kept the beacon fires
burning. They were not now on mis-.
sion of charity bent. They had gone
for plunder before.
But old Seadog had other motives in
view. His keen eyes had pierced deep
er into the storm the previous day.
He had also been reading the marine
news, besides letters and newspapers
from foreign land. He thought he
recognized the vessels country, by the
vessel itself and had motive for being
first aboard shorld his surmise be true.
On they dashed, propelled by the
skilled oarsmen, growing less and less
until like young jackals they lifted their
boat on the sands and climbed over in.
to the hull Of the stranded vessel.
The people began to break away in
small groups. They were silent but
old Seadog and his boys were con-
demned in the minds of many. Still
they did not know the real motive that
prompted the land pirates.
n