The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-10
BY
Henry c. Rowland

water had filed half the distance. he.
tween US.
The watchdog in the stern was ex;
IDENTIFY asleep again, for an uncomfort
able sounding gurgle was coming fro,.
his hairy throat with every slow breath
evidently the genuine article this
time-and suddenly, from the sheey
knowledge that for the moment no
ones eye was on me, a thought shot
across my brain like a flash of meteor
through the black night.
Behind me, right within the reach ri
my arm. the Scandinavian was ealked
off, and I could see the hilt of his knife
sticking out under the skirt of his dirty
cotton jumper. 1t didn't seem possible
that 1 could slip it out. cut my iashinps
and Chamber aft over all that crowd in
time to reach the big fellow before he
woke; still if I failed there was still a
chance to put up bit of a fight. and
although it would be an uphill game
it was sight better than being butch
cred in cold blood. If I did miscue at
any rate could peg out with my dan
der up.
Softly dropping the oars, half turn
ed on the thwart and. reaching behind
me, fumbled gently at the waist of the
sleeping man. Ny fingers found the
hiIt of the knife by instinct, and with
an easy tug it slipped from the
sheath, and quick as flash 1 twisted
back, showed it under my thigh, and
swung forward on the sweeps again
but my touch had reused him, and with
a sleepy grunt he dug his knuckles into
his eyes and yawned with a creak like
a rusty gate. The others stirred a bit
and the Scandinavian rose with anoth-
er start.
Then my heart stood still. for the
Scandinavian suddenly straightened
himself, shaded his eyes with his hand.
and took long look astern. The man
in the stern, curious from the intent
ness of his gaze, twisted around and
looked over his shoulder. l slipped
the knife from under my thigh. and
with two quick slashes cut the ropes
around my feet and waist Almost at
the same moment the Scandinavian
beloved, sail o. and the others
Sprang to their feet. But the helms
man swung round. fixed his wicked
eyes on me, and softly reached for his
rifle
My time had come. With a yell I
sprang suddenly to my feet, and.
my fist on the side of the Scandina-
VANS jaw, knocking him clean across
the gunnle. The sudden list of the
boat threw the others to the same side,
and before they could right them
selves I leaped square on to the gunnle
and chung there, while the green water
came pouring into the boat. The next
moment we We're all struggling in the
sea.
Of course I was the only one expect
ing it, and, besides, the others were.
sort of loggy and thick with sleep
Quick as a cat, when I found myself
In the water, l gripped the stem Of the
boat and swung myself up across her.
Once astride the keel, I reached down,
grabbed up one of the long oars, and.
swinging it slantwise, brought it down
on the ugly head of the thug that tried
to shoot me, who was struggling along
side. He gasped once, then sank, and
L sat and watched the bubbles coming
up and waited for him to rise again.
All at once, most likely from the sud-
den reaction that came of knowing that
the trumps We're in my lands, all of
the fight ooZed out of re 1t would
have been dead easy for me to have
finished off the others one by one. and
they knew it. and there was something
sort Of pitiful in the scared faces that
they turned up at me. A little way off
from the boat the old squarehead was
swimming for all he was worth, his
shoulders bumped up like a box turtle.
He was a poor swimmer. and his
strokes We're getting quicker and
quicker and his breath came like a
walrus when he breaks.
Grab the side If you want" yelled !;
III not harm We: but as you love your
life, don't try to climb up.'
/ doubted that he'd ever reach the
boat, but he made it and chung there,
cycling me like a bear in a trap. Then
we waited in silence.
Soon the edge of the breeze struck
me, and behind it came the schooner,
tripping along like a girl going to mar
ket. Straight down they came, and
soon / knew that We were sighted from
her decks, for she shifted her course a
bit and bore down directly at US.
When close aboard she luffed into the
wind, and in minute over went a
surfboat and came bouncing along the
rising sea. Then, as she drew near,
knew that was safe. for in the stern
sat O'ConneI, whom I had met in Ma
Mia not long before we started for the
islands.
An hour later, in the cabin of the
schooner. I told the whole story over a
stiff glass of grog. Although Capt. Nc
Cree was a good sort enough, / could
not persuade him to go back for Boles
and the others, as the weather had
changed, the glass was falling and it
was at the breaking up Of the mon
soon. So I did not press it, knowing
that my mates were well found in grub,
and that I could soon get them TAX
en- off,
The schooner was bound for Pulo
Anna, and when we reached there ]
left her and not long after sailed by an
other vessel for Zap. On the way we
touched at the island, but the others
had gone.