The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-11-19
CHAPTER XII.
Dan Lapham.


"Then Dan is dead, Joe?'
without any doubt" said a man who
had just entered the place, the rain
dripping from his hat and clothing.
eve secured the bay and river about
the rocks, but no trace of the boy could
be seen. We recovered his boat, which
drifted under the wharf at the life saw
ing station late in the afternoon, but
marry a trace of Dan, poor Dan, the re-
liable
The fishermen had gathered at Hay
denis place the night after the storm
and were seated at the tables as usuai
plying cards for the drinks.
They had been interrupted by Joe
Golden, who had just arrived from the
life saving station. Joe was utility
man about the bay. He was town
marshal when such an officer was need
ed. He was an extra at the lie sta.
ton, fisherman, carpenter, bartender,
clerk, deliveryman, or whatever he was
called upon to dc.
He had been called to the life saving
station that day and had worked
throughout the storm. He had wit
messed all of the disasters and came in
to report them.
Dan Lapham was one of the most
popular men in the village. He was
young, strong, even-tempered, could
pull boat with superior skill to any
other man talked but little and was as
brave as lion. He knew not the
meaning of fear. He was boon COM
panion on land or sea. He was fav-
orfte partner in the games and a good
player. He was missed tonight for
the first time in many weeks and the
boys at Hayden's arose to man at the
invitation of Joe Golden to drink to his
memory.
The men resumed their games, but
they did not dlop the name of Dan
Lapham from their conversation.
First one would speak of some good
trait of the boy and then another would
recall an. incident in which Dan was
concerned All of the fishermen knew
of something good and none spoke i'll
of the young man. who single handed
had rowed boat and tended trap for
more than year.
''No one has ever been missed as we
shall miss Dan," said old Hayden,
who had broken his rule and called
upon all present to drink at his ex-
pense. "Here's to Dan Lapham's
health-memory said the veteran
rum seller as the crowd arose and drank
by rounds.
But old Hayden was wasting his
liquor, so far as sacrificing it to the
memory of dead man was concerned.
And the fishermen, while growing gen.
erous over the memory of one they con
sidered dead, were extolling the viz
tues of man who was living at that
very hour.
His life. however, was not at that
time assured and his position was not
one of ease, but Dan Lapham still lived
and was planning to live a great deal
longer.
He was at that hour clinging to the
rocks near the dead line at the lower
end of the bay. His benumbed feet
were set upon the slight shelving that
jetted out Just above the waters edge
at that very moment, while his fingers
were deeply clinched in crevasses above.
He had climbed to the highest point
that could be reached, but he also re-
membered that the tide had reached it's
limit.
He had dragged himself ahead of it
like half-drowned serpent throughout
the afternoon and he now welcomed
ho Co. hot for
to recede.
When he reached his trap that NOM
ing he found that he had missed San
kala and Ringwold on the way. He
realized that the young girl would be
helpless against the strong undertow
and started out to render such assist
ance as might be within his power.
He beat back toward the shore dropping
lower and lower into the bay, for he
knew that the receding waters would
draw them that way.
Day had barely dawned when he saw
the boat of his companions being car.
ried toward Disappointment rocks at a
rapid rate of speed. He cut acr oss
from the point of discovery with all of
hao W Ad'SISOPp Dut
even the strong and vigorous young
man over estimated his skill. He was
caught in the undertow like the grip of
cable car and carried as mercilessly
toward the breakers as were his friends
whom he would have rescued.
But he was not even granted the
privilege of following the course their
boat had taken. He had crossed the
dividing line of the receding undercur-
rent and his boat was dragged away to-
ward Chinook rocks. He could NO
.onger battle against the inevitable,
but he could influence the boat to some
extent in the course it took to ruin
The bleak rocks were preferable to the
white-capped breakers. and the ocean
beyond, and he steered the best be
could for them.
There was one chance in thousand ol
escaping death there, by clinging t.
the rocks that would DESTROY him, but
once in he breakers. no earth i,
hope was left. They had never We,
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