The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-08-17

that boat has passed u.s." said Harvey.
w nat uu you make II out TO De, Cnar-
ka?'
1t was a long, low vessel. without
masts, with high bow and stern. 1t
was propelled by four rowers, two on
each side, and a fifth man sat in the
stern with a paddle to steer.
eve have nothing to fear from that"
said Charka. "That is a Turkish ca
yik. Some rich merchant perhaps from
Constantinople has brought his pleas
ure boat all the way to the fair. Think
of carrying a boat across landV'
THAT may be so or not" said Har
vey. "A boat might be built at Tifiis
after the Turkish model. 1t is safer
for us to be out of sight
The long boat came on rapidly, and
Harvey and Alma again crawled under
the hay.
Charka grumbled enviously as ne
saw the four rowers bending to their
task. The Turkish cayik seemed more
anxious to avoid the hayboat than
Charka was to avoid the cayik. 1t
steered to the opposite side of the riv-
err the efforts Of the rowers were dou-
bled, and at burst of speed it went
by
At night they were within sight of
the village of Salain. Though it was
a dark night, Charka, who had the
lives of his passengers in mind for
bade them coming from under the hay
"The steamboat of the Muscovites
has not yet returned up the river" he
said 1T is lying at Salain to watch
the boats that go out upon the Cas-
plan"
This was too much for the inquisi
tiveness of Harvey. He crawled to the
edge of the hay to observe what was
going on.
"Charka," he said, that Turkish
boat is up to something. l notice the
Russian is going to intercept it. There's
business of some kind going on. Get
nearer, that we may hear the CONVEX
sation"
As they came opposite the lights Of
the town they saw the Russian boat
shoot out from the land and in the ra-
dius Of the strong electric light in her
bow saw the cayik evidently trying to
escape
"They are after the Turk! We are
in for it, toor' walled Charka.
Keep a cool head, Charka," said
Harvey Remember, precious life de-
ponds upon your shrewdness."
81 know"
"Stop where you arer came a voice
from the Russian. I'VE will inspect
you"
Knowing the uselessness of refusing,
Charka made his way toward the
launch, which had now steamed up
alongside the cayik.
ut is true, most excellent sirs," a
Turkish voice from the cayik was say
ing. Il am an Osmanli. 1t is also true
that l am Hafiz Effendi, who once
acted as merchant in those goods the
men of Georgia and Circassia had to
sell | stole nothing, but when a ia
Their wished to place his beautiful
| daughter in the house of wealthy
prince / carried on the negotiations
But that is all done. Even the other
day a girl was stolen, but it was an
American, not an Osmanli, who stole
her"
Yes, and we want that American
noww growled the officer in command
What have you in those sacksT'
Nothing, excellent sir, but some OF
the goods l took to the fair and which
did not SELL | shall return to Astra-
bad and thence to ConstantinOple by
way of the caravan"
go on" said the officer and the
cayik shot away.
"Now. YOU" said the officer to Char.
ka. Hello! 1t is that slow old hay
boat Well, my friend, where are you
goingY
81, too, my master, am going to AS
trabad," said Charka.
Does every one who goes to the fair
at Tifiis go from there to AstrabadT
"Not all, excellent captain; but al
Astrabad there are many caravans
gathering, and l can sell my hay. rh'
camels need it, To ascend the Volgl
to the big fair at Mini Novgorod would
take too long"
go on. There will be a fine min
Cling of races at Astrabad."
mo finer than at Tifis," said Charki
as the hayboat slowly drew away. THE
scum of the earth and the cream wer,
at Tihis."
The launch turned back to the wharf
where it had been lying.
Charka felt that he was safe, and al
there was slight breeze he raised his
sail. He had but one thing more to fear
he reasoned, and that was Russian
gunboat. Boatloads of hay were not in
frequent on the Caspian, and he fel
assured that it would not be difficult t
hoodwink the captain Of the gunboat.
Under sail the boat made better prog
ress and was soon out on the Caspian
where in the inky darkness nothinl
could be seen. The slight wind tina
haH t,rotnfcad 60 Nuall soon Hiad ua "