Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-07-21
NA VAhS* IN \ GINSENG,
G2M%AA irs. | 1SxssF FRANKLIN wEILEs oALK1ns.

up the path to our house, and we saw
them-four scuttling figures-as they
plunged into the bushes at the opposite
edge Of our clearing. They ran toward
the main shore Of the lake. We knew
| that they had a canoe in hiding down
there, and that we could not hope to
catch them on foot.
Doris, thoroughly angry, proposed
| that we should chase the rascals in our
| sailboat, and recapture the stolen roots
| The Mallard was pulled up in the bay
back Of our house, with quarter mile
| of rusheS in her path to the lake.
| It seemed to me hopeless under
taking, but we ran to the boat, and
while Doris and Edith rugged the sail,
I poled the Mallard through the rush
field and out upon the rough waters
of Big Fish. The wind was blowing a
stiff breeze straight down the eight
mile stretch Of open water, but the In
dian canoe was already mere speck,
going into the teeth Of the wind and
bobbing like distant water fowl.
Doris handled our sheet rope, 1 the
tiller, and Edith, who was a light,
slender girl, stood at the mast, where
she could watch the quarry and report
progress. We ran far enough away
from the wind to get speed, and after
twenty minutes Of swift, though rough
sailing, Edith gave the order to tack.
''Port your helm a little, Rossp' she
called, presently; and little later,
"Wre're going to catch them on the
third tack,'' she announced, gleefully,
"and we can easily upset them if they
don't heave our roots aboardv' 9,
But soon there came one of those
March squalls which made the issue
doubtful. The wind did not change,
but suddenly low clouds came flying
out Of the northwest. The water ahead
of us grew black and tumbled, and in
time our sail was cracking in a spring
northwester.
It did not seem at all certain now
what we should be able to do in that
rough water. The Mallard was stout,
well built boat, but at that moment
she sadly needed ballast. The pound
ing at her bow would soon have
knocked lighter boat to pieces. The
gusty wind blew the tops off the curl
, ing rollers and the spray fell like rain
upon us. Doris and I could see nothing
, at twenty yards. Edith still stood
clinging to the mast, and with hand
, shielding her eyes from the wind.
: "We're catching them nowv' she
/ called to us after a little. "They're
having hard time-they've broken a
5 paddle think. Oh goodness They're
r overheard, all of themv'
l gave the tiller to Doris and got tc
: my feet. Greatly to my surprise, ]
saw how near we had been to overtak
e ing the canoe.
: Not fifty yards ahead, and almost di
rectly to windward, I saw three BLACK
e heads roll up, three pairs of arms
: thrown over a birch bark bottom.
l. stood for some seconds, wonderins
e just how we could manage to pick uI
l. the three, and what could have be
d come of the fourth. We were clos
upon them when I saw, almost unde
II our bow, but out of reach, blue gras
l. shirt and moccasined foot thrust Ou
l. of an oncoming wave
IS "Starboard, quick! Let go the sheetr
:, l shouted to Doris, and instantly, il
d that chopping sea, my sister obeyed.
f. We veered upon the crest of a wave
e we've thrown up by the wind am
l. bounced over, but somehow lighte
bottom side down. was tumbled back
e ward under the sail, and Edith wa
Sc pitched into the bow, with her fac
o. and one arm outside the gunwale Til
maneuvre was successful and Edith
n fall lucky one, Cor as I scramble
s. forward, heard her shouting for hel1
ul and found her clinging to the skirt Q
re the drowned or drowning woman.
t. In moment, although shipping tub
m of water, we had hauled aboard th
limp and lifeless body of a girl of foul
O. teen Or fifteen. For the instant W
IN could only lay the body across a sea
st While took pair Of oars and Edit
bailed for dear life. We managed |
f. work the Mallard alongside the drift
Id ing canoe, the birch bark bottom
We which, as could plainly see, had bee
OF stove in at the bow.
Little Hawk-for it was he-and b