Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-05-26

furnaces roared, and the powerful en-
gines whiZzed and clanked, like q great
metallic heart. Her sharp, steep prov
cut through the still river water and
sent two rolling waves to right and to
gines we sprang and quivercd like
living thing. One great yellow Ian
tern in our bows threw a long, flicker
ing funnel of light in front of us.
Right ahead dark blur upon the wa
ter showed where the Aurora lay, and
the swirl of white foam behind her
spoke of the pace at which she was go-
ing. We flashed past barges, steamers,
merchant-vesscls, in and out, behind
this one and round the other. Voices
hailed us out of the darkness, but still
the Aurora Numbered on. and still we
followed close upon her track.
pile it on, men, pile it on" cried
Holmes, looking down into the engine
room, while the fierce glow from be-
low beat upon his eager, aquiline
face. "Get every pound of steam you
can"
~ think we gain little" aid Jones,
with his eyes on the Aurora.
81 am sure of it," said I. 1--WE shall
be up with her in very few min
utcs."
At that moment, however. as our
evil fate would have it, n tug with
three barges in tow Numbered in
between u.s. 1t was only by putting
our helm hard down that we avoid
ed n collision, and before we could
round them and recover our way the
Aurora had gained good two hun
dred yards. She was still, however,
we'll in view, and the rnurity uncertain
twilight was settling into n clear star
lit night. Our boilers were strained
to their utmost, and the frail shell vi
brated and crealicd with the fierce on
ergy which was driving us along. We
had shot through the pool past the
West India docks, down the long Dept
ford Reach and mp again after round
ing the Isle of Dogs. The duh blur in
front Of us resolved itself now clearly
enough into the dainty Aurora. Jones
turned our scarchlight upon her, so
that we could plainly see the figures
upon her deck. One man sat by the
stern, with something black between
ms Knees over N"'ci' ne S,o"Pcu. hesiue
MN Jay dark mass Wl,ici, iooheu IKE
Ne"Io''noiah" "oP' INC 10Y hci" inc
t,llcr. WINE agaihs. 'He rc" CURE OK
the furnace cou!" sce op' smith,
stripped TO the waist. and shovcling
Goals for dear life. They may have had
soiiic "oupu ~ HrH' Is " ""c' "cr we
were rc"liN pursuing "t.i' "'' no" DIS
we io,IoWeu every W'niii'H anu ,"rn-
ing "nlch '''E 'o"n 'i'c'r c"ulu no
longer he any question ABOUT H. 40
"reehWlcn we were aoout ,i.rer ''"n,lF'o
PAGES pc''''' the,h' AV i''"cN"al' we
co"'u nov nave oecn more 'nan Two
hnhoreu ana nity- nave eoursP'
many creatures in many countries dur
ing my chcckcrcd career, bat never did
sport give me such a wild thrill as this
mad, flying man hunt down the
Thames. Steadily we drew in upon
them, yard by yard. In the silence
of the night we could hear the
painting and clanlliug of their ma
chincry. Tho man in the stern still
cronchcd upon the deck, and his arms
were moving as though he were busy,
while every now and then he would
look up and measure with glance the
distance which still separated us.
Nearer we came and nearer. Jones
!e''eo 10 'he''' 10 S'op. we were nov
more ,nan -FOUR o"a.9 ienE'ns och'''o
.hc"' po'h po"'S hEiIS az 're'hch.
u'us pace was cica' i,a'" "a
'"e r!'er' WIN parking ,eVc' upon
]