The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-11-21
CHAPTER III.

AANtis II WGS dii [1ltlEt ivan bOat3 bOt0h
fer Quebec with pipe-stayes 1t had
put in at Cornwall when the storm be-
gan. The captain said that the other
sections OF our raft had passed safely
In the dusk of The early evening a
British schooner brought us to-
Wonder what that means?" said
the skipper, straining his eyes in the
dusk
A small boat. with three officers,
came alongside. They climbed aboard,
one OF them carrying lantern They
were armed with swords and. pistols
We sat in silence around the cockpit
They scanned each OF us carefully in
the light OF the lantern It struck me
rs odd they should look so closely at
our hands.
VIVA d ye want?" The skipper de-
manded.
This man" said one of them. point
ing to Dir. Hes a British sailor. We
arrest him"
He got no farther D'ri's hand had
gone ont like the paw of a painter
and sent him across the cockpit. Be-
fore I knew what was up, | saw the
lank body of D'ri leaping backward
into the river. ! heard a splash and
a stroke OF his long arms, and then
all was still. knew he was swim
ming under water 10 get away The
officers made for their boat My blood
was up, and | sprang at the last OF
fs{tr L.,
was climbing over, SO that he fell on
The boat upsetting it. They had bust
ness enough then for a little. and be-
can mailing for help. | knew ! had
done a foolish thing, and ran forward,
climbing out upon the bowsprit, and
of with my coat and vest, and dived
into the dark water. swan under as
long as | could hold my breath, and
then came up quietly, turning on my
hack in the quick current, and float
ing SO my face only was above water.
1t had grown dark, and could
sec nothing but the glimmer of
the stars above me. My boots
were heavy and dragged hard. was
going fast with the swift water, for at
first had heard great hubbub on the
schooner; but now its voices had grown
liant Other sounds were fling my
ear.
After dark it is wierd business to DE
swimming in strange water-the throne
ot mystery OF q thousand terrors. u
Is us il ones grave, full of the black
ness OF the undiscovered country were
pursuing him and ever yawning be-
meath his body. And that big river Is
the very tiger of waters. now stealing
on pussy-footed, now rushing with cat
like swiftness kissing and striking
with currents that have in them
mighty sinews. was now companion
OF those eoid-mouthed monsters OF the
the river bottom, many Of which |
had seen, What If one should lay hold
on me and drag me under? Then |
thought OF the rapids that might
smother me with their spray or dash
me to hidden rocks. Often lifted my
ears, maryelling at the many voices
of the river. Sometimes thought I
heard a roaring like that of the Sault,
but it was only a ripple growing into
1eecy waves that rocked me as in a
cradle The many sounds were above.
below, and beside me. some weird and
hollow and unearthly | could hear
the rocks rolling over in their sleep
ON the bottom. and. when the water
was still, a sound IKE the cropping OF
lily-pads away of on the river mar /
gin. The believing Of a COW terri |
fed me as il doomed over the sound /
ing sheet of water The river rang |
like a mighty drum when a peal or |
far thunder beat upon it. | put out |
my hands 10 take a stroke or two as
| lay on my back, and felt something /
floating in the water. The feel of it /
filled me with horror. / swan faster;
Il was at my heels. knew full well !
whit my hand had touched-a human /
head floating face downward; | could /
feel the hair in. my fingers | turned 4
and swan hard. but IL still followed /
me. My knees hit upon it. and then /
my feet. Again and again | could /
feel it when kicked. Its hand !
seemed 10 be clutehing my trousers. / !
thought should never get clear of the !
chastity thing. remember wonder !
ing If IL were the body of poor Dri I
turned aside swimming another way I
and then | felt it no more
In the dead of the night | heard /
suddenly a kind Of throbbing in the /
breast of the river. II grew 70 a noisy /
heartbeat as | listened Again and I
again / heard if. striking. FLASHING 1
light a football. and coming nearer +
Somehow / got the notion of giant
like those of whom my mother had /
told me long ago. striding in the deep /
river could hear his boots dripping I
as he lifted them | got an odd fear 4
that he would step on me. Then +
heard music and lifted my ears above +
water 1t was a voice singing IN +
tie distance-it must have been /
mile off-and what | had taken for a I
near football shrank away | knew f
now that it was the beat Of oars in +
some far bay.
A long time after I ceased to hear +
It. something touched my shoulder and /
put me in a panic. Turning over. I
1s.- ,..os..f-F..1 IT.,