The Western news., 1904-11-09
CHAPTER XI,
Dan Lapham.

No, it is Marks play!"
"No, no one will play. 1t is every
body's drink. Men we will drink to
the memory of Dan Lapham!"
"Then Dan is dead, Joe?"
without any doubt" said man who
had just entered the place, the rain
dripping from his hat and clothing.
"We 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 trace of Dan, poor Dan, the re.
liable"
The fishermen had gathered at Hay
den's 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 life sta
tion, 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 a fav-
orite partner in the games and 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
bad 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.
&a I ho 1C
health-memory! said the veteran
rum seller as the crowd arose and drank
by rounds.
But old Hayden was wasting his
liquor, 80 far as sacrificing it to the
memory of dead man was concerned.
And the fishermen, while growing gen.
e1ous over the memory of one they con-
sidered dead, were extolling the vir.
tues of man who was living at that
very hour.
His life. however, was not at that
time assured and his position was moi
one Of ease, but Dan Lapham still livet
and was planning to live great dea
longer.
He was at that hour clinging to th'
rocks near the dead line at the lowe
end of the bay His benumbed fee
were set upon the slight shelving tha
jetted out just above the waters edg
at that very moment, while his finger
were deeply clinched in crevasses above
He had climbed to the highest poin
that could be reached, but he also re
membered that the tide had reached it
limit.
He had dragged himself ahead of
like a half-drowned serpent throushou
the afternoon and he now welcome
the fact that it WAS time for the waite
to Iecede.
When he reached his trap that NOR
ing he found that he had missed Sar
kala and Ringwold on the way. II
realized that the young girl would /
helpless against the strong underto
and started out to render such assis
ance as might be within his powe
He beat back toward the shore droppir
lower and lower into the bay, for |
knew that the receding waters wou
draw them that way.
Day had barely dawned when he sa
the boat OF his companions being ca
ried toward disappointment rocks at
rapid rate of speed. He cut acIo
from the point OF discovery with all
his might to intercept them. B,
even the strong and vigorous your
man over estimated his skill. He W,
caught in the undertow like the grip
a cable car and carried as merciless
toward the breakers as were his frien
whom he would have rescued.
But he was not even granted Il
privilege OF following the course the
boat had taken. He had crossed t
dividing line OF the receding undercu
rent and his boat was dragged away
ward Chinook rocks. lie could
longer battle against the inevtiabl
but he could influence the boat to SOL
extent in the course it took to rui
The bleak rocks were preferable to t
white.capped breakers and the oce'
beyond, and he steered the best