Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-12-08
Nv MARCUS Clarke

llore men taken sick, let them pass tho
deck" Snan De on
Ihe guards stared in each otber,s
races with some alarm, but said moth
ing, thinking more of the burnino sb;r
winch now famed furiously across tha
placld water. than of peril nearer homo
but as Pine went up the hatcbuau
met Blunt. en"ay ne
=. we've got the fever aboard! Head
me hre-oall, and tongue like strip
OF leather. Don't know it?' and PM
So "ouihiuily. I've got him
moved into the hospital. Hospital! AS
dark as a VOLTS mouth. I've seen dog
kennels | liked better"
Blunt nodded toward the volume Of
lurlo smoke that rolled up out of tha
glow. Suppose there is a shinload
tnere! l can't refuse to take 'em i'm
NO. says Pine, gloomily. ST SIM
pose you can't. If they come. 7 must
stow EN- somewhere Wen have to RIM
Tor the Cape, with the first breeze if
they do come; that is all / can see for
1T" And he turned away to watch tho
burning vessel.
In the meanwhile the two boats made
stralght for the red column that unrose
IKE gigantic torch over the silent 500
Inc pun was long and a weary one.
once falrly away from the protecting
sldes OF the vessel that had borne them
thus Tar ON their dismal journey. the
adventures seemed to have come into
a new atmosphere. The immensity of
the ocean over which they slowly moved
revealed itself for the first time.
The great sky uprose from this silent
sea without cloud. The stars hung
low in its expanse, burning in a violet
mist of lower ether. The heavens were
emptied of sound, and each dip of the
oars was re-echoed in space by sue
cession of subtle harmonies. AS the
blades struck the dark water, it flashed
fire, and the tracks of the boats resem-
bled two sea snakes writhing with silent
fluctuations through lake of quicksil-
yer. At last the foremost boat came to
a sudden pause. Best gave a CHEEKY
shout and passed her, steering straight
into the broad track of crimson that al
ready reeked on the sea ahead.
"What is it?" he cried.
But he heard only smothered growl
from Frere. It was, in fact, nothing of
consequence-only a prisoner 'giving
i'm
whats the matter with you?' says
Frere. ooh, you, is it?-Dawes! Of
course, Dawes. [ never expected any
thing better from such a skulking hound
Come, this sort of nonsense won't do
with me. 1t isn't as nice as lolloping
about the hatchways, l dare say, but
you'll have to go on, my fine fellow"
''He seems sick, SIR" said O. compass
sionate bow.
''Sick! Not he Shamming. Come,
give way, now! Put your backs into it.''
And the convict having picked up his
oar, the boat shot forward again. But.
for all Mr.. Frere's urging. he could not
recover the way he had lost, and Best
was the first to run in under the black
cloud that hung over the crimsoned
water.
keep wide,'' he said. eff there are.
many fellows yet aboard, they'll swamp
us: and I think there must be- as we
haven't met the BOATS" and then raising
his voice, as the exhausted crew lay on
their oars he hailed the burning ship
She was huge, clumsily built vessel.
with great breadth of beam. and lofty
deck. Strangely enough, though they
had so lately seen the fire, she was al
ready wreck, and appeared to be COM
pIetely deserted. The chief hold of the
fire was amidships, and the lower deck
was one mass of flame. The fire roared
like a cataract, and huge volumes of
fame-fecked smoke poured up out of
the hold, and rolled away in a low-lying
black cloud over the sea.
AS Frere's boat pulled slowly round
her stern, he hailed the deck again and
again. Still there was no answer; and
though the food of light that dyed the
water blood-red struck out every rope
and spar distinct and clear, his straining
ewes could see no living soul aboard. AS
they came nearer, they could distinguish
the gilded letters of her name.
..What is it, menu" cried Frere, his
voice almost drowned amidst the roar OF
the flames. "Can you see!'
Rufus Dawes, impelled, it would SEEM
by some strong impulse OF curiosity
stood erect, and shaded his eyes with
his hand.
''The Hydaspes! -
Frere gasped The Hydaspes. Inc
ship in which his cousin Richard Devlne
had sailed! The ship Tor WHICH tnO ~,
in England might now look in vain! Inc
uvdasnas which, Something he had
heard during tie speculations as TO thls
missing cousin flashed across MIN.
Back water men! Round with ner;
Pull for your lives. The Hydaspes. !
know her. She is bound for Caleut,a d.
and she has five tons of powder ABOARD.
There was no need for more words
The single sentence explained the whole
MASTERY of her desertion. The crew had
taknn TO the boats on the first alarm,
and had left their death-fraught yessei
r. her fate. They were miles OF Dy
this time.
The boats tore through the "a
Eager as the men had been 10 - 49,,
tbev were more eager to depart. For ten
n,;nufes or more not word was spoken.
II-.1i :;. ,,,,e, q nd Ia boring chests.