The Irish standard., 1905-04-15
CHAPTER XI,

We had yet known-a dash into the
enemys country, where my poor head
was in excellent demand. D'ri and |
were to cross the lake with band Of
raiders, a troop Of 40, under my COM
mand. We were to rescue some pris-
oners in a lookup on the other side.
They were to be shot in the morning,
and our mission therefore admitted of
no delay. Our horses had been put
aboard brig at midnight, and soon
after the noon mess we dropped down
the lake, going into deep, wooded
cove south of the Grenadier island.
There We lay waiting for nightfall. A
big wind was bowling over the woods
at sunset. and the dark came on it's
wings an hour ahead of time. The
night was black and the lake noisy
when We got under way, bound for a
fiatboat ferry. Our skipper, it turned
out, had little knowledge of those wa
ters. He had shortened sail, and said
he was not afraid of the weather. The
wind, out Of the southeast, came hard
er as it drove lis on. Before we knew
1T, the whole kit and Doodle of us were
in devil Of shakeup there in the
broad water. D'ri and were down
among the horses and near being
trampled under in the roll. We tried
to put about then, but the great gusts
of wind made us lower sail and drop
anchor in a hurry. Soon the horses
were all in tumble and one on top
of the other. We had to jump from
back to back to save ourselves. It was
no pretty business, can tell you, to
get to the stairway. D'ri was stripped
Of a bootleg, and was cut in the chin
by front hoof, going ten feet or SO
to the upper deck. To the man who
was never hit in the chin by horses
hoof let me say there is no such
remedy for a proud spirit. Bullets are
much easier to put up with and keep
civil tongue in ones head. That
lower deck was a kind of horses hell.
We had to let them alone. They got
astraddle Of one another's necks, and
were cut from ear to fetlock-those
that lived, for some of them, could
see, were being trampled to death.
How many never knew, for suddenly
we hit reef there in the storm and the
black night. knew we had drifted to
the north shore, and as the sea began
to wash over us it was every man for
himself. The brig went up and down
like a sledge-hammer, and at every
blow her sides were cracking and cav
ing. She keeled over suddenly, and
was emptied Of horse and man. A big
wave flung me far among the founder
ing horses. My fingers caught in wet
name; I clung desperately between
crowding flanks. Then big wave went
over us. l hung on, coming up astride
my capture. He swan vigorously, his
nose high, blowing like trumpet
thought We were in for a time of it,
and had very little hope for any land
ing, save in kingdom come. Every min
ute | was head under in the wash, and
the roaring filed me with that mighty
terror of the windfall. But, on my
word, there is no captain like good
horse in bad water. Suddenly I felt
linn hit the bottom and go forward on
his knees. Then he reared up, and be-
gan to jump in the sand. A big wave
washed him down again. He fell on
his side in shallow, but rose and ran
wearily over soft beach. In the black
ness around me could see nothing. A
branch whipped me in the face, and I
ducked. was not quick enough; it
was like fencing In the dark. A big
bough hit me, raking the withers of my
horse, and l rolled off headlong in q
lot Of bushes. The horse went on, out
of hearing, but was glad enough to
lie still, for had begun to know of my
bruises. In q few minutes l took OF
my boots and emptied them and wrung
my blouse, and lay back, cursing my
Ill luck.
But that year of 1913 had the kick
Of i'll fortune in it for every mothers
SOC of us there in the north country.
I have ever noticed that war goes in
waves Of success or failure. II we had