The Bowbells tribune., 1905-01-13
B. PAUL NEUMAN.

| no sound came. a devOuring InlIS.
| laid hold CT him in q moment.
Eagerly he felt i'll his pockets and
uttered 4 cry of joy as he pulled out
a flash and took long drink of fiery
| cognac. The potent spirit acted on
him like Il magic draught. He thrust
out Il pair cf oars, swung the boat
| round, and for few minutes pUile,,
like Il giant. Then he took another
drink aud suddenly remembered his
companion Rising from his thwart, he
staggered over to the stern and found
, the Weas 81 stretched on his back, lis
eyes vice open aud rolling from side
to side. while between his dark and
| swollen !ios q still mere monstrously
! swollen tongue pro,rudcd. almost bit
! ten in half by tho tightly clc:lchcG
| teeth.
oh. Lordy!" cried Tripn, with a
silly laugh. what an ugly chap yol
| bel"
| The Weasel turned his eyes to i.c
| speakers face, and something like ilc
! CHASTITY u:micrv Of q smile seem I'd
| thought il might have been only fancy
i to flicl:cv across the purple, blistc:ed
features.
That's better" cried Tr;pp, in some
| way recalled to himself by this sign
| uf life: 'now take Il drop Of tl.is."
And he held the flask to tic Wea-
,el's, lips, but 10 his own surprise his
hand trembled so violently that half
the brandy was spilled.
Something, however, Aouscd t.:o
Weasel, for Suddenly he sat up and
c'itched Trips arm witt. the lesper-
ate grip of a drowning man. His nos
tr:lS dilated all li:; muscles seemed 10
strain and witch and Jerk on one long
fierce spasm OF a,uni:cd effort. Then
sic wly his strip relaxed ard he fell
bark.
1:ipp sat for z couple of minutes re-
gar:ting him intently with a frowning
stare, Then he slapped his knee.
q know what you want, old chap
he c"ied. with the same foolish laugh.
From, his coat pocket he took out
twist Of tobacco and cut of big
piece.
Here's prime junk for you, Dick
ey," he said. and tried in vain to push
it between the fast shut teeth.
What are you suiky for?" he asked.
with note ci anger in his voice. and
thrust the tobacco under the swollen
lip.
The moment hi; hand was with
drawn it rolled out. but Trip paid 40
heed He crawled hack to his thwart
to find both oars gone. There were a
dozen more in the boat, but it. never
occurred to him that this must be the
case. He dropped his head between
his hands and fell to maudlin tears.
Quite suddenly, b" some strange
rally, he came to himself again. His
head was racked by a fierce, throb-
bing. darting pain. but the events OF
the night and his own situation were
clear to him once more.
Dick" he cried. "the vernn got the
better of us. but we'll win through
somehow. The l,.gger can't be very
far Off
He felt about and speedily discov-
cred another pair of oars. He started
vigorously. though every stroke was 81
fresh agony, for the boat was SO large
as to be almost unranaG Gea bic by a sin
gle man. and the wind was rising. AS
he rowed he kept looking round at in
tervals in the hope OF sighting the lug
gers lights. Then, like the falling Of
wick, a sudden collapse overlook him.
81 nk--take--minute's rest" hc
mur,nured. as if in apology to the
dark. silent figure in the stern. Then.
letting the oars go. he rolled sideways
OF utter exhaustion.
An hour later lie woke to feel n
drench of water pouring over hin
He sprang up and looked round wild
ly. 1t was still dark though pale glim-
merings began to whisper of the dawn.
The wind was now blowing almost
gale and the boat pitching and rolling
dangerously at the mercy OF the ar
CRY waves. Link by link he tried 10
retrace the chain of recent events. b,it
the effort was useless. The outstretch
ed figure fronting him caught his eye.
and he leaned forward. regarding it
curiously.
Hes a rum looking chap. and yet
seem to know the face. too" he said
to himself. with u puzzled air. II think
was aboard ship with him once"
Rut lie soon forgot the figure, for
another thought dominated his mind.
He must look out for light and make
for it. What the light would mean he
could not tell. Tho one thing was to
see it. And even as he watched, Keen
ly. eagerly. it flashed ont from the
darkness. cleaning there OH his right
hand. With infinite difficulty. for he
was very weak. ne shipped another
pair of oars and pulled toward the
beacon. Nearer and nearer he came
to it, now so close he could touch it
with his oar. nay. grasp it with his
hand. He stretched out his arm.
Horror! the light had vanished; all
was darkness. No, thank heaven,
there it shonc upon the left.
| In feverish haste, but with poor,
D,ool, c&roloc J,o ,N,1lofl II, tho cDDocite