Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-01-20

1t was at my heels. | knew full well
what my hand had touch ed-a human
head floating face downward: ] could
feel the hair in my fingers. l turned
and swan hard. but it still followed
me. My knees hit upon it, and then
my feet Again and again | could
feel it when I kicked. It's hand
seemed to be clutching my trousers. |
thought should never get clear of the
CHASTITY thing. | remember wonder
| ing if it were the body of poor D'ri.
| I turned aside swimming another way,
and then I felt it no more.
In the dead of the night | heard
suddenly q kind of throbbing in the
breast of the river. It grew to a noisy
| heartbeat as listened. Again and
again l heard it, striking, FLASHING,
| light a football, and coming nearer.
Somehow | got the notion of a giant
| like those of whom my mother had
told me long ago, striding in the deep
river. | could hear his boots dripping
as he lifted them | got an odd fear
| that he would step on me- Then /
heard music and lifted my ears above
water 1t was a voice singing in
the distance-it must have been
mile off-and what I had taken for
near football shrank away. I knew
now that It was the beat of oars in
some far bay.
A long time after l ceased to hear
it, something touched my shoulder and
put me in panic. Turning over, |
got a big mouthful of water. Then I
saw it was a gang of logs passing me,
and quickly caught one. Now, to me
the top side of log was as easy and
familiar as a rocking chair. In a mo-
ment I was sitting comfortably on my
captive. A bit of rubbish, like that
the wind had sown, trailed after the
gang of logs. I felt it over, finding
straw hat and piece of board some
three feet long, with which latter
padded vigorously.
1t must have been long past mid
night when l came to an island loom
ing in the dark ahead. I sculled for
it, stranding on a rocky beach, and
alighted, hauling the log ashore. The
moon came out as I stood wringing
my trouser legs. l saw the island rose
high and narrow and was thckly
wooded. I remember saying something
to myself when l heard a quick stir
in the bushes near me. Looking up,
saw a tall figure. Then came a ia
miliar voice.
"Thet you, Ray? Judas Priest!"
was filled with JOY at the sight Of
D'ri. and put my arms about him
and lifted him off his feet, and, faith!
I know my eyes were as wet as my
trousers. Then, as we sat down,
told him how had taken to the river.
Lucky we done it," said he. Ger
ushy Jane! 1t is terrible lucky! They'd
"a TUX we sartin. Somebody see tibet
jack on the back O. my hand. there
n Cornwall, N put 'em after me. But
was bound n determined they'd never
TEX me alive, never! Eff I ever dew
: any fghtin', t amt a-goin' t. be fel
England, nut by side O sole-leather
I med up my mind I'd begin the wal
right then an there"
[ That fellow never knew what hi
J him." I remarked "He did mt get W
5 for half a minute"
MUST d SWdlleu III powerful,
, said Dri. as he felt his knuckles
! "Gol-dum Their picturs! Go n try t
yank a man right off a boat like tibet
air when they hahn no right t tech
i'm. Eff d "a he'd OF Beeswax, some
on 'em d "a got hurt"
How did you get here?" inquired.
"Swum," said he. Gould MT go no
Splits ct the head O. the island-boun
ter land ye right here. Got t be NOV
in. They'll be efter us, mebbe-'s the
fust place they d look"
A few logs were stranded on the
stony point of the island We withec
three others to mine, setting sal
with two bits of driftwood for paddles
We pulled for the south shore, but the
t Lurrent carried us rapidly down-river
In bay some two miles below we
found, to our joy the two sections OF
the big raft undergoing repairs A
daybreak Dri put off in the woods fol
home.
Don't like the idee O. goih int The
British navy" said he. "D ruthel
chop wood n ketch bears over n st
Lawrence county. Good-by, Ray! Tel
care O. yerself."
Those were the last words he said t.
me, and soon | was on the raft again
floating toward the great city of m.
:. dreams. | had a mighty fear tn
schooner would overhaul us, but say
o nothing more of her. | got new clothe
in Montreal presenting myself in goo,
: repair. They gave me hearty welcome
those good friends of my mother, an,
= / spent a full year in the college, al
: though, to be frank, | was near bein
4, sent home more than once for fighting
: and other devltry.
1t was midsummer when | came bac
., again. | Travelled up the river road
p I.a.t i.IaIal Inf,lc.a of tn d. r.