Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
The Basin of Gold.
By J. A. MARKS.
PART IL

with less frequency, zig-zsgged across the
! black sky.s In dull way he thought of
many things. He stiIl had food. he must
make 1t last and keep It dry. and the water,
/ too. must last. What would his father,
Capt. Tim Field, who eight years ago had
gone down of Georges Banks. think of his
| only son whimpering In a boatl Tim rubbed
his sleeve across his eyes, Strengthened up
/ aud waited,
/ The waves, no longer Aatteued by the
| wind, grew higher and higher. tossing the
| dory about like bucket and once in
while smashing in some water. Tim was
/ drcnched cold and almost helpless, but
brave with the thought OF his captain
/ father. Would the night ever go, and
4 where would he be when morning came?
/ Perhaps IL the boat continued right side
i up, somewhere off Yarmouth. The dory
was rocking. rocking In very strange
| way;sft might be a swing In the back yard
| where Sue sat, X might be a cradle, it
migalt-be--
| Tins first thought when he woke in the
| morning was one of bewilderment, his sec
/ ond of keen disappointment smoke
/ white fog hung thickly all around. Once he
/ heard the throb of steamship going by
| and shouted, but response, except the
churning of the water came to nam. To-
1 ward noon the fog burned off, and when
| the boat balanced on the comb of big
wave Tim saw far in the distance the coast
! line of Nova Scotia. He saw, too, during
"
| attention he hung up his white shirt ON
| an oar.
Once when a schooner came very near Tim
| could almost see the men and strung the
! water pail, too, on top of the oar trusting
/ 1t might shine brightly enough TO prove q
/ signal. But the oar slipped, the pail fell OF
and there was end to his supply of fresh
1 water. The next day, the third day, came
and went in very much the same way. To-
1 ward night he began TO long for water, but
| put the desire resoluteiy from him. On the
alt II
! tongue was heavy. His thoughts seemed
1 like wheels going around in his head. Sue
/ was waiting for him, he thought; the boys
! had not forsaken him. The stars We're COM
ing out: how queerly they acted, hopping
| about like little yellow birds on great
| white birch tree; If the moon kept tipping
1 1t would surely spill over. 1t was no use,
| he could not move even If the sun did drop
| on him. How hot it was to have the sun so
| near, so very near.
The steamship Halifax was on her beaten
| route between Liverpool and Boston and
| about thirty-six hours out of Boston when
| Capt Murphy sighted flying white rag. he
| turned his binoculars upon II and pronounc-
| ed the small craft an empty fishing dory
| But the upright oar and flying shirt made
| him give it second look. 1t might be
| empty and it might not be. The big ship.
| with rattle of chains, was turned out OF
| her course and headed toward the dory. BY
| the time the first mate was also scanning
| her.
Something in her, Mr.. Evans?" said the
| captain.
something in the bottom, sir
cts a boy, Evans
| Seems dead, sir
Never mind dead or alive lower away
boat" commanded the captain
| Tins little body, drenched and heavy,
| was hoisted up the ships Side
The surgeon took charge and In COM
paratively short time there were signs Of
life.
Now. doctor, just a little more" said
the captain; that's the right thing for him.
1 There, my boyt'
"a few more hours would have finished
| him." said the surgeon.
| 'I'ye been forty years at sea, doctor, and
never before picked up man or boy in an
| open boat SO far out from the coast Poor
little chapl'
| Mrs Stimson said she would stay with
| him He will be strong enough in twenty
| four hours to sit up and the ships sur
| geon closed the cabin door,
When the two men returned Tim called
| family, Frank Johnny"
Two other boys" muttered the surgeon.
| Poor feIlowsp
whats your name, my boy?' asked
Capt Murphy.
'aTim Field" came the weak reply.
And where did you come from2"
1 'Digby"
'Digbyi'' The captains bushy eyebrows
| were raised in surprfce. That's over five
hundred miles, doctor; the boy must have
| been drifting at least six days to make
1 that"
/ BY the next morning. as the ship was
steaming into Massachusetts bay, Tim was
| on deck, weak and sad The passengers
| knew the plucky boys story, all about the
Basin of Gold, Sue and Johnny and Frank
A little purse had been made up for him
| S50-more than he had ever seen before and
| he knew 1t was more than he deserved.
| The money was to pay his way back to
| Digby. and then to provide means for little
Sue to come TO Boston. Tim was glad about
l md L
| were theyP Tim hurried to send off a tele-
gram to his mother, and then found the
train which would take him to st. John.
| AT st. John there was tedious delay of
/ an hour before the steamship started for
Digby. When they came to the strait the
large vessel plowed steadily through. Now
they We're nearing the wharves of Digby.
He could almost distinguish the figures on
| the dock. Yes he could see his mother.
and-old Jim Red Face. No; 1t could not
be; he must not hope. The blood surged
with rush to his head-yes. yes, he could
see clearly-it was the boys-Johnny and
Frank.
When they arrived at Mrs Fields home
Sue was waiting. Mrs. Field now and
come, hustled about getting cookies wo and
fresh-baked gingerbread for the boys.
Frank and Johnny sat with their hands
thrust in their pockets; old Jim Red Face
was on the doorstep. The story, told by
Frank. with occasional grunts from old
Jim, was short one. When the boys re-
aiized Wnar Jolly IL was to plunge into a
tide against which they could not row.
they kept themselves mechanically afioat.
When they were without hope and almost
exhausted something dark shot by them
Frank called several times. Once more
the dark spot sped by. A fare of light
showed Red Face padding the canoe and
searching the water with his eyes.
Huh" grunted the old Indian as he dis
covered the boys. He brought the canoe
sharply about, with marvellous skill and
strength steadying IT as he slipped rope
around them What work 1T meant for the
powerful Indian to reach the shore with
his burden Red Face did not tell Despite
the fact that the worst of the storm was
already past, they landed much farther
down the bay than they wished to. Once
on shore the Indian guided the boys deep
into the quiet woods. where, out of the
reach of the wind he built them blazing
fire. There they dried off and camped until
light During the entire night and the long
tramp homeward Old Jim Red Face had
asked but one question: Where good cap
tain's little Tim?''
The Real Youth Lincoln.
From the Century.