Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-16
CHAPTER III.

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CHAPTER III.
We left the logs and walked to
Cornwall, and took a sloop down the
river. II was an American boat, bound
for Quebec with pipc-staves. It had
put in at Cornwall when the storm be-
gan. The captain said that the other
sections Of our raft had passed safely
In the dusk of the early evening a
British schooner brought us to.
wonder what that means?" said
the skipper, s,raining his eyes in the
| dusk.
A small boat, with three officers,
came alongside. They climbed aboard,
one of them carrying lantern. They
were armed with swords and pistols.
We sat in silence around the cockpit.
They scanned each Of US carefully in
the light of the lantern. 1t struck me
as odd they should look so closely at
our hands.
"Wha' d. We want?" the skipper de-
manded.
This man" said one of them, point
ing to D'ri. Hes British sailor. We
arrest him"
He got no farther. D'ri's hand had
gone out like the paw of painter
and sent him across the cockpit. Be-
fore ! knew what was up. | saw the
lank body of Dri leaping backward
into the river | heard splash and
a stroke of his long arms. and then
all was still. | knew he was swim
ming under water to get away. The
officers made for their boat My blood
was up. and sprang at the last of
them, giving him Il hard shove as he
was climbing over. so that he fell on
the boat. upsetting it,. They had BUSH
ness enough then for little, and be-
gan hailing for help. | knew | had
done foolish thing. and ran forward,
climbing out upon the bowsprit, and
off with my coat and vest. and dived
into the dark water. | swan under as
long as | could hold my breath. and
then came up quietly. turning on my
back in the quick current. and float
ing so my face only was above water.
1t had grown dark, and could
see nothing but the glimmer of
the stars above NE. My boots
were heavy and dragged hard. ! was
going fast with the swift water. for at
first had heard great hubbub on the
schooner; but now its voices had grown
faint Other sounds were filing my
ear
After dark it is wierd business to be
swimming in strange water--the throne
OF mystery OF thousand terrors. 1t
is as if ones grave, full of the black
ness Of the undiscovered country, We're
pursuing him and ever yawning be-
meath his body. And that big river Is
the very tiger OF waters. now stealing
on pussy-fOoted, now rushing with cat
like swiftness, kissing and striking
with currents that have in them
mighty sinews ! was now companion
of those cold-mouthed monsters of the
the river bottom. many OF which
had seen. What if one should lay hold
on me and drag me under? Then
thought of the rapids that might
smother me with their spray or dash
me to hidden rocks. Often lifted my
ears. marvelling at the many voices
of the river. Sometimes l thought
heard roaring like that of the Sault
: but it was only ripple growing into
fleecy waves that rocked me as in a
cradle. The many sounds were above
below, and beside me. some weird and
> hollow and unearthly. | could hear
the rocks rolling over in their sleep
' on the bottom. and. when the water
was STILL a sound like the cropping OF
lily-pads away off on the river mar
S gin. The believing of a COW terri
fed me as it doomed over tho sound
g ing sheet of water. The river rang
t like mighty drum when peal o.
far thunder beat upon it. ! put ouI
: my hands to take a stroke or TWO ps
| lay on my bach. and felt something
floating in the water. The feel of i!
e filled me with horror. | swan faster:
q it was at my heels. knew full well
what my hand had touch ed-a human
. head floating face downward: ! coulC
, feel the hair in my fingers. | turned
and swan hard, but it still followed
( me- My knees hit upon it, and Their
s my feet. Again and again cout
s feel ii when | kicked. It's hanl
, seemed to be clutching my trousers.
D thought should never get clear of thu
CHASTITY thing. remember wonder
4 ing il it were the body of poor D'ri
l turned aside swimming another way
and then ! felt ii no more.
= suddenly a kind Of throbbing in the
y breast of the river. 1t grew to a noisy
e k5lSTsITTT1sylsE!. 49,, 4 .::!-I' - .31
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