Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-06-20

of the sea.
But Stephen Brands dominant per-
sonality was rapidly recovering its nor
NAL state.
"Jim," he said, "Mr. Jones is right.
The child must be made comfortable.
Her skin is raw and her eyes sore with
Inflammation. The little food she has
already obtained will suffice for few
minutes. Send her up"
The "ALr. Jones" was a gentle re-
hinder of authority. No further pro-
test was raised. save by the infant
when supplies were temporarily with
held, and Jones was too pleased that
his opinion should be supported by
Brand to give another thought to his
subordinate's outburst.
"Now, back up to the rock" said
Brand. II will dress and rejoin you
quickly. The boat must be thoroughly
examined and swabbed out. Jones
will signal for help. Meanwhile you
might moor her tightly. When the tide
falls she will be left high and dry"
The sailors momentary annoyance
fed. There was much to be done, and
no time should be wasted in disputes
concerning baby culture.
'.Sure you won't slipY" he asked as
Stephen caught hold of the ladder.
"No, no. It was not fatigue, but
sickness which overcame me. The
brandy has settled that"
Up he went, as though returning
from his customary morning dip.
by lingo. he's plucky 'un," muir
INJURED Jim admiringly. "He ought to
be skipper of battleship instead Of
housemaid of rock light. Dash them
sea crows! l do hate emp
He seized an oar and lunged SO hard
and true at a cormorant which was in
vestigating the sharks liver that he
knocked the bird a yard through the
air. Discounted, 1t retired, with a
scream. Its companion dartcd to the
vacant site and pecked industriously.
The neighborhood of the rock was now
alive with sea gulls. In the water
many varieties of finny shapes were
| darling to and fro in great excitement
Jim laughed.
"They'd keep me busy" he growled
"When all's said an done, it's their
nater an they can't help it"
Unconscious that he had stated the
primordial thesis. he left the foragers
alone. Hauling the sail out of the wa
! ter, he discovered that the stern board
was missing, broken off probably when
the mast fell His trained scrutiny
soon solved puzzle suggested by the
! STATE of the cordagc. Under ordinary
conditions the upper part of the mast
would either have carried the sail clean
away with 1t or be found acting as a
sort of sea anchor at short distance
from the boat.
But it had gone altogether, and the
strands of the sail rope were bitten,
not torn, asunder. The shark had
striven to pull the boat under by tug
ging at the wreckage.
Having made the canvas shipshape,
Jim settled the next pressing question
by selling an empty tin and sluicing
the fore part Then he passed a rope
under the utter thwart and reeved 1t
through a ringbolt in rock placed
there for mooring purposes in very
calm weather like the present.
When the Trinity tender paid her
monthly visit to the lighthouse she was
moored to buoy three cable lengths
away to the northwest. If there was
the least suspicion Of sen over the
reef it was indeed n ticklish task land.
ing or cmbarking stores and men.
Closehauled, the boat would fill for
ward as the tide dropped. This was
matterless. By that time all her NOV.
able contents-she appeared to have
plenty Of timed meat and biscuits
aboard, But no water-would be re
moved to the storeroom.
The sailor was sorting the packages
wondering what queer story Of the
deep would be forthcoming when tho
recent history of the rescued child was
ascertained-when Brand hailed him.
Look out there, Jim. am lowering
an az"
The weapon was duly delivered.
whats the AK for. cap'n?" was tho
natural query.
II want to chop out that shark.
teeth. They will serve as memento!
for the girl ii she grows up, which II
likely. judging by the way she Is yell
ing at Jones.
"Wot's he a-doin' OFF," came the sharl
demand.
"Giving her bath, and excellent!
well too He is evidently quite domes
ticated."
IF that means under Mrs. j.
thumb you're right, cap'n. They tel
me that when he's ashore
Jim. the first time met you 20,
were wheeling perambulator. Now
load the skip and will haul In"
They worked in silence a few min
utes. Brand descended, and a few
well placed cuts relieved the man cate
Of the serrated rows used to such seri
OTIS purpose in life that he had attained
length Of nearly twelve feet. Sc
double in the lower jaw and single ii
the upper, they We're of size ant
Shape ominously suggestive of tn
creatures voracity.
ut is Il good thing" said Brand
calmly hcwing ut the huge jaws, "tha
nature did not build the Carcharodol
galeidoe OIL the same lines rs an al
ligator. II this big fellows sharp EN-
broidery were not situated SO close t
his stomach he would have made
meM of me, Jim, unless I carried
torpedo"
'"Hc's blue shark" commented til
other, ignoring for the nonce what Ii
termed some of the cap'n's jawbreah
ers."
) "Yes. It is the only dangerou
species found SO far north.
Ellis teeth are like SO many fxe
bayonets. OF course you would like
keep 'em, but he would look fine in
Museum. Plenty Of folk in Penzanc'
especially visitors, would pay DO
head to see him."
Brand paused In his labor
Listen. JIM" he said earnestly.
want both you and Jones to obligc III
, by saying nothing about the sharl
Please do not mention my connectio
with the affair in any way. The stor
, will get into the newspapers us 1t 1