The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-04-26
The Man n the Skiff
IOriginal.l

light that Illuminated a red flag drifted
down the Allegheny river between the
twin cities.' 1t moved with the cur
rent, the sole occupant standing in the
stern. keeping it in the middle of the
stream by means of Il single oar in
stead of rudder. The pilot of a ferry
boat saw it and rang to stop the en-
gines. Though the skiff passed hun
dred feet from the ferryboat's bow
the pilot again rang, this time to back
water. AS the skiff floated OH under
bridge the man in the stern looked
anXiously at the abutments and kept
away, using his oar for paddle. He
was watched from above by IL little
knot of people, who wondered at his
anxiety to keep off from contact and
as to what was the load in the skiff's
waist covered with a tarpaulin, giving
the effect of a coffin under pail.
A wheezy little steamer putting up
stream. as soon as her pilot caught
sight of the red flag, turned to star
board and gave the mysterious little
boat wide berth. Then the skiff drift
ed past wharf boat and passed very
near 1t. A Waterman with lantern
called to him to keep at safer dis
lance.
AYE, aye" grunted the other, but be-
fore he could direct his skiff nearer to
midwater 1t had passed the wharf boat.
Coming to the mouth of the river
where it meets the Monongahela the
current took the little boat nearer to
a steamer than was intended. Indeed
1t passed along the steamers side with
in a dozen yards. There was commo-
ton among those on watch on the
steamer. A man, Selling pole, made
ready to shove the skiff off should it
come within touch; another stood
swinging a lantern, yelling to the
skins pilot to stand away and enforc-
ing his order with volley of oaths.
Then the skiff passed out ON to the
bosom Of la belle riviere and COM
menced Its descent
An hour later the morning broke, and
q steamboat came snorting down be-
hind the mysterious skiff The light
had been put out and the red flag
taken in. AS the steamer passed the
man in the skiff sang out:
Gimme a lift"
".All right" grunted the captain from
the hurricane deck
A rope was thrown and the little
boat taken in tow. All day the steam
er towed the skiff. Toward evening q
knot Of men leaned over the steamers
stern guard. The man in the skiff
saw them, but a hat was pulled over
his eyes and they could not see his
face except his mouth, which was
firmly set. Suddenly the steamers
wheels stopped. The man in the skiff
quickly thrust his oar into the water
beside his boat and commenced to pull
backward hastily. He avoided even
any contact with his tower, and those
looking on wondered why he was SO
cautious. Surely slight bump would
not have hurt him.
Then they unused upon the corpse
like burden. Was 1t body? If so
that was no reason for the steersman's
timidity at contact. Something must be
wrong with the little craft. Whatever
we don't understand must be wrong.
One of those who had been looking on
went forward and interviewed the cap
tain, who came aft and stood looking
at the skiff.
What v got there?" he inquired
gruftiy.
The man in the skiff looked up at
him as though loath to tell, then
drawled:
Dynamite"
The secret was out. They We're tow
ing a dynamite boat that in case of a
jar might blow them all into eternity.
Cast off," yelled the captain.
The man reluctantly went to the
bow, passing his load gingerly, and
loosened the rope.
The man in the skiff saw the boat
pass around a bend in the river below
and turned his head to look for anoth-
err to come from the eastward. Far in
the distance two tunnels We're pouring
forth columns of black smoke A
steamer came by, and again the skiff
was taken in tow, but this time not
for long The mate came aft, asked the
nature Of the cargo and, when told,
with one blow Of an AK severed the
tow line.
This time the man in the skiff gave
low laugh a laugh of intense salts
faction. "Over there" he said to him
self, "is Ohio Md over there is either
West W VI Kentucky" Then,
lc....Axs, &: Of twilight where the
gun had WI, he added: AN
otEap bcy No bit of bad luck
Hor si1t3 and the games
wosa."
V'l@a y IS fell he padded his
near GOV .rd the southern bank
e'oen,' he said, there's not craft
in sight. Get up"
The tarpaulin was lifted, and man
in striped clothes sat up. He did not
look like criminal. Indeed he looked
like martyr There was a careworn
look on his face, CLASSY, suffering
look in his eye. There was no elation
but an expression Of relief.
Take off those Clothes" said the
man at the helm. And, reaching under
hiS sent ha drew forth a hundla and