Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-07-20


and rigid adherence to framed rules,
found the boat instantly and recapitu-
lated Jim's inventory, eliciting grunts
of agreement as each item was licked
off.
A clang of metal beneath caught their
ears-the opening of the stout doors,
forty feet above high water mark, from
which a series of iron rungs sunk in
the granite wall led to the rocky base.
Brands goin' to swim out. It's
hardly worth while signalin' to the
Lands End" commented Jones.
No answer Jim leaned well over
and saw their associate, stripped to
his underclothing, with leather belt
supporting a sheath knife slung across
his shoulders, climbing down the lad
der
This taciturnity surprised Jones, for
Jim was the cheeriest nurse who ever
brought sufferer plate of soup.
Its nothing for good swimmer, is
it?' was the anxious question.
mo. It's no distance to speak Of"
can the seas like mill pond!'
"Aye. it's smooth enough"
"Don't you think he ought to try it?
Every fine mornin' he has dip off the
rock"
"Well, if it's all right for him an
you it's all right for me-
Jim had urged his plea to the man
whom it chiefly, concerned. He was
far too sporting a character to obtain
the interference of authority, and
Jones, whose maritime experiences
were confined to the hauling in or pay
ing out of lightship's cable, had not
the slightest suspicion of lurking dan
ger in the blue depths.
A light splash came to them, and, a
few seconds later, Brands head and
shoulders swung into view. After a
dozen vigorous breast strokes he rolled
over on to his side and waved his left
hand to the two men high above him.
With sweeping side stroke he made
rapid progress. Jones, unincumbered
by knowledge, blew through his lips.
"He's a wonderful chap, is Brand"
he said contentedly. 'It licks me
what man like him wants messin'
about in the service for. He's eddt
Gated up to the, top notch, an he has
money too. His lodgin's cost the whole
Of his pay, the missus says, an that
kid of his has a hospital nuss, if you
please" ~
Jones was grateful to his mates for
their recent attentions. He was in
clined to geSial gossip, but Jim was
watching the boat curving toward the
lighthouse. The high spring tide was
at the full. So he only growled:
, "You can see with half an eye he has
taken on this job for a change. I wish
he was in that blessed boat"
Jones was quite certain now that his
subordinate harbored some secret feal
| of danger.
whats up?" he cried. Hell board
i her in two ticks
On no account would the sailor men
| ton sharks. He might be mistaken
! and Jones would guffaw at his "deeI
sea" fancies. Anyhow, it was Brands
| affair. A friend might advise; he
would never tattle.
The head keeper. vaguely excited
peered through his glass. Both boa
and swimmer We're in the annular field
Brand had resumed the breast stroke
The swing of the tide carried tht
broken bow toward him. He was no
more than the boats length distan
when he dived suddenly and the cor
morants tapped aloft. A black fiji
darted into sight. leaving sharply di
| yided trail in the smooth patch O.
| water created by the turning of th'
/ dereiict.
L
! Jones was genuinely startled now.
My God" he cried. "What is it?"
| "a shark.' yelled Jim. II knew II
| 1 warned him. Eh, but he's game, il
the cap'n.''
"Why didn't you tell me?" roare'
Jones. Under reversed conditions b.
would have behaved exactly as jim
did
But it was 10 time for words. Tn
men peered at the sudden tragedy wit
an intensity which left them gaspin
for breath. More than 200 yards ava
in reality. the magnifying glasse
brought this horror so close that the
could see-they almost thought the
could hear-its tensely dramatic &C
ton. The rapidly moving black sigma
reached the small eddy caused by tn
mans disappearance. Instantly .grea
sinuous, shining body rose half out o
the water and a Powerful tail struc
the side of the boat a resoundin