The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-11

never known any or those black east
erIy squalls with no first rain to last
more than an hour-sometimes not
more than twenty minutes" Then he
asked Pat his opinion, and the native
replied that he was sure that the wind
would die away very quickly, and most
likely be followed by a heavy down
pour of rain.
"AII the better for u.s. said Castles,
for If the wind and sea go down, and
we have some more starlight, we ought
to be able to get the boat somewhere
over the reef. Those natives who are
fishing must be mile off, and cannot
see US and they'll have no chance at
all of discovering the boat if the rain
begins to fall. Now this is what i
think the four of us should do, Mr..
Denison. Can you hear me speaking"
Yes, so ahead. [ can hear you whis-
pering something" shouted the super
cargo, land 1 can hear that beastly
reef making a deuce of a row as we'll"
''Well, let us drift in as we are, until
We get close enough to the surf; then
we'll get the mast and sail aboard, and
stow everything as well as we can. and
stand for a chance to get over the reef
in front of a big sea. / and Pat will
come aft and steer. and you and Pohiri
must pull your best-it is our only
chance"
the violence of the squall rapidly de-
creased, Again the extinguished torches
of the savages, who were fishing on the
reef, were lit and began TO move about,
and DenisOn and POhiri set to work,
and secured every article of value not
wanted in connection with the pro-
posed attempt to get over the dreaded
reef. The guns were rolled In Castles
oilskin coat, parcelled quickly but
cord. and dashed under the thWartS,
so that if the boat capsized, they at
least would not be lost, unless the craft
went to pieces. The European provi-
sions-tinned meats, a 50-pound tin of
biscuits, and a two hundredweight
fierce of twist tobacco, intended as
present for the chief of LAX, were
dropped overheard and the boat light
ened as much as possible. One small
water-tight chest, containing a few
pounds of tobacco, matches, fishing
tackle, and ammunition for the two
rifles and shotguns was placed In the
after-Iocker, which itself was water
tight. as Tom knew by his former ex-
perience when he was blown out TO sea
from Sydney harbor.
Nearer and nearer the gallant little
craft, straining at her sea-anchor
stern-on, approached the howl and roar
plainly visible under the starlight. The
black edge of the reef itself-much to
the satisfaction Of Castles-could not
be discerned. which showed that the
tide was not very low, and that the
boat. if rushed in would. if she did
not breach-to, get over without strik-
ing or being capsized.
When within few cables-length of
the backwash of the breakers the boat
H.,
mast and sail taken aboard, and dashed
fore and aft amidships, across the four
thwarts
"Steadv. now. sir. steady" cried Cas-
ties to Tom and POhiTi, as they wore
the boat around. "pull easv. very easy.
until I give you the word" and then
under the excitement of the moment
he became Jack Castles. Of the Re
crrite~." and did not mince his words
'PulI steady when I tell you. Dye
underestimate and don't turn your heads
10 see what is ahead Of us-if you do
I'll smash YOU with the tilIer. I'll do
all the looking out ahead; but YOU two
must watch aStern. and fell me- when
Won think there is 2 bit Of lull-'
They were now SO close to the wild
boil of surf. that Castles caught 2
glfmnse of several Jagged coral teeth.
which were barred for a few seconds by
tDn DdCk-WdSU
''Nr DenisOn." he cried. eff we
should touch on the edge. you and PO-
hIri jump out and hold on to the bows
like grim death. or We'll be sucked over
bv the back-wash-I and Pat viii lump
over astern to tighten her. and"
''Now's our chance!" shouted Tom
who although listening to Castles, was
intently watching the seas astern, and
then he and PohiTi put forth all their
strength as a long, heaving sea came
sweeping after the boat. As her stern
rose to it. and her bows went down.
she sped forward like an arrow. and
then with a Wild veil Of excitement
and triumph from Pat, was lifted high
on the crest of a wave, as ii burst with
a laundering roar. and the boat shot
forward like an arrow. as it broke and
swept her. in the midst Of seething
foam. a hundred fathoms shorewards.
Did It like a bird" cried Castles, as
the boat gradually lost her way. and
then touched sandy bottom. in smooth
water.