The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-05-10
For The Term of His Natural Life

BY MARCUS CLARKE


water. Between this scattered salt and
the points where he judged the animals
would be likely TO approach, he set his
traps. and retired to watch the effect
of his labors.
About two hours after he had gone,
the goats came to drink There were
five goats and two kids, and they trotted
calmly along the path TO the water. The
watcher soon saw that his precautions
had been in a manner wasted. The lead
ing goat marched gravely into the
syringe. which, catching him round the
neck, released the bent rod, and sprung
him off mis- legs into the air. He uttered
comical bleat. and then hung kicking.
The other goats bounded off at this sud
den elevation Of their leader, and three
more were entrapped at a little distance.
Rufus Dawes now thought it time to
secure his prize, though three of the
springes were rs yet inspiring. He ran
down to the old goat, knife in hand,
but before he could reach him the bare
ly dried catgut gave way, and the old
fellow. shaking his head with grotesque
dismay, made of at full speed. The
others, however, were secured and killed.
The loss of the syringe was not a seri-
Gus one, for three traps remained un-
sprung, and before shutdown Rufus
Dawes had caught four more goats. Re
moving with care the catgut that had
done such good service, he dragged the
carcasses to the shore, and proceeded
to pack them upon his floats. He dis
covered, however. that the weight was
too great, and that the water, entering
<ho Of he cfftchfn0 IN fha
side, had so soaked the rush grass as
to render the floats no longer buoyant.
He was compelled, therefore, to spend
two hours in resulting the skin with
such material as he could find. Some
light and fock-like seaweed. which the
action of the water had swayee after
the fashion of haybands along the shore,
formed an excellent substitute for grass,
and having bound his bundle Of rushes
lengthwise, with the goatskin as a CEN
terpiece, he succeeded in forming a sort
of rude canoe. upon which the carcasses
fioated securely.
The tide was now running in, and he
knew it was imperative that he should
regain the further shore while the cur
rent was in his favor. He touched the
chilled water and drew back. For an
instant he determined to wait until the
beams of the morning should illumine
that beautiful but treacherous sea, and
then the thought of the helpless child,
who was, without doubt, waiting and
watching for him on the shore gave new
strength to his wearied frame; and fixing
his eyes on the glow that, lowering above
the dark tree-line. marked her presence.
he pushed the raft before him into the
sea.
edged 1t toward the freight; and at
last, just when his stiffened limbs re-
fused TO obey the impulse of his will,
and he began TO drift onward with the
onward tide, he felt his feet strike firm
ground. Dragging the carcasses above
high-water mark, he rounded the little
promontory and made for the fire. He
gained the fire before the solitary watch
er there heard his footsteps, and spread
his hands TO the blaze in silence.
Frere, starting. cried, at is you.
Have you succeededY'
There are six carcasses down by the
rocks. You can have meat for breakfast
to-slorrow."
The child, at the sound of the voice.
came running down from the hut. "Oh,
Mr.. Dawesi 1 am so gladi We were
beginning to despair-mamma and l."
Dawes snatched her from the ground.
and. bursting into joyous laugh, swung
her into the air. Tell me-" he cried.
holding up the child with two dripping
arms above him, what you will do for
me If / bring you and mamma safe
home again.
Give you a free pardon" said Syl-
via; and papa shall make you his SER
vantr' Frere burst out laughing at
this reply. and Dawes, with choking
sensation in his throat. put the child
upon the ground, and walked away.
In the morning, however, Rufus
Dawes was first at work. and made no
allusion to the scene of the previous
evening. By dint Of hard work they got
the four goats skinned, and the entrails
cleaned ready for twisting, by breakfast
time; and having broiled some of the
flesh, made hearty meal Mrs. Wick
crs being no better, Dawes went to see
her, and seemed to have made friends
again with Sylvia. for he came out of
the hut with the child's hand in his.
Frere, who was cutting the meat in long
strips to dry in the san. saw this, and it
added fresh fuel to the fire of his un-
reasonable envy and jealousy.
Rufus Dawes took two Of the straight
est and most taper of some celery-top
pines which Frere had cut on the pre-
vious day. and dashed them tightly to-
gether, with the butts outward. He thus
produced spliced stick about twelve
feet long. About two feet from either
end he notched the young tree until he
could bend the extremities upward: ard
having so bent Them. he secured the
bent portions in their places by means
of lashing of rawhide. The spliced trees
now presented the rude outline of the
section Of boat. having the stem, keel
and stern all in one piece. This having
been placed lengthwise between the
stakes, four other poles, notched In two
places. We're dashed from stake to stake,
running cfosswire to the keel, and form
ing the Erees. Four saplings We're now
bent fron. end to end Of the upturned
portions of the keel that represented
stem and stern. Two of these four were
placed above, as gunwales; two below, as
bottom rails. At each intersection the
sticks were dashed firmly with fishing
line. The whole framework being COM
plete. the stakes were drawn out, and
there lay upon the ground the skeleton
Of a boat eight feet long by three broad
Frere, whose hands were blistered and
sore. would fam have rested; bu. the
convict would not hear of it. LET us
| finish" he said, regardless Of his own
fatigue: "the skins will be dry If we
STOP
al can work no MORE" said Frere,
sulkily; al can't stand. You've got mus
cles of iron. l suppose. / haven't"
"They made me work when / couldn't
stand. Maurice Frere. 1t is wonderful
what spirit the cat gives man. There's
nothing like work to get rid of aching
mnscles-so they used to tell me-"
"Well, what's to be done nowY'
"Cover the boat. There. you can set
! the fat to melt, and sew these hides to-
| gether, two and two do you see? and
then sew the pair at the hecks. There
| is plenty of catgut yonder."
Don't talk to me as if were dogw
| SAYS Frere suddenly. BE civil. can't