Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-11-23
CHAPTER XVIII.

grafton of sullen and numerous magnlh-
cence. The coastlne behind us darkened
and faded until the crests of the breaking
waves rose ghastly white against the
gloom of the shrouded land. But for
tunately the sky above us was still clear;
and a silver crescent of the moon, swing
ing at an angle as if the wind had tilted
her. showed us the chase heading south
ward. 1t was evidently some port in
France for which she pointed. My cousin
had joined Isaac, who was at the tiller,
and the pair conversed in low tones,
glancing frequently to the northwest
! from which the wind blew strong and
cold.
1t was, according to my remembrance,
| past nine o'clock that the steady pres
sure of the wind failed. In it's place
came gusts, fierce and uncertain, spaced
with luls of restless calm. Ignorant as
l was of sea weather, l began to grow
uneasy. There seemed a menace in the
dark, mysterious wall of cloud to wind
ward, rampant edged with silver from
the moon. Motionless it hung like a
heavy curtain that at its rising would re-
veal some monstrous spectacle. For the
first time l realized the insignificance
of our boat, its loneliness amidst the hur-
rying wastes OF lhe sea, and my anxiety
passed into alarm. 1t was about this
time that my nausea suddenly left me.
This was a great relief to me- for l was
we'll aware that an excess of sea-sickness
may result in q serious prOstraton.
1t was in one of the lulls l have men,
toned that Isaac gave my cousin the
helm and with his mans assistance low
cred the sail on the smaller mast at the
stern which, believe, is known nautical
" as the jigger. They also reefed the
larger canvas on the foremast. The
Agnes Jane, which was now not more
than four hundred yards away, showed
no sign of following our example.
mark Pennyfold must be mazed, II
said Isaac on his return aft. "E must
have zeen us were chasin' e, yet 'e gives
we no chance o. speaking i'm; and now
e be CHANGING his boat by carrying or
with that press o zail. Plaze to keep thy
hand on the tiller, zur."
The little Cornishman rolled forward
to where l sat, and stood, making hol
low of his hands. A great stiffness hel(
the sea and air, save for the whisper
of the gliding waves.
"The Agnes Jane, ahoy"
He drove the words over the blacl
waters like the blast of a trumpet.
'The Agnes Jane, ahoy."
Again he called, and this time ther
came an answering voice.
Help" it cried-the one word-an,
was silent. We waited, but that was all
1T is no good, Treherne," said m,
cousin. "They have an ugly customer ol
board who does not mean to be taken
He has his pistol at their heads >as lik
as not. They must take their chanc
Of"
His words were lost in a stirring not
like the throbbing of a giant harp-string
note that rose to a shrek and thel
melted into a rattling, drumming roar
the uttermost diapason Of the storm
wind. For some seconds we heeled over
SO that l could have dipped my face il
the bubbling waters; and then, slowl,
gathering way, we shot forward through
the flying spray, with Treherne yelling
to his man in tones that even outsounde,
the squall itself.
We were upon her almost before l re
allied the disaster that had befallen her
/ caught a glimpse of the level line o
timbers about the keel, the red sail
awash in streaks of kissing foam; ant
then l saw my cousin lean out and gril
something in the water. For a mo
ment thought he would be dragged from
the boat, but Isaac, letting go the tiller
circled his legs with a pair of muscua
arms and held on like the little bulldog
he was. With three great heaves Ora
den lugged the dripping thing he hell
to the boats edge; with a fourth HI
landed it fairly on board. The Agne
Jane had gone, and with her the unfor
tunate men she carried-save Marina
only.
Thus Fate in it's own strange manne
had given him to us at last!
Shouting like madman, l started to
wards the stern, where my cousin wa
bending over the huddled body he haC
saved But even as did so l saw
black mass, crested and streaked will
kissing white rush up from the obscurit.
to windward. For n space 1t seemed t.
hang above us, while Isaac yelled as h
tugged wildly at the tiller. Then, will
wild roar that drummed in my ear
like the explosion of a mine, it threw it
self upon us, hurling me into the bottom
of the boat, choked, deafened, and blind
ed.
Ito be continued.)
Just u Favor.