Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-02-15

VNlLe was thrilled again with half
superstitieus fear
But it was, after all, 10 terrifying
voice, and he determined to go to the
bottom of the mystery. although his
nerves were still far from steady. But
it would be still more terrible to pad
die on with that unknown creature
perhaps creeping upon him in the
darkness; and be began to steal for
ward upon his knees. holding the pad
die, the only weapon he possessed,
ready in his hand. The sobbing noise
continued,
White thrust the paddle out before
nim into the darkness and felt moth
ing. He crept little farther, and polk
ed out cautiously again.. 1t touched
something soft and was seized and
wrenched out Of his hand with unex-
pected force. He heard the wood
splinter
White started back, forgetting the
balance of the craft. There was a
sudden scramble in the bow. He lost
his equilibrium and the Peterborough
capsized like fash.
The water of the northern lakes is
very Geld even in midsummer, and
White came up gasping. In the black
dark he could neither see nor feel the
capsized canoe. He was a poor swim
mer, encountered by thick clothing and
benumbed already by the chill water,
and he realized that his only chance for
life was to regain the canoe. He
struck out down the wind, where it
must have drifted
TO reach SO small an object in the
dark was q matter of pure chance, and
White felt himself growing rapidly ez-
hausted Twice his head had gons
under from sheer Inability to keep up,
| and a dull lethargy was making his
| limbs like lead, when his eutstretoheG
hand touched something wet and
| furry.
II was some gooq-sized animal
swimming like himself. and White was
close enough 70 drowning to catch a.
anything He put hand on the shoul
der OF the animal. It snorted, splash
ed violently and then began to whimp
er in the tone that he had heard be
fore.
I 1t was undoubtedly his mysteriou
| passenger that was giving him lift
| From the feeling Of its rough hid
he Judged it to be bear. although
small one, and it was having too mucl
difficulty in keeping itself afloat t.
avoid him.
1t swan as If half-exhausted, an
White, gaining confidence, helped
by padding with his free hand. II
! head began to sink lower. however
and the wash of the waves began t
go over them both with alarming ire
quency.
In the thick darkness there was n
means Of telling how far they we1
from the shore. They seemed to
swimming in limitless ocean
night; then unexpectedly they bumps
against something hard, upon whit
the animal at once scrambled with
grupt of wearied satisfaction. It w
the canoe, floating bottom upward: al
: after resting with his arms on it i
, = few minutes, White succeeded
, Eighting it,
: ID This manoeuver sent his conlrade
to the water with splash and vel
e but the beast clung desperately to t
= canoe, and at once scrambled aboa
t again, evidently nortaTly afraid
= further swimming. White splash
out as must OF the water with
: hands as he could, and then accol
y plished the delicate feat Of getti
e aboard himself, shipping another buc
e etful of water in the process.
He scooped her out once more wi
it his followed hands, and as there "
It always a spare paddle lashed to I
T. thwarts, he struck out toward the !,
+ per lake again. His passenger lay
lently in the bow, but trembled so y
le lentIy as to shake the canoe.
le weight, however, with the water Il
re had been shipped, was actually
At great services as ballast. and VIII