Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-12-08
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
The sun sank amidst cloud confa-
grafton of sullen and thunderous magnih-
cence. The coastline behind us darkened
and faded until the crests Of the breaking
waves rose CHASTITY 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 its place
came gusts, fierce and uncertain, spaced
with lulls of restless calm. Ignorant as
/ was of sea weather, l began to grow
uneasy. There seemed a menace in the
dark mysterious wall of cloud to wind
ward, a 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 the 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 | was
we'll aware that an excess of sea-sickness
may result in a serious prostration.
/ 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, l believe, is known nautical
" as the jigger. They also reefed the
larger canvas on the foremost. The
Agnes Jane, which was now not more
than four hundred yards away, showed
no sign of following our example.
Marx Pennyfold must be mazed,"
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 on
with that press O. zail. Place to keep thy
hand on the tiller, EUR"
The little Cornishman rolled forward
to where l sat, and stood, making a hol-
low of his hands. A great stiffness held
the sea and air, save for the whisper
of the gliding waves
1.-THE Agnes Jane, ahoy'
He drove the words over the black
waters like the blast Of a trumpet.
THE Agnes Jane, shoyw
Again he called, and this time there
came an answering voice.
help" it cred-the one word-and
was silent We waited, but that was all
TITS no good, Treherne," said my
cousin. "They have an ugly customer or
board who does not mean to be taken
He has his pistol at their heads as Xix,
as not They must take their chanc,
Of"
His words were lost in a stirring not,
like the throbbinE Of giant harp-string
a note that rose to a shrek and ther
melted into a rafting, druwmins roar
the uttermost diapason of the storm
wind. For some seconds we heeled over
80 that could have dipped my face il
the bubbling waters; and them slowl!
gathering way, we shot forward through
the flying spray, with Treherne yellin
to his man in tones that even outsounde.
the squat itself.
We were upon her almost before l re
allied the disaster that had befallen her
l caught a glimpse of the level line 0
timbers about the keel the red sail
awash in streaks of kissing foam; an
then / saw my cousin lean out and gri
a something in the water. For me
ment l thought he would be dragged fror
the boat, but Isaac, letting go the tillel
circlcd his legs with pair of muscula
arms and held on like the little bulldo
he was. With three great heaves Gre
den logged the dripping thing he hel
to the boats edge; with fourth
i landed it fairly on board. The Agne
Jane had gone, and with her the unfol
, tunate men she carried-save Marina
only.
. Thus Fate in its own strange name
, had given him to us at last!
Shouting like a mailman, l started t.
q wards the stern, where my cousin wa
bending over the huddled body he ha
saved. But even as l did so l sa
: black mass, crested and streaked wit
i kissing white, rush up from the obscurit
to windward. For a space it seemed
hang above us, while Isaac yelled as |
= tugged wildly at the tiller. Then, wit
= wild roar that drummed in my ea
!, like the explosion of a mine, it threw
: self upon us, hurting me into the botto
Il of the boat, choked, deafened, and bin
ed.
Ito be continued.)
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