Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-07-24

test was raised, save Dy the infant
when supplies were temporarily with
held, and Jones was too pleased that
his opinion should be supported by
Brand to give another thought to his
subordinate's outburst.
"Now, back up to the rock said
| Brand. 81 will dress and rejoin you
quickly. The boat must be thoroughly
examined and swabbed out. Jones
! will signal for help. Meanwhile you
| might moor her tightly. When the tide
| falls she will be left high and dry"
| The sailors momentary annoyance
fed. There was much to be done, and
no time should be wasted in disputes
concerning baby culture.
'Sure you won't s1ip?'' he asked as
Stephen caught hold of the ladder.
mo, no. 1t was not fatigue, but
sickness which overcame me. The
brandy has settled that"
Up he went, as though returning
from his customary morning dip.
| 'sBy lingo, he's a .plucky 'un," MUIR
INJURED Jim admiringly. HE ought to
be skipper of battleship instead of
housemaid of rock light. Dash them
| sea crows! 1 do hate 'emY'
| He seized an oar and lunged so hard
and true at cormorant which was in
vestigating the sharks liver that he
knocked the bird a yard Through the
| air. Discounted, it retired, with a
! scream. It's companion darted to the
! vacant site and pecked industriously.
The neighborhood of the rock was now
alive with sea gulls. In the water
many varieties of fnny shapes were
darting to and fro in great excitement.
Jim laughed.
They'd keep me busy he growled.
'When alFs said an done, it's their
mater, an they can't help it."
Unconscious that he had stated the
primordial thesis, he left the foragers
alone. Hauling the sail out of the wa
/ ter, he discovered that the stern board
was missing, broken off probably when
the mast fell. His trained scrutiny
soon solved a puzzle suggested by the
state of the cordage. Under ordinary
| conditions the upper part Of the mast
would either have carried the sail clean
| away with it or be found acting as a
sort of sea anchor at a short distance
from the boat.
But it had gone altogether, and the
! not torn, asunder. The shark had
striven to pull the boat under by tug
i ging at the wreckage.
Having made the canvas shipshape,
Jim settled the next pressing question
! by seizing an empty tia and sluicing
| the fore part. Then he passed rope
| under the after thwart and reeved it
| through ringbolt in a rock placed
| there for mooring purposes in very
| calm weather like the present.
When the Trinity tender paid her
monthly visit to the lighthouse she was
| moored to buoy three cable lengths
| away to the northwest. If there was
the least suspicion Of sea over the
| reef it was indeed ticklish task land
| ing or embarking stores and men.
Closehauled, the boat would fill for
ward as the tide dropped. This was
matterless. BY that time all her NOV
able contents-she appeared to have
| plenty Of timed meat and biscuits
| aboard, but no water-would be re-
| moved to the storeroom.
| The sailor was sorting the packages
Wondering what queer story Of the
deep would be forthcoming when the
recent history of the rescued child was
ascertained-when Brand hailed him.
''Look out there, Jim. I am lowering
an AK"
The weapon was duly delivered.
| "Whats the AK for, cap'n?" was the
natural query.
81 want to chop out that sharks
teeth They will serve as mementos
for the girl if she grows up, which is
likely, judging by the way she is yell
ing at Jones.
'Wot's he a-doin' of ?" came the sharp
demand
"Giving her a bath, and excellently
we'll too. He is evidently quite domes-
ticated.''
eff that means under Mrs. J.'s
thumb you're right, cap'n. They tell
me that when he's ashore
"Jim. the first time met you you
were wheeling q perambulator. Now,
load the skip and 1 will haul in.''
, They worked in silence a few min
utes. Brand descended, and a few
we'll placed cuts relieved the man eater
of the serrated rows used to such seri-
GUS purpose in life that he had attained
length of nearly twelve feet. Set
double in the lower jaw and single in