Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-04-26


Sercombe made no answer, but pull
ed the boat along the boom.
Its wood he said, land / make
no doubt but it's old and tired. Any
how / think Hoods dingey went
through this. can find no break.
though
Let US put a pace on the tub and
try" suggested.
Sercombe whistled slowly. shes
not much of a tub, / admit" he said
obviously, ~but it's all we've got"
You are afraid Of her splitting up?"
That's so, but, anyhow, let's risk it.
Drive, boys, when give the word"
We backed out and pulled up the
stream, and l set her nose full on.
'sNow!" said Sercombe, and the oars
struck the water together. With a
signing, groaning noise the tub dipped
her snout into the water, and it hum
med about her sides.
s.Nowr' shouted Sercombe again. /
leaned forward to the stroke, and in
the next second the blow came. She
struck and staggered, recoiling and
shivering in every beam. But Ser
combe, in the bows, who had been al
most precipitated into the stream,
cried out in triumph:
shes through; the boom's given
somewhere
That was true. as we found out I'M
mediately, for the current bore the
dingey down once more upon the log,
and with a rasping noise and a jerking
movement she slipped over.
Its lucky that the wood was rot
ten,p said Sercombe. Il don't believe
our tub would have stood another
ounce"
Il think we must thank Hood, too"
remarked.
"Oh, wen thank him when we meet
him." said Sercombe cheerfully, 'and
the sooner we pay our devoirs the bet
ter. So let's buckle to-"
In spite of our objections Sercombe
insisted upon taking hand with me
at the sculls. He professed himself
quite well, said he had often suffered
from the same complaint and could
stand more of it.
"a pin prick to the way they get at
your vitals in Sicily" said he.
He certainly showed no signs of ia
tigue or faintness in his handling of
the oars, but rowed like a sailor-a lit
tie stiffiy, but with plenty of force, and
we cut the water at a fine pace. Pres
entity Sheppard, who had taken Ser
cembe's place in the bows, tapped me
on the shoulder.
Heres the Ray, Ned said he.
$50 much for the first stage then,
said SercoInbe, who heard him, and he
leaned on his oars. The current took
us with a gentle wash into the bosom
of the larger stream. The clouds con-
gregated solemnly and, to my fancy,
with an aspect of sullenness. The air
was still, and the sweat broke out on
the rowers. We changed again, and
under the fresh impulse the tub ran
down the Ray.
ssWe may pick them up any moment
now" remarked Sercombe, and OBJ
served him, in the stern, loosen his coat
and feel in his pockets.
ssThe boats leaking" said Mont
gomery in my ears. stopped rowing
and repeated his words to the others.
Here was a dilemma. Sercombe paid
no heed. He was staring, as l could
just perceive staring out upon the
river over our heads.
eDo you see anything?" he asked.
No one answered him.
"Stay on your oars!" he commanded,
and / no longer recognized the soft
voice of our old enemy, but something
stronger and imperious 1t sounded of
Chile and Peru. We ceased rowing.
1sWhat do you hear?" he inquired.
Nothing" came from Montgomery.
.I'll trust your ears, lad" said Ser
combe. "Drive on
The river opened wider, and the
banks fell away on either side, sloping
softly up to great black heights, and
now a current from the sea came hum
ming over the river bar and met us,
striking the tubs beak with a dull
plash. She swung and twisted, groan-
ing in her sides.
"Thats the estuary" said Montgom-
cry.
Sercombe leaned forward. "And
we've not caught ZEN" he said musing-
". sHood must have had notion.
Well, you see, he was bound to push
on
Our changes had taken place with
punctuality, and now lay across the
bows and had my ear to the channel.
The wind came up and blew gently
about my face. Good" sighed Ser
combe, that's refreshing. | thought I
should stife."
Sheppard, who was yachtsman, cast
a glance over his shoulders at the black
horizon, but he said nothing. The cur
rent throbbed under the belly Of the
boat, and she rose and fell upon the
waves.
II suppose we're out nowa asked
Sercombe.