The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-09-29

passed in consciousness, and I spent
that terrible time Of darkness IN more
or less prayerfu1 meditation.
After ages, Tie dawn arrived. lit
another cigar, and wriggled YEARLY to.
the bow Of the boat and scanned the
waters.
There was a vessel! Far, far away,
to be sure, but steaming SO that we
must cross her path in another Is min
utes.
I tore OF my overcoat and scram-
bied to the little deck, wound one arm
about a post. and waved the coat
franticalIy.
Nearer and nearer we came to the
steamer. More and more feared tEat
the signal might be unnoticed, or no.
ticed too late But It wasn't.
|. I have known some happy sights in
my time. but never saw anything
| that filed me with one-half the joy
felt on realizing that the steamer
people were lowering one Of their
boats.
They were doing 1t, there was no
doubt about the matter. In five min
utes we should be near enough to their
| cutter to swim for 1t.
I dived to the stern to awaken
Hawkins. He was already awake. He
stood there, tousled and happy, sniff
ing the crisp air, and he had seen the
approaching boat
| 49,
Iy.
Got what ready?"
/ why, the MESA ge, exclaimed HaW-
kins, opening his eyes in astonish-
ment. Well have to hustle with it
I reckon
Hawkins, what new idiocy is this 2
I gasped.
Surely we're going to give thai
steamer a few lines to tell the worlt
about our trip"
Seconds passed before the full, ter
sibIe significance of his words filtered
into my brain.
do you mean to say" I roared
t3that you are not going to swim 70
that hoat?"
Certainly I do mean to say it, h
replied, stif1y. Let me have you
fountain. pen, Griggs.'
| I took one glance at the boat.
took another at Hawkins. Then
gripped him about the waist and thre1
my whole soul into the task of piten
ing him overheard.
Hawkins, as l have said, is heavie
than I. He pulled and strained an
pulled and hauled at me, swearing lllz
a trooper the while. And neither Of L
budged an inch.
The cutter came nearer, nearer, al
ways nearer. Thirty seconds more an
we should shoot by it forever. Tn
thought of losing this chance of rescu
almost maddened me.
had just gathered all my strengt
for one last heave, when the middle {
my back experienced the most exers
thing seemed to lift me clear OF th
launch, with Hawkins in my arms;
heard a dull report from somewher
and then we dropped together, rigl
through the surface Of the sparklin
Atlantic ocean.
Hawkins was picked up first. Whe
came to the surface two dark-skinne
sailormen were dragging him in, strul
Cling and cursing and pointing will
ly toward the horizon, where b!
launch was careening away with th
speed of the wind.
1t was the French liner La Franc
which had the honor of our rescu
She deposited US in New York Q
Wednesday morning.
Over the rest of this tale hove
some painful memories. am not
fighting man, but I am free to So
that when my wife and Mrs. Hawkir
delivered to me their joint opinion Q
broken promises, their sex aloI
saved them from personal damage.
It was upon me that the blame a.
peared to rest entirely. At least, HaV
kins didn't come in for any of it !;
the time.
Just at the moment of that emotion;
i, Interview Hawkins was busy in b
! workshop perfecting something.
It seems that the motor, after a
Was our salvation. Hawkins says tn;
! some of the power must have dribDle
: out of the machine proper and blow
r the steel dome from its foundations.
: Assuredly there was plenty of e.
ergy behind the thing when it strue
e me; I have darting pains in that po
j, ton Of my anatomy every damp day.
e The launch has never been reporte
a which is probably quite as well.
3 Perhaps it has reached the ope
Y polar sea, and is butting itself in
a flinders against the ice-cakes. Pc
k haps it is terrorlzing some cannib
: tribe in the southern oceans by il
aie.ing dents on the shoreline Of the
: island.
II Wherever the poor little boat ma
d be, it contains II Of my best cigar
the better part of a substantial u es
: and, what is in my eyes OF less iiapo
: lance, the sole existing example
= what Hawkins still considers an ide
: generator of power.
Copyright. 1906, by w. G. Chapn1a.1.)
lNsss-~s Neaa--a2 ssss~ae~ s@a2fss'
SEA PICTURES