The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-11
CHAPTER XVII.

Toward 4 o'clock in the afternoon the
boat had worked up TO within ten
miles of LAX, and was abreast of Varo-
81 5 principal town, the houses of which
could be seen. Two miles further to
the eastward there was. so Pat said.
another and much smaller town. in
which the white man Timi lived, and
which could not be seen from the sea,
as ii was situated inland, on a spur
OF the mountain range facing TO the
south.
Toward sunset the boat was put
about, and was lying well up along the
barrier reef when the wind became
very light-a most unusual occurrence
al that time of the year. and soon.
much TO Denison's disgust, it fell a
dead calm, and the air grew hot and
uncomfortable
L think we are going to have bit
or an ala (squalD from the eastward, ="
said Castles. Look" and he pointed
to the eastern horizon. its blackening
up much too fast for my liking. We
had better reef down at once. 1t viii
De no joke if we get caught here with
the reef so close under our lee, and no
opening to run for until we get abreast
Of LAX passage
Why not let US down sail. and pull
back for a couple Of miles till we get
abreast of Varogi's town. said Deni-
son; there is a passage through the
reef there. and as it is now dark. no
one will see us, and once we are in
side the reef we shall be in smooth wa
ter, and can rip along up the coast"
But 10 this proposition Pat objected
most strongly. There were certain to
be some OF VarOgis people out on the
reef fishing, for the tide was on the
ebb; and, a if to confirm his words,
there suddenly flared out the lights of
several torches, and in less than ten
minutes there were several scores of
them visible and moving about
They are men catching crayfish. -
said Pat, and could not but see us, for
they are walking along the reef on both
sides of the passage" And then he
added that even if the boat did get
through unobserved. that. the smooth
water inside the reef was full of hidden
dangers detached coral reefs, and q
great number of stone fish weirs upon
which the boat would certainly strike
for they were scattered about every
where between the outer or barrier reef
and the shore. And then he remarked
IN very decided tone that he at any
rate, did not mean to go into one OF
Narogfs ovens, and have his head put
into a CANAL house.
On we'll il is no Use talking" said
DeniSOn. GROSSLY, down sail and masts
Sood an offlng as We can before the
squall is down on us-as 1t is we are
100 close in to the breakers
In very few minutes the boat was
heading due east, Castles and Denison
pulling, and Pat steering; the sky was
now of an intense blackness, not a sin
gle star was visible, and as the two
men strained at the oars. and the little
craft rose and fell over the heave of
the sea, the perspiration poured from
them.
I should like to see it whiten a bit"
remarked the half-caste. as he turned
and looked ahead, there's a lot of
wind. and very little rain. Listen" and
he stopped pulling, by Jove. sir. we
shall get it hot and no mistake. Listen
10 the hum of it,
There was no need to listen for a
curious drOning sound could be dis
tinctly heard.
Up with the mast again. Mr.. Deni-
son, and Wen give her just a couple of
the laths only. Smart's the word. or
we'll feel sorry
Quickly stepping the light but strong
mast. and hooking on and tautening
the stays, Denison then went aft. and
sent the native amidshiDs TO stand bv
and bail, and Castles hoisted the close
" reefed sail, and all three anxiouslv
awaited Suddenly the whole armament
was ablaze. for one brief moment. with
a network Of chain lightning. then
again the black pail of darkness envei-
oped them, and a breath of hot air
smote their heated faces, and the boat
heeled over to it.
Hard up, hard up" cries Castles.
let her run a bit until we get the
hang of it, che meant the direction of
the squalD, and in a few minutes the
boat was racing over the long rolling
swell and their voices drowned in the
angry roar of the wind.
'ThatH do, sir" shouted Castles. "Iet
her come up a bit She'll stand it. and
we can lie along the reef without get
ting in any closer"
and then plunged and darted over sea
and into the trough beyond, with a
splash that half SmOthered her
Watch her, sir, watch herr" roared
the half-caste, as he and his cOmpan-
ions were almost blinded by a quick
succession of appalling lightning
flashes, and Pat threw himself on his
face on the bottom boards, too terrified
10 again look up. and not troubling TO
attend TO his bailing.
For nearly a quarter Of an hour the
boat flew along over the tops of the
now fierce sea, shipping but little water.
but straining and working in an alarm
ing manner. Every now and then the
fearful lightning would for a moment
reveal the wild swirl of seething bill
lows, and Denison and Castles sat I'm
anxious silence, hoping that the
strength Of the squall would soon pass
Then came a savage gust that nearly
capSized the boat. and a yell from Cas-
ties, as with one hand he let go the
halliards, and with the other "downed"
the bit of sail He was too late. The
weather stay had parted. and the mast
snapped off at the thwart, and went
overheard.
CHAPTER XVIII
As the mast and sail went over the
side. Castles, a born sailor-man, cut
the other stay, and saved the boat from
being overwhelmed by the seas. for the
whole gear-mast and bamboo-lathed