Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-07-14
CHAPrrR xvI.-{Continued.)


the outgoing current toward the mouth
Of the harbor. When first launched she
had come nigh swamping, being over
loaded, and 1t was found necessary to
leave behind a great portion of the dried
~eat They made tedious way with
tr rude oars; light breeze from the
invest sprung up with the dawn, and,
xelsting the goat-skin sail. they crept
Bong the coast. 1t was resolved that
Che two men should keep watch and
watch; and Frere, for the second time,
enforced his authority by giving the first
watch to Rufus Dawes. 81 am tired"
he said, "and shall sleep for a little
while"
That night tho wind fell, and they
had to take their oars. Rowing all night,
they made but little progress, and Rufus
Dawes suggested that they should put
In to the shore, and wait until the breeze
sprung up. But, upon getting under the
leo Of a long line of basaltic rocks
which rose abruptly out of the sea, they
found the waves breaking furiously upon
4 horseshoe reef, six or seven miles in
length. There was nothing for it but to
coast again.
They coasted for two days, without a
great wind broke upon them from the
southeast and drove them back thirty
miles. The coracle began to leak, and
required constant bailing. What was
almost As bad, the best part Of their
water had leaked away also.
The position of the four poor creatures
was now almost desperate Mrs. Wick
ers, indeed, seemed completely prostrat-
ed, and 1t was evident that, unless some
help came, she could not long survive
tho continued exposure to the weather.
Tho child was In somewhat better case.
Rufus Dawes had wrapped her In his
wooden shirt, and, unknown to Frere,
had divided with her daily his allowance
of meat. She lay in his arms at night,
and In the day crept by his side for shell
ter and protection. As long as she was
near him she fell safe. They spoke lit
~ to each other, but when Rufus Dawes
yslt the pressure Of her tiny hand In
bis, or sustained tho weight Of her head
upon his shoulder. he almost forgot the
cold that froze him and the hunger that
gnawed him.
So two more days passed. and yet no
sail! On the tenth day after their de-
parturc from Macquaris Harbor they
came to the end of their provisions. To
add to their distress, the child was seix
ed with fever. She was hot and cold by
turns, and In the intervals Of moaning
talked deliriously. Rufus Dawes, hold
Ing her In his arms, watched the suffer-
ing he was unable to alleviate, with
4 savage despair at his heart Was she
to die, after all?
Ga Iov I-hk
the eleventh morning saw the boat yet
alive, rolling In the trough Of tho same
deserted sea. The four exiles lay In
her almost without breath. All at once
Dawsa uttered a cry, and seiEna the
sheet put the clumsy craft about "a
sail! . sail" he cried. do you not
zee hsvr
There II no SAIL" said Frere. "Yuu
mock usv'
Tho boat, no longer following the linz
Of the coast, was running nearly due
south, straight into the great southern
ocean. Frere tried to wrest the thong
from the hand of the convict, and bring
Che boat back to her course. Are you
mad" he asked, In fretful terror, ito
run n out to sea?''
"6t down." returned tho other. with
menacing gesture, and staring across
the gray water. IT tell you see
sail!'
The day had broken, and the dawn.
In one long pale streak Of sickly saffron.
lay low on the left hand. Between this
streak Of saffron-colored light and the
bows Of the boat glea~~ for nm instant
4 white speck.
Frere, utterly &C. dlded, looked
With his heart in his =, .,th and again
did the white speck r. Sner.
Sylvia" cried Ruff Dawes. "SvI-
Via! Ny darling! You xrs savedr
She opened her hsIe eyes and looked
ut him, but gave no sign Of recognition
Delirium had hold of her, and in the
hour OF safety the child had forgotten
h>- rreserver. Rufus Dawes, overcome
by this last cruel stroke Of fortune. sat
down In the stern of the boat, with the
child In his arms speechless. Frere
thought that the chance he had 40 long
ed for had come. With the mother A.
the point Of death, and the child deliri-
Gus, who could testify to this hated
convict's skillfulness7 No one but Mr.
Maurice Frere, and Mr.. Maurice Frere
a. commandant of convicts, could not but
give up an "absconder" to Justice.
The ship-a brig, with American COL
ors fying-came within hail of them.
Frere could almost distinguish figures
on her deck. He made his way aft TO
where Dawes was sitting, unconscious
with the child in his arms, and stirred
him roughly with his foot.
"Go forward" he said, In tones Of
command, land give the child to me-"
Rufus Dawes raised his head and
seeing the approaching vessel, awoke to
the consciousness of his duty. With