Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-06-09
THE MAN IN THE SKIFF.

One dark night skill bearing Hght
that Illuminated 4 red flag drifted down
the Allegheny river between the twin
cities" Ii moved with the current, the
sole occupant standing in the stern, keep
/ ing il in the middle of the stream by
means of a single car instead of a rud-
/ der. The pilot Of a ferryboat saw il and
rang to stop the engines. Though the
skiff passed a hundred feet from the
ferry boats bow the pilot again rang, this
time TO back water. AS the skiff foated
on under a bridge the man in the stern
looked anxiously at the abutments and
ketp away, using his oar for a paddle.
TIE was watched from above by a little
knot of people, who wondered at his
anxiety TO keep off from contact and as
TO what was the .oad in the skiff's waist
covered with tarpaulin, giving the eff
| feet of coffin under a pail
! a wheezy little steamer putting up
stream, as soon as her pilot caught sight
Of the red flag, turned to starbOard and
gave the mysterious little boat wide
berth. Then the skiff drifted past
wharf boat and passed very near it. A
Waterman with lantern called to him
TO keep at a safer distance
Aye, aye" grunted the other, but be-
| fore he could direct his skiff nearer to
midwater it had passed the wharf boat
Coming to the mouth of the river
where it meets the Monongahela the cur
rent took the little boat nearer to
steamer than was intended. Indeed it
passed along the steamers side within
a dozen yards. There was a commotion
among those on watch on the steamer
A man, Selling a pole. made ready to
shove the sKiff off should it come within
touch; another stood swinging a lantern,
yelling to the skiff's pilot to stand away
and enforcing his order with a volley of
oaths.
Then the skiff passed out on to the
bosom Of la belle riviere and commenced
its descent.
An hour later the morning broke, and
a steamboat came snorting down behind
the mysterious skiff The light had been
put out and the red flag taken in. As the
steamer passed the man in the skiff sang
out:
Gimme a lift"
"All right" grunted the captain from
the hurricane deck.
A rope was thrown and the little boat
taken in tow. All day the steamer
tOwed the skiff. Toward evening a knot
of men leaned over the steamers stern
guard. The man in the skiff saw them.
but hat was pulled over his eyes and
they could not see his face except his
mouth, which was firmly set. Suddenly
| the steamers wheels stopped. The man
in the skiff quickly thrust his oar into
the water beside his boat and COM
menced to pull backward hastily. He
avoided even any contact with his tower,
and those looking on wondered why he
was so cautious. Surely a slight bump
would not have hurt him.
| Then they unused upon the corpse like
burden. Was it a body: If so that was
, no reason for the steersman's timidity
at contact Something must be wrong
with the little craft Whatever we don't
understand must be wrong. One of those
who had been looking on went forward
and interviewed the captain, who came
all and stood looking at the skiff.
What y got there?" he inquired,
gruffly.
The man in the skiff looked up at him
as though loath to tell, then drawled:
Dynamite"
The secret was out. They were tow
ing a dynamite boat that in case of a
jar might blow them all into eternity.
Cast off," yelled the captain.
The man reluctantly went to the bow.
passing his load gingerly, and loosened
the rope.
The man in the skiff saw the boat
pass around bend in the river below
and turned his head to look for another
to come from the eastward. Far in the
distance two tunnels were pouring forth
columns of black smoke. A steamer
came by, and again the skiff was taken
in tow, but this time not for long. The
mate came aft, asked the nature of the
cargo and, when told. with one blow of
an axe severed the tow line
This time the man in the skiff gave a
low laugh, a laugh of intense satisfac-
ton. Over there" he said to himself.
is Ohio. And over there is either West
Virginia or Kentucky" Then. looking
at line of twilight where the sun had
gone down, he added: Another haurn
do. No bit of bad luck for sixty min
utes. and the games won"
| When darkness fell he padded his boat
toward the southern bank.
Ben he said, there's not a craft
in sight. Get up
Inc tarpaulln was lifted, and a man
in striped clothes sat up. He did not
look like a criminal. Indeed he looked
like martyr. There was a careworn
look on his face, CLASSY, suffering look
in his eye. There was no elation. but
an expression of relief
Take off those clothes" said the man
at the helm. And, reaching under his
seat he drew forth a bundle and tossed
it at the other, who proceeded to put
on a suit of ordinary clothes.
Look out for that tin can" said his
companion. Il don't want to save YOU
from the gallows to blow you up"
In ten minutes the boats nose touched
the shore and the passenger got out.
You are convinced he asked, "of nv
innocenee?"
Certainly. or I wouldn't have ,,so5 NV,