Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-11-30
CHAPTER XvIII.-(Continued.)


that first furious hour. Isaac Treherne
made no second mistake, but crouched
at the tiller, tricking the succession of
great seas that swung upon us out of the
throbbing blackness. Stung by passing
hailstorms, drenched to the skin, and ach-
ing with cold, | toiled with a tin panni-
kin, baling, baling until my back creaked
with stiffness and my hands could SCARCE
.ly feel the handle. Graden and the sail
or worked beside me, SO that we man
aged to keep the water under. Now and
again slit in the rushing dark above us
showed me Marnac lying by the steers
mans side. Was he alive or dead?
did not know, nor did l stay my labor to
make inquiry.
The daylight came at last, the God
given light for which all poor mariners
must pray in their hours of danger.
With it came a lessening of the wind
and falling sea. Yet there had been
an angry menace in the brilliant colors
that lit the eastern sky, and l stared
eagerly over the muddy green of the hur-
rying surges. Indeed, | was the first
to see a steamers smudge of smoke on
the western SKY line.
Her be making for we, gentlemen" "
remarked our steersman, after a long
stare at the distant vessel. Happen her
would take e aboard, If you be so
minded. The weather be blowing up
again, and it's a long reach back to
Polleven."
Il don't like deserting the ship, Isaac,
said Graden; though, to tell the truth, |
don't relish another day in the chops of
the Channel"
"Bain't no desartion, sir Me and
Jake can take her whoam; and, to tell
e the truth, her'll ride the lighter for
the want of himv
He pointed to where Marnac sat
crouching under an oilskin coat Save for
occasional shivers, the old man seemed
to be no worse for his handshake with
Death. He received the sailors remark
with benevolent smile "Doan't e 90
grinning at me, you wlcked-minded old
toad!' cried Isaac. "Twas only through
special mercies that Providence forgot
you was on board. We'd ha' been sunk
for zarten, else"
Within half an hour we could see
the steamer clearly, an ancient tramp OF
the seas, bluff in the bows square in the
flank, with a coloring of SCOT and rusty
iron. She answered our signals with 6
melancholy toot and stood towards us
Graden, who had been watching her ap
proach at my side, turned and walked
aft.
Il have already dropped your revolver
overheard, Professor Marnac," he said
"but | must trouble you to hand me your
pocket-book. Money, you know, is Otter
the most valuable of weapons"
The professor obeyed with a gentle
cluck of amusement
Il trust, Sir Henry, that the notes
are not damaged" he said in the low
musical tones with which l was so fa
miliar. Indeed, l was assured that the
case was waterproof"
Now, your loose gold If you please
Here it is, Sir Henry, with my watch
and chain. Observe that my pocket,
are now completely empty. All, Mr.. Har
land, forgive me if did not notice yor
before. | fear that these nautical adven
lures will interrupt your course Of
studies. Did you hear whom the uni
versity have appointed in my stead?
should be sorry if my students, amongs
whom | always held you to be the mos
studious, if not the most able, should b,
long without lecturer-like sheep tha
have lost their shepherd, Mr.. Harland.
l turned from him with a feeling o.
nausea. Mad or sane, he had done sucl
deeds as placed him beyond the inter
course of humanity.
The steamer was close upon us now
and as she came rolling down the heav,
of the swell we were hailed from tn,
bridge In a tongue that was strange t
me. Before we could reply, seaman
had sprung to the bulwarks and sent tn,
coils of a line spinning over u.s. Thi
Isaac made fast, allowing a fair space t,
Intervene between his little craft anc
the rusty metal fabric that toweret
above us.
Goodbye, Isaac" said Graden, shak
Ing the little Cornishman warmly b!
the hand. II will see to your check tn
moment l get to London"
"Doan't e mention it, zur. l wa
right proud to take e. Nor do e trouble
about we uns. Jake and l will be max
Ing Polleven by midnight at latest
please be-"
CHAPTER XIX.
1t was an anxious scramble-they ha,
to swing out chair for Marnac-but tn
trawler was as handy as a row-boat, an,
at last the three Of us stood on the decl
of the stranger. A more ill-assorted tri
of bedraggled voyagers never ranged Il
line.
But If we were strange to look upon
80 were the group of men who confronte,
us. They were of the degenerate Latil
breed, dark, small, uncertain In temper
and dirty by nature and training Thei
seafaring dress seemed as ill-suited t.
them as a sash and 4 colored cloak woul,
be to n British shellback.