The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-26


 T want to impress on you that for the time being there must be, truce between us. We are. If you will excuse I .ne pleasantly. in the same boat. Her big sail has come to grief and gone over tffe side. She is at present bump ing on sandbank which seems to be as hard as rock. Now know nothing whatever about boats, or sailing, and you. believe, know little. If you will tell me what to do. I'll do 1t. Twill be time enough for you and I to Hsht. when we've got safe to land" Where's the wind?"
 Right behind us"
 "Is the jib set?'
 Yes. if you mean the little sail Tn ehe front"
 Well, take it down. It's only driv- | ing us farther on the bank. You1i find | the halliard-the rope that hoists 1t up --at the goot of the mast. We'd better drop anchor until daylight and wait | for help.
 No" replied TankerIane firmly. we must try to get of this bank and get l to Conasea tonight. Wind and tide are both agalnst us."
 Very we'll" said shil. i've must wait till we drive cover the bank. She's a strong boat if she'll stand much more of this pumping. But aren't you afraid to take me with you to Conasea "No,'' replied Tankerlane, with a grim smile. T am not afraid"
 Well. get up on deck and try to fix the position of all the lights you can I'll try to direct you on the proper course. It's pitch dark. I suppose?" Yes, pitch dark" But when Tank erlane had taken off the hatch and crawled out on deck he was agreeabiy surprised to find the moon was shining brightly in a clear sky, and that he could see the outline of the land on either side of him. The wind, however, was blowing with the same fury, and even as he reached the tiller. and clung to 1t for support, big wave broke over the stern of the smack, and nearly swept him off his feet.
 Still clinging to the tiller. which, owing to the fact that the rudder twas damned in the sand, was firm SUD- port for his tired and feeble body, he look ed aft in the hope of seeing some sign of Playle and Yardley and he even called out to- them again by name. But there was no reply save the crash of the vessel on the hard sand and the flap ping of the sails. Then suddenly the pumping ceased ana the boat swept forward on the crest of a wave like { a hound slipped from the leash. Tanker lane let go the tiller and sprawled down over the hatchway.
 Shes afloat," he cried, ''and the moons shining. Just come up and have look-oh, I'm sorry. forgot" Get the lie of the land" answered we are"
 Tankerlanes inexperienced eye tried to gasp all the details of the black fringe on either side of the foamine sea. Then he explained the situation to John Shil. The latter, who had only a superficial knowledge of the estuary. gave directions which were short and simple but extremely hard to carry out.
 Keep her on that last light to star board-on your right, that is."
 But, try as he would, Tankerlane could not keep the vessel on the light. She tore wildly to one side of the creek, and then, without warning, dashed back to the other, and would have made no ground at all if 1t had not been for the tide, which forced her slowly and steadily onwards. Small wonder that Sam Dowsett. who was watching from the window of his cottage, compared her to e drunken man.
 But nearer the light came, and still nearer. and Tankerlane stuck to his task like man of nerve and courage. More than once he nearly hit the bank on either side, and only good fortune saved him, for he had discovered that his effort at the tiller were alomst use- less, and that, if she did not choose to turn of her own free will, nothing could alter her course.
 At last the light from the cottage was only a quarter of mile from the boat. and Tankerlane saw with pleas ure that beyond the cottage itself there lay a smooth, quiet lake-a veritable haven after the fury of the waves. In his confusion he did not pause to con- slider the improbability of a cottage be- ing set in the middle of the water, and in the uncertain light he could see that the water itself poured down into the lake from higher levef.
 Then someone opened the window, and yelled to him, and the next in- stant he saw the danger, and tried to turn the vessel from her mad career. But she seemed to have taken the bit into her teeth. and. in spite of all of his efforts, she hardly swung point from her course. The black house loomed large like a rock, and above the sound of the wind and waves rose the roar of falling waters. Then a fierce blast of wind sent the Hope and Glory surging forward on the crest of great wave; there was crash and a shock that sent Tankerlane spinning to the mast like a stone from sling,sl and the vessels bow slid up from the | water, in a wild tumult of foam and | falling stone.
 CHAPTER XXXV.
 The Turning of the Tide.
 The boat" yelled Dowsett, as the | bow-sprit of the Hope and Glory | crashed through the wooden wall of | the cottage, and quivered like a reed in | the wind. "Tis our only chance | House'H go afore boat"
 He staggered up from the floor with | Laura in his arms, and his wife cower- ed against the wall with her eyes fixed | on the great spar overhead.
 Don't stare. fool" he shouted | Here, take the lass and hand her me | through window"
 He flung aside the box and the table | and, picking up a heavy chair, beat out | the framework of the window in three 1 stupendous blows. Then he swung him. l self through the gap. And the house | rocked beneath him, as a house rocks | in an earthquake.
 Hi. you there.' he yelled. quick | lend a hand. There's lives to be saved | here, there be. Lend a hand. You.m rio Sp,,ff