Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-29

AT this juncture, Mcpherson paused an in
slant, to look and listen. The guard was no
| where In sight; not sound was heard, above
the noise of the wind and waves. Mcpherson
closed the boat-house doors and secured them.
Then
"Push off" said he.
They waded out into the water, four on
each side of the boat, drawing the craft along.
! AS last as the water came up to their arm
pits, they started to swim with one hand,
resting, the other on the gunwale of the barge.
Berkeley, one side, swan ahead, with the
painter in his teeth, to pull, while McPher-
son dropped astern to push. The three re.
naming conspirators on each side were all
way, and made splashing that caused Nc
Pherson's soul to quake. Cranston kicked
EGuipe in the face, and Guipe uttered howl
OF pain and anger.
Shut up!" commanded the leader, with
vigor that was characteristic of "our fellows.
Soon they reached the open water beyond
the wharf, and here the waves were running
| high before the strong west wind. Swim
ming became difficult, and little or no pro-
gresS made.
At the word of command, accordingly, they
drew themselves up into the boat. The four
| boys on the port side were in such hurry
that they nearly upset the heavy craft.
| But they succeeded in finding their places.
and shipped the oars. Mcpherson, at the
stern, had some difficulty in getting the PIN
ties Of the rudder to fit.
Without waiting for him, the oarsmen bent
to their blades. and brought the boats head
up to the waves. 1t was high time, for she
was wallowing perilously in the deep trough.
| In the midst of McPhersons struggle with
the rudder, Brophy. who had the stroke oar,
uttered. an excited exclamation?
"Ihe guard, He's coming over the end
| of the wharfN
Hell see us!" declared Guipe.
| And they all began to pull, with more vim
than judgment, and with utter lack of uni
son
'Let up on that! Oars!" commanded Nc
Pherson.
They obeyed, hoisting their blades.
Mcpherson had by this time succeeded in
getting the rudder shipped. He took his seat,
ana picked up the tillerropes with delibera-
ton that was marvel to his colleagues, who
were intensely excited.
"Bend down. and don't make move till
give the word. he ordered, and he set the
example.
"But we're drifting in toward shore every
minute" Brophy whispered.
''Do as / tell you!"
Again they promptl obeyed, and the barge
lay like log in the hollow of the waves
| They saw the sentry standing on the shore
end of the pier, gazing, apparently, out over
| the bay.
He became certain of it when loud hail
| from the sentry was heard:
| "Hello! the boati'
"No use to wait; we've got to run for it.
This is bad, but it can't be helped. Give
way! and pull as you never pulled an car
before"
| As one man, they responded Looking back
as the boat sped over. the water, rapidly in
creasing the distance between them and the
shore, they saw the sentinel run along the
beach toward the boat-house
| A moment later they heard, sounding faint
and far waya against the wind and above the
noise of the waves, his alarm call:
Corporal of the guard! Post number ive!"
| His shout would bring the officer of the
guard down upon the scene in short order,
and the escape would be discovered to GER
tainty. But they had escaped, and, it only
remained for them to outrun their pursuers.
mSst know mo sd henag te
we move lively well win yet"
| Apprehension lent them strength, and they
made the boat fairly skim the waves.