The Republican journal., 1907-05-09
your lifew and and he sprang far out in

your lifer' and and he sprang far out in
to the waves.
Milt leaped almost at the same in
slant, but none too soon.
The great steamer struck the dolly
amidships, flung it off with crushed
sides and broken ribs, and splashed on
her way as if the MANNED craft were
only speck of the spray that danced
about her bows.
BY little more than a hairs breadth
the boys escaped the ponderous blow
that shattered their dory. They were
good swimmers and quickly came to
the surface after their plunge.
'Help!' screamed Milt; and he heard
Abs voice, only few fathoms away,
echoing his cry.
"Help!' they shouted with all their
might, but nobody could hear them.
The steamer had disappeared again
in the fog and was joining in another
duet with the fog-horn.
Something came drifting up against
Milt. 1t was the wreck of their dooy,
bottom up.
Here, Alb, here! he shouted; "this
will help bear us up, and Abs hands
clutched the wreck with his.
They could hear changing of bells
at once the clank of her machinery stop
ped, while the steam trumpeted noisily
her escape pipe.
"She's heard our cries." Alb exclaimed.
mo, she's heard the fog-horn and is
going to bear off, said Milt. 'In two
or three minutes more she'd been on
the rocks"
The fog began to lift and they could
dimly see the outlines of the vessel as
she cautiously steered away. In short
time she was on her course again, and
soon it was so clear that the boys could
make out the great Banana Lodges,
dead ahead.
The tide had turned and was now
racing in. The wind, too, was driving
them ashore. What they had to fear
most was that furious surf breaking on
those rocks, all white with spume.
Their fingers almost froze to the
wreck, their teeth chartered and limbs
began to stiffen. They could hold their
grip while longer, but would not have
much strength left for fight with the
breakers
"Who's that? | believe it's Benny
Sock" Alb exclaimed; and then Milt,
too, saw dory bobbing on the water
between them and the shore.
Hes hauling up his traps" said
Milt. ''What shall we do?"
Abs answer was loud, tremulous
cry; 'Benny-Benny Sock. Help, Ben
n.y.
The old man had just pulled from one
of his traps a glowing red lobster, en-
twined in sea weed. He looked, and
there was another. The sight staggered
him. All his superstitious fears we're
aroused. Then d broken wailing cry
came out of the sea and he heard his
name shrieked out.
1t was enough to curdle his Indian
blood. 'KeeZebezet" he muttered,
and, grasping his oars in his trembling
hands, he started to flee. His dory
jumped through the water His strokes
were strong, if uneven and mad, and
away he sped from the haunted traps,
from the voice that came out of the
pillows.
But again, and more distinctly he
heard the cry repeated: Benny, Ben
ny Sock. Save us, Benny? We're
drowningv'
The old-half-breed's eyes stuck out.
There was something in that voice that
made him pause and gaze about till he
saw the tossing wreck and the two boys
clinging to it. A good long look to
make sure, and then he turned his dory
about and dashed to the rescue.
The two boys had so little life in
them when he dragged them into his
boat and pulled them home to hot
tiannels and ginger tea, they had to
bear their humiliation in silence; but
afterwards they made confession to
Old Sock, and tried to make him under
stand how keenly they felt the recoil of
their April Fool Days folly-Detroit
Free Press.