La Junta tribune., 1907-01-05


saekinx Wh<n th~ boys saw the pro
noted ~sos piunxinx about under It's
Rrose-.4u< spread Of patchwork they
s<s cp a derisiye shout Zen srlnnei
appr~ciafi.sly and waved bis old cap
n aekno~ ie,iSnDe1c
Far OF in the west a ragged line OF
black clouds could be seen creeping
slosly above To- trees. but the boys
scarcely noticed The few who slancei
that way ioosei rather pleased than
orherwise. The eGanr- of w-,tiaS
does not di--~oneert a boy. and besides
the eloods PROMISED tie eonfinusnee OF
the stin breeze
Colonel Freeman'- eOttzS. overlooked
the pond. ard his bozrhoo-s was the
wonder and admiration Of all the boys
IL was large enough TO aenommoaate
seven or eight i-oars. and Upstairs
room was being niteSl up for the club.
Every boy who had become a member
was already beginning TO feel a sort Of
proprie,orship in the new building.
Three OF the Freeman boys owned
boats Of their osn. and the other three
were looking forward 10 the time when
they would b. old enough 10 Join the
club. Freddie. III. youngest. WAS only
nine. but h. was already a- ardent a
boatman as any of them
The race was 10 be round an Island
two miles up the pond and back 10 the
boathou~~ Mr.. FREEMAN and two men
from the village were 10 act ss Jud=e~-
A. the t-Dst- h-xan to form in line
Mr. Freeman motion~i 10 Ben. who
happ.ned 10 h~ near
'will you let Fr,-idi- 90 with youf'
hs asked He wants 10 t-r In the rac~.
and I don't Ike to have him 90 IN any
of tn. lighter boats. The weather
threatens TO b@ very sgually- The
older boys are strong swimmers and
can take carr OF themselves. but Fresi-
die 10 too young TO risk teing cap
sized
-of course, I'll he glad TO have
him cried B~n dell ght~siiy He had
never hsen spoken 10 by Mr.. frs~man
before. and he wondered why that
keen eyed gentleman had singled him
out from the rest Of the boys. With
dexferous motion he swung his boat
fellow could spring ON board and then
circie,i back TO rejoln the line.
1T will hardly be necessary for me
to caution you about being careful
-sid Mr.. Freeman pleasantly ~ the
boat xiided by Il have been watch
ing you for several weeks and am very
glad that you belong 10 the club"
At this point the pond was nearly
half n mile wide. and there was ample
room for the boats To maneuvsr and
come into IN. wind. hut IL was dim
cult To form n true line. and they were
obliged TO circle around again and
again before the signal was given.
As they scoddsd up the pond before
the wind the lighter boats rapidly left
their clumsy companion behind. and
when IN. leading ones rounded point
three fourths of a mile away the Mud
Hen had scarcely covered two thirds of
the distance.
Isut all snis tfiux~ the blac6 eiousls
were creeping up the sky. and every
moment ting wind WAS sroaShs 'more
ntful and uncertain. One boat would
hav. Its sails Mapping Idly in the wind.
and another. a few rods away. would
he sirainlng under a fierce blast which
swept around n point or from behind
an island. As the wind increased In
violence .nuaSy Of the boats began to
lower sail little by little. and long he,
N,rs they bad rounded the island some
of them were carrying less than half
the canvas they had started with.
The Mud Hen was behaving spieu-
didiy now and vas leaving long wake
Of churning foam. Ben had not low,
cred sail. and he had no intention Of
doing 50. at least for tn. present