The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-11-22

Charles McVane lives on Long ISL
.a,d, in Casco bay. a few miles from
Portland. Me. He is an ardent fisher
man, and he has a n~shern,an's taste for
ducks. So when he goes fishing he us
ually takes along his gun, for a roast
dinner is as good as a fried upper any
day i'll the week.
He was fishing near Ram island, in
the vicinity of his home. when he no.
ticed a large flock of sea duck in one OF
was late, began the chase of the wild
fowl.
He got one. then another and an
Other. until he discovered that his Gag
erness for the chase had left hin close
to the barren islet with darkness
sweeping down and ~ stiff gale blow
ing up.
A novice might have been alarmed.
and with ample cause. But McNane
was an clio hand at such emergencies,
and he calmly decided TO sleep on the
island for the night.
strip of sand that edged the shore.
turned it upside down, and used his
~oiis!Sins and the sail for couch and COW
ers lie was tired out with the long
days fishing and rowing; and, after
hauling the boat we'll out of the way
OF such waves as were breaking at the
time, he simply turned in. and trusted
to any advance OF the tide to awaken
him.
IL was midnight when one OF those
monster breakers, such as pile in dur
tng the rising of a wind-blown eide.
burst upon the stand strip. 1t rushed,
n seething wall OF foam-crested water,
upon the up%turned dory and the sleep
ing man.
McVa4ae awoke, for a single, feeting
instant. to the sense of mere discom-
fort. and an instant comprehension OF
-,int had nroI,rrpd Next lrofnp1,f a
heavy piece of driftwood, speeding
with all the force Of the oncoming
breaker. struck him on the head and
knocked him senseless.
He came to. feeling he was being
hanged and drowned at the same time.
There was a horrible, cold. crushing
clutch upon his throat.
He wondered whether the skeletons
of the drowned men did really como
up and out Of the deep and drag the
living down in the grip OF their icy,
bony hands. He seized h awful thing
Mat held him in its murderous grasp.
Then began a struggle, in the black
ness of the storln-beatcn rock, such rs
40 man perhaps had ever before un-
dergone.
The bony clutch that held his chok-
ing throat seemed to have in it the
strength Of a dozen men, and all
around him McVane felt other fearful
bony, icy fingers clutching, reaching,
clasping in their endeavor to complete
the work Of destruction.
His weakness was becoming so grea1
that consciousness was departing
when with a convulsive writhe, ht
moved himself from his helpless posi-
ton OBJ his back and got his unseer
foe underneath him.
After a time the grip upon his necl
relaxed, as IL the weight Of his BODY
had proved too much for his antagon'
list. Unable to move, he lay there 70
some moments, until his brain cleared
and he could resume the battle.
Then he realized that he had beef
in the grasp of n giant lobster. TIL
instant McNane knew the nature of hi
danger he understood how he must act
He sprang away and seized the crus
tacean back of the head, pinning /
down with the sure. safe hold which !
second nature TO 4very New Englan'
fisherman.
Even then he rad to wait a littl
longer to regain his energies before n
could carry it to II deep. dry hollo- il
the upper rocks, where he left it unti
daybreak.
The lobster has been mounted by
Portland expert. II measures ! fee