Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-07
CHAPTER vi.
Ozone Island.

I was pretty busy for the next good
while tending to that skiff And scared.
don't say a word. Not scared for myself.
you UNDERSTANDING. indeed. When get
drowned. with tight plank under me
and pair 81 oars In my hand. 'twon't he
In the bay. I'll tell you that. But was
scared for Van Brunt and his lordship
in the Dora Bassett. They didn't either
Of EN- know the jib boom from the rud-
der. and the valet was too crazy fright
ened to be OF any use IL he had
But Van was 10 be cool enough,
and the broken gaff would act like a
double reef. so that was comfort. And
the squall want going TO amount TO
nothing-'twas only fair breeze even
now--so IL Van had sense enough to keep
the tiller straight and let her run they'd
fetch up somewheres alongshore. L
judged. And. to make me hope still more.
the squall had brought a complete
change Of wind with IL: now twas blow
ing back up the bay instead of ont to
sea.
So ] squared my shoulders and laid tn
the oars. heading for where. Judging by
the wind. the land ought TO he. Twas
darker than a black kitten in a nigger's
pocket. but 1 carlated to he able to hit
the broadside of the Unit ed States some
where's. I got aground on the flats Ave
or six times but along toward midnight
butted ashore at the little end of no.
where. where there was nothing but
civilization. And by this time twas
pouring rain.
After a couple OF years OF scratching
and swearing and falling down I come
Tout of the scrub into kind OF clearing.
Then I discovered A barbed-wire fence by
hanging up on IL like sheet on line.
and located the back of a barn by bang
ing into II with my head. Then a nice
talkative dog come out of the barn and
located me, and things commenced 10
liven up.
While me and the dog was conducting
our experience meeting.a light showed In
an upstairs window little ways of and
somebody sticks their head out and wants
to know what's the matter.
Who are YOU he says.
MY names Pratt says 1.
Where are your?
We'll" 1 says. Judging by the feel
and smell I'm on the top OF the pig
sly. But I amt real sure. I can tell you
where your dog is. If you want to know"
What are you doing round here this
time of night" he says.
I told him well as / could. The dog
was having a conniption fit, trying to
bark itself inside out. and had to say
things over three or four times SOS q
body could hear. But the Teller at the
window want satisfied even then. I
never see such a wooden-head.
What Pratt did you say you WASP
he hollers.
told him my name and where hailed
from.
''Sol Pratt?" says he "Of wellmouth?
What are you doing way over here?"
BLAST 1t all.' yells. IF ! want
half drowned already I should say I was
getting wet. Turn out and let a Teller
into the kitchen or somewheres. won't
you? And tie up this everlasting dog"
That seemed to wake him up some, and
in ten minutes he comes poking
out with lantern. 1 knew him then
Twas Ebenezer Holbrook. Hubby Ann
Scudders sisters husband. who lives
over in the woods on the line between
South Eastwtch and West Ostable. There
was another man with him. and blest IL
II didn't turn out to be Nate Scudder
himself. Him and Hubby was visiting
over there. same as he said they was go
ing to.
Nate had more than a million questions
to ask Ebenezer tied up the dog-the
critter pretty nigh broke down and sob
bed when he found I want to be fed to
him-and We went into the kitchen. Then
Mrs. Holbrook and Hubby Ann. rugged up
tasty and becoming i'm curl papers and
bedquilts. floated downstairs and there
was more questions.
When Nate found out that one of his
dodgers was cast adrift IL the bay he was
almost as worried and upset as [ was
But Ebenezer agreed with us that there
was good chance Of the sloop's getting
ashore safe. He said why didn't I turn
in on his setting-room lounge for the few
hours between then and sun-up. and in
the morning me and Nate could take his
.yawl dory and cruise alongshore and
hunt. So l done II. though twas pre-
cious little sleep I got.
fTo be continued tomorrow