Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-04-21

| When the men first began to sweat
the sails up, evidently in preparation
for an immediate departure, objected
yehemently.
''You aren't going to leave him on the
island" cried. Hell die of starva-
| ton"
| They did not answer me, but after a
little more. when my expostulations
had become more positive, Handy Solo
mon dropped the ballard and drew me
to one side.
''Look here, you," he snarled, you'd
better stow your CAB! You're lucky to
be here yourself, let alone botherin'
your thick head about anybody else.
and you can kiss the book on that! Do
you know why you amt with them car
rion?" He jerked his thumb toward
the beach. "It's because Solomon An
derson's your friend Thrackles would
have killed you in minute count of
his bit hand. l got you your chance.
Now, don't be fool, for amt goin'
to stand between you and them an
other time. Besides, he won't last long
II that volcano keeps at it,
He left me. Whatever truth lay in
his assumption Of friendship, and l
doubted there existed much of either
truth or friendship in him, saw the
common sense Of his advice. l was in
no position to dictate course of ac-
ton.
| After the sails were on her we gath
cred at the starboard rail to watch the
shore. There the hills ran into inky
blackness, as the horizon sometimes
merges into thunder squall. A dense
white steam came from the creek bed
within the arroyo. The surges beat on
the shore louder than the ordinary, and
the foam even In these day hours
seemed to throw up faint phosphor-
escence. Frequent earthquakes oscil-
lated the landscape. We watched, do
not know for what, our eyes straining
into the murk of the island Nobody
thought of the chest which lay on the
cabin table aft. / contributed mali
ciously my bit to their fear.
These volcanic islands sometimes
sink entirely" 1 suggested, "and in
that case we'd be carried down by
the suction
1t was intended merely to increase
their uneasiness, but, strangely enough,
after few moments it ended by i'm
posing itself on my own fears. l be-
gan to be afraid the island would sink,
began to watch for 1t, began to share
the fascinated terror of these men.
The suspense after time became
unbearable, for while the portent-
whether physical or moral we We're
too far under its influence to distin-
guish-grew momentarily, our own
souls did not expand in due CORE
spondence. We talked Of towing, of
hedging out, of going to any extreme,
even to small boats. Then just as we
were about to move toward some ac-
complishment new phenomenon
chained our attention to the shore.
In the mouth of he-arroyo appeared
a red glow. A moment later a wave
of lava, white hot, red, iridescent, cool
ing to black crust cracked in incan-
descence, rolled majestically out over
the grassy plain. Each instant it grew
In volume until the rayine must have
been flowing half full.
Before its scorching the grasses even
at the edge of the sea were smoking,
and our camp had already burst into
flames. We had to shield our faces
against the heat, and the wooden rail-
ing under our hands was growing
warm.
4 Pull turned an ashy countenance to-
ward us.
My Cod" he screamed, what's 60
ing to happen when she hits the sea-"
She hit the sea. and Immediately a
great cloud Of steam arose and the
kissing as Of thousand serpents. We
felt the strong suction under our keel
and staggered under the jerk of the
ships cable as she swung toward the
beach. The paint was beginning to
crackle along the rail. We could see
nothing for the scalding white veil that
enveloped us. We could hear nothing
for the roar Of steam, the lombard
ment of explosions and the crash of
thunder, but our nostrils We're assault
ed by a most unearthly medley of
smells.
We We're clfnging hard as the ship
reeled. Huge surges We're racing in
from seward, growing larger with
each successive billow.
/ Handy Solomon raised his head, lis
tened intently and struck his forehead
i 'Windw he screamed at the top of
his voice and jumped for the halliards.
Thrackles followed him, but no one
else moved. In an instant the two were
back, striking and kicking savagely,
rousing their companions to the dan
ger. We all laid into the canvas like
mad, and in no time had snugged
down to staysail and the peak of
our mainsail. Thrackles drew his knife
and jumped for the cable, while Han
dy Solomon, his eyes swapping, seized
the wheel.
We finished just In time. was turn
ing away after tying the last gasket or
the foresail when the deck up ended
and tipped me Reinforcement into the
starboard scupper. At the same time
a smother of salt water blew over the
port rail, now far above me, to drenct
me as thoroughly as though had fall
en- overheard. brushed out my eyes
to find the ship smack on her bean
ends and the wind bowling by from
the sea.
had company enough in the soup
pers. Only Handy Solomon chung DIES