The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-07-09


ship, no matter how fortunate they
might be in their further adventures.
It was well for Elsie that she had
learned how to scull when in her
teens and that her muscles were in
fair condition owing to her skill at
tennis. Even so, she feared that she
could never hold out against the sus-
tanned stress Of that pull across the
bay. The heavy boat, intended to be
rowed by six men, had the added bur-
den Of four canoes. It was back
breaking work, but she neither falter-
ed nor sighed until Suarez said:
LET me take your place now, senori-
ia. In ten minutes we shall be at the
mouth Of the creek, though heaven
only knows how we shall find it."
He did not exaggerate in thus ex-
pressing his fear. Time and again they
neared the shore only to hear the tidal
swell breaking heavily on the rocks.
The lights Of the Kansas, fully three
miles away. could only tell them that
they were in the neighborhood Of the
place where Courtenay had last been
seen in this identical boat. The least
divergence from the line given by the
position Of the ship meant difference
Of hundreds Of yards at such a dis
tance, and there was an ominous light
ening Of the gloom, accompanied by a
dimming Of the stars, when Gray hit on
the idea that the powerful current had
probably carried them good deal
southwark Of the point they were aim
ing at. He suggested that they should
boldly pull a quarter of mile or so
against the tide and then try their
luck. Their progress, Of course, became
slower than ever, and Elsie began to
despair that they would ever find the
mouth Of the stream which ran
through the cleft in the hill when she
suddenly saw the luminous crescents
which heralded the sunrise over the
inner mountain range. They could not
be visible unless there was break in
the cliffs in that locality.
"Pull in now," she whispered tense
ly, and with little further effort they
found that the boat was travelling not
against but with the tide. which was
flooding a small offshoot Of the main
estuary.
Precaution became not only useless,
but impossible. They were all worn
out Nothing but the most infexible
determination on the part Of Elsie and
Gray, eked out by certain desponding
fear Of both Of them felt by Suarez,
had sustained them thus far. They
went on and on. They swept rapidly
into the Jaws of precipitous defile,
the lofty crests on either hand coming
momentarily nearer against the bright
ening sky. 1t did not seem credible
that this sheer cut through the heart
OF gigantic hill could continue for
more than few yards nor that any
thing save bird could find foothold
on its steep sides. Yet the current
flowed smoothly onward through
wealth Of vegetation which chung pre-
cariously to every ledge and natural
joey, embarrassed by his gag, never
theless managed to emit a warning
growl. Then the boat crashed into q
canoe, and hoarse yell Of alarm came
from beneath the lowermost trees,
whose dense foliage flung a pail over
the water. Gray was seized with an
Inspiration. He grasped the canoe as
1t bumped along the gunwale and held
1t down on one side until it filed and
sank. He sent another and yet third
guzzling to the bottom before the out
burst Of raucous cries from both banks
showed there were Indians here in
some force.
Stones, too, began to hum around
them. Some struck the boat, but the
greater number whizzed unpleasantly |
close to the heads Of the two men and |
The girl, proving conclusively that they |
were visible to the unseen enemy. Gray
whipped forth the revolver and fred |
:wice. The second time a shrek of |
pain told that he had hit one of their
assailants. The two reports made
1eafening din in that place of echoes.
They appeared to stir the Indians into I,
perfect frenzy, and it was evident /
~ the sounds that the islanders had |
lot much liberty of movement on the
narrow strips Of land they occupied on
10Th sides of the gorge.
Elsie caught some significant splash
ng behind her.
'They are swimming toward the ca
loes!' she screamed.
Telling Suarez to pull for all he was
worth, Gray clambered to the stern of
be boat and emptied the revolver at
Vhat he took to be the black heads of
be swimmers.
"Quick! Load it again. he said.
nd Elsie obeyed with a nimbleness
nd certainty that were amazing.
The American fred three more shots
efore he was satisfied that the canoes
7ere untenanted and not cut adrift.
hey were now leaving the pandemo-
ium behind. and Elsie, bethinking her
elf Of the dog, freed him from that
lost Objectionable muzzle. Joey forth
18th awoke the welkin with his up
,ar; but, although the girl strained
er ears for some answering hail, she
ould detect nothing beyond the bawl-
lg Of Indians at each other across the
arrow creek and the repeated echoes
the dogs barking.
About this time Gray began to sus-
AlA