Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-03

1880
passed II on the outside; now we was
between 1t and the beach.
IT'S a nice dry place" says Nate,
arguing, and you might live there
forever and nobody could run away"
"Humph." says I, thinking OF some.
thing I'd seen in newspaper; "Helrs
got all them recommendations"
Hartley was looking at the Bar now.
All to once he grabbed me by the
arm and pointed.
SOL" he says, what's that stick
Ing up over the point there? There.
behind those trees? Isn't 1t q boats
mast1"
looked, and looked once moro.
From where we was you could see
part Of Horsefoot Bar that was out Of
sight from the rest Of the bay. As
I say, I looked. Then gave the tiller
q shove that brought the boom across
with . Stat. It took Mates hat with
It and cracked him on the bald spot
like humping a ripe watermelon. Nate
grabbed for the hat and drove the
yawl for Horsefoot Bar. I'd spied the
spit.
In jiffy we see her plain. She was
lying on her side In a little cove, Just
as the tide had left her Her canvas
was down in a heap. partly on deck
and partly overheard. but she didn't
seem 10 be hurt none. I beached the
yawl Just alongside OF her, dropped
the SAIL chucked over the anchor and
jumped over myself Hartley and
Scudder followed We was yelling
like looms.
Up through the bunch Of scrub pines
we tore, still hollering. And then.
from away off ahead sonewheres,
come the answer. | was so tickled
could have stood on my head.
In a minute here comes Lord James
/ to meet us. His lordship looked vel
low and faded like wilted sunnower.
and his whiskers seemed to be run
ming to seed. But his dignity was on
deck all right.
Mr.. 'Artley." says he, touching
what was left of his hat; "'ope you're
we'll. sir
Where's vrn?" asked Hartley,
brisk.
"Mr. Van Brunt. sir? Up at the
'ouse waiting for you, sir
The house," says Hartley
THE house?" says l. Then I re-
membered.
, There is house on Horsefoot Bar.
It was built by old man Marcellus
Berry. and in Marcellus' day they
built houses, didn't stick EN- together
with wall paper and a mortgage. like
though the winter weather on Horse
foot made Marcellus lay down a con
siderable spell ago, his house still
stands, as pert and sassy an old gable
ended jail as ever was. The house
was there, and Scudder owned 1t
Likewise he owned the sheds and
barn In the back, and the sickly bunch
, of scrub pines, and the beach plum
bushes, and the beach grass and the
poverty grass and the world-without
end Of sand that all these things was
stuck up in. AS for the live stock, that
/
million sand feas. and green-heads and
mosquitoes for ever and ever. amen
We fell into the Wallets wake anC
waded through the sand hummocks ur
to the house. And there on the piazza
sitting in busted cane-seat chair with
his feet cooked up on the railing and
the regulation cigar in his mouth was
Van Brunt, kind Of damp and wrinkled
so far as clothes went. but otherwise
as serene and clipper Robinson
Crusoe as the average man is likely
to strike in one life time.
Want we glad to see him. And he
was inst as glad to see us.
Hello skipper" says he, reaching
out his hand. so you got ashore al
right Good enough. was bit fear
full for you after you left us las
night"
After left him! liked that. Ant
he was fearful for me.
''Humph." says I, 81 had a notion
that twas you that did the leaving
Talk about dropping an acquaintance
never was dropped like that afore,
Look here, Mr. Van Brunt, afore you
. and me 90 to sea together again well
have a little lesson in running rigging
want to learn you what a main
sheet u.s."
oh" he says, careless like, ~ guess
found it, after while. At any rate
II It's a rope l cut it. cut all the
ropes in sight"
You did," says I. with my mouth
open.
Yes. That's an acrobatic boat O
yours;it seemed to want to turn som
ersets. l judged that that sail made
II top-heavy so | told James to take The
sail down. He didn't know how but We
decided that the ropes must have
something to do with It, So GU
'em, one after the other. and the sal
came down"
Sudden" says ].
We'll, fairly so. Some OF II was II
the water and the rest OF 1t on James
l resurrected him finally and we pulle,
ter then"
Did. hey" says I. was learning
ssamanship fast.
Yes" says he. III were you
wouldn't have any sail on that boat
She does much better without one
Then II began to rain and got some
of the dry sail over me. believe
went to sleep then--or soon after"