Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1908-06-27
self na,s out Of water.

him. Sharks, strayed north from
warmer seas. had been known inside
Burntcoat. Only last week one had
torn his maclterel.nets. A loud splash
sent the water over him. Then a
wheezy grunt Morton almost laughed
IN relief. Only a porpoise, u 'puf.
fing pig!"
The breeze was stiffening. Little
wavelets washed against his neck.
Louder grew their dashlng. At last
1t entirely drowned the rumble on
the beach.
Cold despair lay at Ezra's heart.
He could almost see the little cham.
Der. with his wife and the doctor
bending over the bed. He coull
imagine Stitham going outside to lis
ten impatiently for the motoriboat
And all the while Bennie's clutch on
life was weakening.
Morton listened in vain. Wind and
sea were too loud. Then he remem.
bered that, as a boy he had often put
his ear under water, while a com.
rade hundreds OF feet away struck
two stones together, and he had heard
them clearly. Perhaps he might be
able thus TO detect the rolling fints.
Dipping his left ear under and press.
ing his fingers into his right he lis.
tened. Far ahead he heard II dis.
tinctly. a faint submarine thunder.
Suddenly the packet on his head
slipped from under the loosened
string. He clutched wildly. but 1t
was gone somewhere into the pitchy
waves.
Ezra was SO badly frightened that
his strength almost left him. As we'll
not gain the island at all as without
the precious tube. Round and round
he padded, heart.sick, straining the
water through his fingers. He must
find the package. Bennie's life, before
some billow flung 1t out Of his reach.
Before, behind, to right, to left he
clawed. At last his fingers tapped
It, bobbing In the dark.
Joy at its recovery almost blinded
Ezra to his own peril. He dared not
trust It again on his head. Finally
he placed 1t between his teeth. To
be sure, 1t held his mouth uncomfort.
ably open, 10 that the water washed
In. But no matter, SO long as 1t was
safe.
On he push.-l In the gloom. occa.
sionally thrusting his ear under to
listen for the pebbles. He was grad.
ually firing out. His strong muscles
could not drive him forever against
the .swirling tide. Turning on his
back, he foated for q moment. But
he could not long afford 50 costly q
luxury. The current was sweeping
him back. He must purchase
every Idle moment by increased ef.
forts.
Morton had now been in the water
fully an hour. His mouth choked
with brine. He could hear only the
voices OF the deep, wave answering
to wave. He could feel only the
cold splashing food that gave him
unwilling way. Upon him, too, was
the horror Of the pit-like gloom, yield.
Ing. clinging, SCOT above, ink below.
Although he had seen nothing since
the sea snuffed out his lantern, his
eyes, daxed with absolute blackness,
began to picture strange visions.
Worst Of all. his ears. dulled by
constant submersions, were losing
power to detect the roll Of the single.
II he missed Burntcoat. he would
lose both his own life and Bennie's.
What II he should be suddenly strick.
en- deaf! What II cramp should
seize him!
Rain.drops fell. At hrst. few. big.
slow; then In smart shower. After
It, capiuls OF wind. The land.breeze
was driving back the fog. Far be.
hind he caught the Cove lights twink.
ling. But ahead all was still dark.
Bennie's danger was the stay that
kept Morton up. He must save his
own life for the boys sake. His
strong teeth clenched the package
tightly. Surely he must he near the
island now.
Lights danced before him. Stars,
spurts Of fame, sheets OF pale fire
NJ knew that all were illusions. He
swan stubbornly on. Did Burntcoat
or he open sea lie before? He did
not know.
To his left aickered q little yellow
candle. At first Morton took It for
q cheat. Again he looked. and again,
expecting 1t to vanish. But there
It danced, somewhat above the sur.
face. He kept his eyes shut for q
full half-minute. When he opened
them. the light still shone alone
against the blackness.
1t was the doctor ON the bluf with
q lantern!
Morton knew the sea.hoor round
the island as the farmer knows his
moving field. He felt sure now where
he was. In the murk he had passed
the point and was heading straight
into the open ocean.
Alloy! Ahoy!"
Stitham's voice piped across the
wind. Ezra could make no sound.
He turned and swan with all his
might, Presently above the surround
ing weller he could distinguish the
metallic clack OF the tumbling fints.
The lantern dipped, wavered, dis.
annaared Stitham had gone hack