Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-21


tempt to tow 1t across the strong cur
rent from a canoe. They would gain
time and be safer. So they climbed
into the lifeboat, but continued to tow
the canoes.
Suarez, somewhat weak from his
knock on the head overnight, was not
equal to the strain of continued exer-
ton, so Elsie and Gray took two oars
each and allowed their companion to
rest. When, judging by the surround
ing hills, they were half way across
the inlet, Gray stopped low in the boat,
struck a match and looked at his
watch. 1t was long after 1 o'clock.
: There could be no doubt whatever that
the dawn would find them far from the
ship, no matter how fortunate they
might be In their further adventures.
1t 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. 1t 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
lance, and there was an ominous light
ening of the gloom, accompanied by q
dimming of the stars, when Gray hit on
the idea that the powerful current had
probably carried them a good deal
southwark of the point they were aim
ing at. He suggested that they should
boldly pull quarter of mile or so
against the tide and then try their
luck. Their progress. of course, became
lslOwer 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
Isuddenly saw the luminous crescents
which heralded the sunrise over the
inner mountain range. They could not
re visible unless there was a 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
lagainst but with the tide, which was
flooding small offshoot of the main
lestuary.
Precaution became not only useless,
but impossible. They were all worn
out. Nothing but the most infiexible
determination on the part of Elsie and
Gray, eked out by a certain Responding
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
momentarily nearer against the bright
ening sky. 1t did not seem credible
that this sheer cut through the heart
of gigantic hill could continue fol-
more than few yards nor that any.
thing save bird could find foothold
on its steep sides. Yet the current
flowed smoothly onward through 6
wealth of vegetation which chung pre-
cariously to every ledge and natural
escarpment.
Joey, embarrassed by his gag, never
theless managed to emit warning
growl. Then the boat crashed into Q
canoe, and hoarse yell of alarm came
from beneath the lowermost trees
whose dense foliage flung pail owe.
inspiration. He grasped the canoe a
it bumped along the gunwale and he'll
{ it down OF one side until 1t filed an
: sank. He sent another and yet a thir
\ guzzling to the bottom before the out
burst of raucous cries from both bank
showed there were Indians here
: some force.
StohCS, toO, DeSdu " nun diOuu
: them. Some struck the boat, but til
greater number whizzed unpleasant
:. close to the heads of the two men an
the girl, proving conclusively that the
:. were visible to the unseen enemy. Ora
: whipped forth the revolver and fire
twice. The second time a shrek Q
!, pain told that he had hit one of thel
: assailants. The two reports made
deafening din in that place Of echoes
They appeared to stir the Indians int
perfect frenzy, and it was evider
: by the sounds that the islanders. ha
not much liberty of movement on tn
:, narrow strips of land they occupied o
both sides Of the gorge.
Elsie caught some significant splasl
: ing behind her.
n "They are swimming toward the C,
noes" she screamed.
% Telling Suarez to pull for all he Wa
worth, Gray clambered to the stern {
=. the boat and emptied the revolver .
n what he took to be the black heads {
: the swimmers.
wi "Quick!s Load 1t again. he sal