Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-26

pursuit broke out. They were nearer
this time. and. as still stood hesitating
that he had recovered and was leading
the men to the boats.
There was nothing for It, therefore
but to trust to Pepita saving herself by
her own wits. and. jumping into the boat
I pushed off and pulled out to the mouth
of the cove with all my strength In the
teeth Of the stiff head wind.
We were only just in time. Had
hesitated a minute longer we should not
have escaped without a fight and blood.
shed. I had not reached the mouth wher
the men came running down the path
and half a dozen shots were fired after
us. None of the bullets touched the boat
however, and a couple of minutes later
we were out of the little bay. and, with
an intervening bluff between us. we were
safe from pursuit as well as from the risl
of chance shot.
I headed the boat slightly off the WIND
to the north. and rowed on until had
put a considerable distance between Us
and the island. when L shipped the oars
in order to set the sail.
The rain had ceased, but the wind had
increased. and it was beyond my strength
to pull the boat to the mainland in the
teeth Of such sea as was fast rising.
Then / made a very disconcerting dis.
covery. Pepita's knowledge of sailing
gear bore no sort of proportion to hel
plucky desire to help us. and in her hurry
and confusion, she had brought a spar
which did not belong to the boat. and ar
use.
what is the matter?" asked Masita
hearing my exclamation of disappoint-
ment.
"Only that we shall be longer in making
the crossing than I hoped. Pepita has
brought the wrong sailing gear and we
shall have to row across" and / started
pulling again.
as it serious?''-
SERIOUS on account Of the delay. but II
has one consolatfon-Beltano will never
find out th0t she helped us.'
1t was not likely to be areally serious
unless the weather worsened, and tried
to hope that this would not prove to be
the case. But the hope was short-lived
The moon rose soon after had again
taken to the oars and to some extent re.
lieved the pitchy darkness in which we
had set out. But she was speedily hidden
behind the masses of black driving cloud
and in the intermittent glimpses of light
before she was finally obscured I saw
that for all my efforts the boat was max
ing little or no progress.
Meanwhile the wind increased and blew
with fierce rushing squalls which whip
ped the spray from the waves and sent II
Kissing over US. y For some three hours OF
more stuck doggediy at the oars until q
f1ercer squall than any before caught us
just as the head of the boat was little
off the wind, swept us round broadside
and would have capsized us had the boat
been less stoutly built.
= got her head to the wind again and
considered what to do. 1t was hopeless
to think of crossing until the wind
abated. and. as 1t showed every sign OF
increasing, I realized that we must make
up our minds for a night at sea.
told Masita, and her answer was char.
acteristic.
"Retter at sea than on the island" she
said. cheerily. II am not afraid" l Kept
at the oars. therefore. but as 1 felt that ]
must husband my strength to the utmost
! concentrated MY attention more upon
keeping the boats head to the wind thar
upon making progress. Even this became
almost impossible after a time. as the
wind heightened and the gusts swept
over us with increasing fury. And Their
disaster came.
One of the heavy oars was caught by q
squall and wrenched out of my hand
Masita gave little cry of dismay, but
rallied instantly. IOnly surprise. no,
fear" she said. quickly, forcing a laugh
lest the CULVER In her voice should be.
tray her alarm and add to my discom.
future. e
keep the boat. to the wind. but the mex,
squall preached US round again. and once
more we yEeres In peril Of being capel ned
But the squalf passed. and. as II con-
tented with the disaster 1t had wrought
the wind eased and 1ull followed.
I saw that / must get some sort Of sal
set and. to divert Masita's thoughts from
our danger. asked her to help me. Al
the boat walloved and rocked in the
trough of the sea. I ripped of with my
knife so much Of the sail as dared tc
tied one end of the rope round it, and
making the other fast In the bow. threw
the sail overheard, to act as a drae