The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-07-28


the words, and the way they were
spoken, seemed to reflect the least
bit upon the good judgment of the
younger lad opposite. why, man,
there has MT been an hour in the last
three days that sensible skipper
would think of putting out in, least
ways with loaded boat. This winds
up the season, my thinking"
Il told Farquar I'd be on the watch
for him." the other said. "'Tain't
noways likely he'll come now-that's
a fact" His purpose faltered a little,
with his own rising doubts, and the
brilliantly lighted hall uptown looked
wonderfully attractive to his fancy's
eye. II guess I'd better hold on down
here, though. 1t wouldn't be any
Joke to lie outside all night such
weather as this, and, besides, I've
promised"
Just as you like, of course" the
young man replied carelessly. Hope
you'll get your job" The light laugh
expressed indulgence with childish
.whim. Il shall have to be moving
on. S'long!"
David Ellison found himself stand
ing alone on the slippery pier, watch
ing his companions retreating figure.
There wasn't anything heroic in the
situation, so far as he could see, and
Brand Tatlock's parting words and
fncredulous laugh had left him feel
inc vapua1y djcoontantad ond npcop,
Portable. Why should a fellow be
everlastingly tied up to his work, es-
pecially when there wasn't any work
in sight as Brand had said, nor even
a prospect of there being any? A
sudden veering of the wind drove a
dash of wet snow in Davids face,
and he brushed it away with an i'm
patient gesture, pulling his cap lower
over his forehead OF course, there
wasn't light schooner on the lake
tonight, and wouldn't be for months,
perhaps.
David Ellison had been in charge
of the dingy little tug, Josephine,
ever since his fathers death, some
eighteen months before. The legal
formalities were easily complied
with, for David knew the port and
the boat as a bright pupil in the day
school knows his spelling book, and
old Peter McHarg stayed by the en-
gine. David was looking longingly
through plate glass windows at young
men perched on high stools, or bent
darting about alertly behind screens
of steel network in banks and Offices
That was kind of life David
dreamed of, while the putting, busy
little tug towed numberless small
craft inside the stone piers at Luray.
Luray wasn't much of with the larger
lake ports, but good deal of lumber
was shipped in there from the numer-
Gus landings" which formed a semi
circle around the lower end of. the
lake. Luray was pretty near the CEN
tire OF the curve, and had railway
terminus. Most of the lumber came
down in small schoonners, and this
made business for tugs like the Jo-
sephine. One couldn't trust the wind
inside the stone piers.
There wasn't better pilot on the
lake than John Ellison in his lifetime,
but the Josephine had a paying pat
ronage when David took up the work.
That was why he did it, 1t would
never do to take chances on a new
venture when there was a widowed
mother to be looked after, and DAN
ME half through his high school
course, and Mary needed at home,
while mother was in such poor health.
David dreamed, but his dreams didn't
4pterfere with his faithful manage
ment Of the Josephine, and the men
who had known John Ellison said
David was chip of the old block"
David took that as compliment, and
held his patronage by doing his best.
The season was practically over
now. Winter was in the air and in
the sullen, heaving swells of the lake.
Most of the cargoes were in, and pru-
dent shippers realized that there
might be sudden change of weather
almost any time, after the schooners'
keels went tripping their way through
the first scum of thin ice. "Jud"
Farquar was not prudent. It was the
last thing of which his best friend
or his bitterest enemy would think
of accusing him. He had a sturdy,
rugged will of his own, which hurled
defiance in the face of winter winds,
If they happened to come too eagerly
to suit his rather leisurely move
ments. After the last boat had un-
loaded and put about, after the last
car had ratified away to the main
line, freighted with odorous remind
ers of the Michigan forests, the An
dalusia, snub-nosed and stanch, with
her rigging ice-coated, like the rig
ging OF an Arctic whaler, might be
expected to appear at any moment.
Once, may years before = shippers
still laughed at the memory between
whiffs of their black pipes-the An
dalusia had frozen in" despite
"Jud" Farquar's boasts. and he had