Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-08-19
down a bare two feet penind the cat

boats stern.
Working in a frenzy of haste, Kirk
wood damned the tiller hard alec,
bringing the cat about, and, trimming
the mainsheet as best he might, found
himself racing under the brigantine's
leeward quarter. water pouring in gen.
crously over the cats.
Luffing, he edged nearer, handling
his craft as though intending to ram
the larger vessel. foot by foot short
enfng the little interval. When it was
four feet he would risk the jump. He
crawled out ON the overhang. crouch
ing on his toes. one hand light upon
the tiller, the other toln. hing the de,A
ready-rcady.
Abruptly the Alethea shut off the
wind; the sail laltcned and the cat
dropped back. In Il second the dis
lance had doubled. In anguish Kirk
wood uttered an exceeding bitter cry.
Already he was falling far off her
counter.
A shout reached him. He was dimly
conscious of a dark object hurting
through the air. Into the cockpit.
%splashing, something dropped-a coil
of rope. He fell forward upon it into
water eighteen inches deep and for
the first time realized that but for that
line he had gone to his drowning in an
other minute. The cat was sinking.
AS he scrambled to his feet. clutch
ing the life line. Il heavy wave washed
over the waterlogged craft and left it
all but submerged. and Il smart tug on
he rope added point to the advice.
which, reaching his ears in a below
like a bulls, penetrated the panic OF
his wits.
Jump. Jump. you fooi,'
IN an instant OF cohercnce he saw
THAT fhe bri@antine was lulIing. None
til" loss much of the line had already
been paid out, and there was no rcck-
onil& WHOM the end would be reached.
Without time to make it fast he hitch
cd it twice round his waist and chest.
once round an arm. and, graspin@ it
above his head to ease its construction
when the tug should come, leaped on
the combtMg and overheard. \ green
roaring avalanche swept down upon
hill &htl the l~Gclless catboat, over
WhelH.itg both simultaneously.
Ihe FroE.r that WIS his during the
next W minutes can by 40 means be
cSa alyd. HI; acl}eos were hlottei
oLt II l~;c}.les2. Then he was breath
la.E ,2-ar l}ort, The hc1n clcan mir stab-
bins iu&&s, thn while he SWAMI un.
SQIp0. 4 ia n ethereal void Of hril-
lianca Ills mouth WAS full of some
thing tte}t bCrned. q liquid hot, acrid
and singing. lie @Ulued. swallowed.
sl2hb@'ed. ollojled. %coUGllcd, attempted
10 SIT ip, was aware that he was the
focal r}nter of a ring of ~laring, burn
ing eyes, like eyes of ~ravening beasts,
and tainted.
dis next conscious impression was
OF standing up, supported by friendly
arms on either side, while somebody
was asking him if he could walk a
step or two.
He was partly seated, partly held up
on the edge of the cabin skylight, an
object of interest to some half 0ozen
men. seafaring fellows all. by their
habit, clustered round between him
and the windward rail. OF their mum.
per n stood directly before him.
dwarfng his companions as much by
his air of command as by his uncom-
mon h~eight-tall. thin faced and sal
low, with hollow, w~eatherworn cheeks,
a mouth like a crooked cash from ear
to ear and eyes like dying Goals, with
which be looked the rescued up and
down in n grim. semi-humorous.
semi-speculative glance. In hands both
huge and red he fondled tenderly q
squat brandy flask whose contents had
apparently been employed as a first
aid to the drowning.
AS Kirkwood's gaze encountered his
the man smiled sourly, jerking his
head to M side with a singularly de-
risive air.
Hi. matey.." be clustered. GOV
goes it now? Feelin' 'appier, eigh?"
Some. thank you more like a
drowned rat" Kirkwood eyed him
~sheepishl,v. Il suppose you're the man
who threw me that line? I'll have to
wait till my head clears up before L
can thank YOU PROPERLY
Don't mention ii" He of the Ian
tern Jaws slowed the bottle away with
jealous are in one OF his immense
coat rockers ard spizoG Eirkwood's
i2""G in = :-F'@1 that made the u