The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-08-05
CHAPTER xxi

> ~ ldoS NOOpCA Va uCi On = CuuOi W
Gold his jaw and come aft and help
eail the boat.
But the man, being now stark
!, mad, took no notice Of the order.
Nils madness grew on him and took
q turn by no means uncommon In
these cases. He saw before him
sumptuous feasts, and streams of
fresh water flowing. These he be-
gan to describe with great volubil-
ity and rapture, smacking his lips
and exulting, and so he went on,
tantalizing them till noon.
Cooper asked Mr.. Hazel II he
could sail the boat.
II can steer" said he, "but that
q ALL My right arm is benumbed."
The voice of Helen Rolleston
do whatever you tell me, Mr..
Cooper"
Long life to you, MISS" said
the wounded seaman. He then d.
rected her how to reef the sail, and
splice the sheet which he had been
obliged to cut, and in a word, to
sail the boat, which she did with
some little assistance from Hazel.
At Up. m. Fenner jumped sud-
denly, and, looking at the sea
with rapture, cried out, AHA! my
boys, here's beautiful green mea-
dow and there's sweet brook
with bulrushes; green, green,
green. Let's have roll among
the daisies" And in a moment,
ere any Of his stiff and wounded
oh I'M 20 hn
he threw himself on his back upon
the water and sunk forever with
inexpessible rapture on his corpse
like face.
At 3 p, m. Mr.. Hazel happened
to look over the weather side of
the boat as she heeled to leeward
under q smart breeze, and he saw
a shell or two fastened to her
side, about II inches above keel
He looked again, and gave loud
hurrah, "Barnacles! barnacles!"
he cried, 81 see them sticking"
He leaned over. and, with some
difficulty, detached one, and held
It up.
1t was not barnacle, but a cur
ious oblong shellfish, open at one
end. -axs. 49,.
At sight of this, the wounded
forgot their wounds, and leaned
over the boats side, detaching the
shellfish with their knives. They
broke them with the handles of
their knives, and devoured the
fish. They were as thick as a
mans finger, and about an inch
long, and as sweet as a nut. 1t
seems that in the long calm these
shellfish had fastened on the boat.
More than hundred of them
them were taken off her weather
side and divided.
Miss Rolleston, at Hazel's earn
est request, ate only six, and these
very slowly and laid the rest by.
But the sailors could not restrain
themselves. and Prince, in particu-
lar gorged himself.
That black speck on the horizon
had grown and Il now diffused it.
self into huge black cloud that
gradually overspread the heavens,
and at last about half an hour be-
fore sunset, came a peculiar chill,
and then In due course, drop or
two fell upon the parched wretch
es. The drops increased in num-
Der. Patter. patter, patter; down
came a shower, a rama heavy,
steady rain.
With cries of Joy they put out
every vessel to catch It.; they low
cred the sail, and putting ballast
in the center, bellied 1t into a
great vessel to catch 1t. They
filled the water cask with It; they
filled the key that had held the
fatal spirit and all the time they
were sucking the wet canvas and
their clothes. and their very hands
and garments ON which the life
giving drops kept falling.
Then they set their little sail
again and prayed for land to Him
who had sent them wind and rain.
CHAPTER XXIH.
The breeze declined at sunset;
but 1t rained at intervals during
the night; and by morning they
were somewhat chilled.
Death had visited them again
during the night. Prince was dis
covered dead and cold; his wounds
were mere scratches, and there
seems to be no doubt that he died
Ny gorging himself with more food
than his enfeebled system could
possibly digest.
Thus dismally began a day of
comparative bodily comfort, but
mental distress. especially to Miss
Rolleston and Mr.. Hazel.
Hazel soon came to one resOl,,.
ton. and that was to read the fu-
neral service over the dead, and
then commit them to the deep. He
frieclared this inteneion, and
X Cooper, who, though wounded, and
apparently sinking, was still skip.
per of the boat, acquiesced readily,
Soon after this ceremony was
performed young turtle. asleep
on the water, was captured.
This was sodsend; IL pounds
Of succulent meat. Cooper could
only get down a mouthful or two;
he had received HIS death wound
and was manifestly sinking.
About 8 in the afternoon Welcll
came aft, with tears in his eyes, to
say that Sam was Just going to sir
his cable, and ahd somethign tc
say to them.
They went to him directly, and
Hazel, after few words of relig
f0ua COmfnrf ackad hsy,, 40 ~ <,,,i