Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-11-19
1.-THE WILD GEESEA
~ BY Stanley j. Meyman. y

away. whether any saved themselves
on IL. the two clinging to the hawser
could not see.
Bale, shivering and scared, would
have shouted again, but Coionel John
stayed him. God rest their souls,
he said, solemnly. The men aboard
can do nothing. BY the time they'll
have lowered a boat it will be done
with these"
They can take us aboard" Bale
said.
LAY, If we want to go to Sadiz
| goal" Colonel John answered slowly.
He was p~eering keenly toward the
land.
but what can we do. your honor"
Bale asked with a shiver.
Swim ashore"
God forbid"
But you can swim?"
Not that far. Not near that far, God
knows!" Bale repeated with emphasis,
his teeth chattering. III go down like
a stone"
"Cadiz goal! Cadiz goal!" Colonel
John muttered. isn't it worth a swim
to escape that?"
LAY, ay, but"
do you see that oar drifting" In a
twinkling it will be out of reach. off
with your boots, man, off with your
clothes, and to it! That oar is freedom!
The tide is with us still, or 1t would not
be moving that way. But let h tide
turn and we cannot do IT,"
It's too fart"
IF you could see the shore" Colonel
John argued, you'd hin nothing of
it! With your chin on that oar. you
can't sink. But 1t must be done before
we are chilled"
He was stripping himself to his I'M
derclothes while he talked; and in
haste, fearing that he might feel the
hawser slacken and dip-a sign that
the tide had turned. Already Colonel
John had plans and hopes, but free
dom was needful IL they were to come
to anything.
Comet" he cried impulsively. Man,
you are not a coward! Comet"
He let himself into the water and
after d moment of hesitation Bale fol-
lowed his example, let the rope go,
and with quick. nervous strokes,
bobbed after him in the direction of
the oar. Colonel John deserved the
less credit, as he was the better SWIM
mer. He swan long n slow, with
his head low, and his eyes watching his
follower. A half minute of violent
exertion and Bales outstretched hand
clutched the oar. 1t was a thick,
clumsy implement and 1t foated high.
Colonel John babe him rest his hands
on IL and thrust u before him length
wise, swimming with his feet.
For five minutes nothing was said,
but they proceeded slowly and patient
ly, trusting-for they could see nothing
that the tide was still seconding their
efforts. Colonel John knew that If the
shore lay, as he judged, about half a
mile distant, he must to reach it, swim
slowly n reserve his strength.
Though a natural desire to decide the
question quickly would have impelled
him to great exertion, he resisted 1t.
At the worst, he reflected that the oar
would support them both for a short
time.
They had been swimming for 10
minutes, as he calculated, when Bale,
who floated higher. cried joyfully that
he could see the land. Colonel John
made no answer: he needed all his
breath. But a minute later he toe saw
it loom low through the fog; and then,
in some minutes afterward, they felt
bottom, and waded on to a ledge of
rocks, which projected a hundred yards
from the mainland eastward of the
mouth OF the inlet. The tide had
served them well by carrying them a
little to the eastward. They sat a mo-
ment on the rocks to recover their
strength, and then, stung to action by
the chill wind, which set their teeth
chattering, they got to their feet and
scrambled painfully along the rocks
until they reached the marshy bank of
the inlet. A pilgrimage scarcely less
painful, through 0 and rushes,
brought them at the end of 10 minutes
to the jetty.
Here all was quiet. If any of O'Sul-
Ivan Og's party had saved themselves
they were not TO be seen, nor was there
any indication that the accident was
known on shore.
While Colonel John had been picking
his way his thoughts had not been idle;
and now, without hesitation, he made
. aicaS the 5ettT until tho indsts OF tine
French ship doomed beside it. He
boarded the vessel by a plank and
locked around him There was no
watch on deck, but a melancholy voice
piping In a French song rose from the
depths of the cabin. Colonel John babe
Bale follow him-they were shivering
from head to foot-and descended the
companion.
The singer was Captain Augustin. He
lay on his back on his bunk, while his
mate, between sleep and waking; form
ed an unwilling audience.
'aTout NAL chausse, tout NAL vetu,'
Pauvre marin. d'oureviens-tu?
Tout doux Tout doux."
With the last words on his lips he
called on the name of his maker, for
he saw two h~alf-naked, dripping fig
ures peering at him through the open
door. For the ONE he took them,
by the dim light, for the Of
drowned men, while his mate, q Breton,
rose on his elbow and shrieked aloud.
IT was only when Colonel John called
them by name that they were reas-
sured, lost their fears, and recognized
In the pallid figures before them their
late passenger and his attendant. Then
the cabin rang with oaths and invoca-
tions, with Mon Dieui" and Ma fol-"
Immediately clothes were fetched and
rough cloths to dry the visitors and re-
store warmth TO their limbs. and cognac
and food--for the two were half starved.
While these comforts were being adj
Tiifiistereu and a me crew, crouching
about the companion, listened, Colonel
John told very shortly the tale of their
adventures, and their narrow escape. In
return he learned that the Frenchmen
were virtually prisoners.
They have taken our equipage,
cursed dogs" Augustin explained, re-
framing with difficulty from a dance OF
rage. The rudder. the sails, they are
not. see youg They have locked all In
the house on shore, tha we NAV not