Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-11-28

death. and the automatic. death defy
ing spirit In the man himself made
them refrain and buckle down to the
task Of hauling him to safety through
the storm.
Wet through and exhausted. he was
nevertheless surprised at the ease with
which he got Into chunge Of cloth.
ing. Though be was fearfully weak. he
found himself actually feeling better.
The disease had spent itself. and the
mend had begun.
"NUw. If ! don't get the fever" he
said aloud and at the same moment
resolved to 20 to taking quinine az
soon as he was strong enough to dare.
He crawIed out ON the veranda. The
rain had ceased. but the wind. which
had dwindled to half gale. was In
rreasing. a big sea had sprung up.
and the mile long breakers. curling
up to the overfall 200 yards from
the shore. were crashing on the
beach. The Jessie was plunging madly
to two anchors. and every second or
third sea broke clear over her bow.
Two flags were stiff1y undulating from
the halyards like squares Of flexible
sheet iron. One was blue. the other
red. He knew their meaning in the
Berande private code: what are your
Instructions? Shall attempt to land
boaty" Tackled on the wall between
the signal locker and the billiard rules
was the code itself. by which he veri-
fed the signal before making. answer.
On the Flagstaff gaff a boy hoisted a
white flag over red. which stood for,
Run to Neal island for shelter"
That Captain Oleson had been ex.
pecting this signal was apparent by
the celebrity with which the shackles
were knocked out of both anchor
rhains. He slipped his anchors. leav-
Ing them buoyed to be picked up in
better weather. The Jessie swung of
under her full staysail; then the fore
sail. double reefed. was run up. She
was away like race horse. clearing
Balesuna shoal with half Il cable length
to spare. Just before she rounded the
point she was swallowed up In ter
rife squall that far outblew the first.
All that night. while squall after
squall smote Berande, uprOOting trees.
overthrowing copra sheds and rocking
the house on its tall piles. Sheldon
slept. He was unaware Of the com.
motion. He never wakened. nor did
he change his position or dream. he
awoke a new man. Furthermore. he
was hungry. 1t was over q week
since food had passed his lips. He
drank glass of condensed cream
thinned with water. and by 10 o'clock
he dared to take cup of beef tea.
He was cheered also BY the stu
alton in the hospital. Despite the
storm there had been but one death.
and there was only one fresh case.
while half Il dozen boys crawled weak
ly away to the barracks. He wonder
ed II It was the wind that was blow
Ing the disease away and cleansing the
pestilential land.
BY eleven messenger arrived from
Balesuna village. dispatched by Seelee.
The Jessie had gone ashore halfway
between the village and Neal island
1t was not till nightfall that two Of
the crew arrived. reporting the drown
ing of Captain Oleson and Of the one
remaining boy. As for the Jessie.
from what they told him. Sheldon
could not but conclude that she was
total loss. Further to hearten him
he was taken by shivering fit. In
half an hour he was burning up. And
he knew that at least another day
must pass before he could undertake
even the smallest dose OF quinine. He
crawled under q heap Of blankets and
little later found himself laughing
aloud. He had surely reached the limit
of disaster Barring earthquake or
tidal wave. the worst had already be-
fallen him. The Flibberty- -Gibbet was
certainly safe in Mboli pass. Since
nothing worse could happen things
simply had to mend So 1t was. shiv-
ering under his blankets. that he
laughed until the house boys. with
heads together. marveled at the devils
that were In him.