Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-01

Keep a sharp watch on this wealth
err If you see the wind haul to tn
north, put a compass in your tender
take your bearing from the yacht t
this blind, in case it should shut II
thick, and come after us in double
quick time. You understand"
Yes, sir"
IF it looks bad, don't wait tot
long"
"I'll watch it, sir" was the promp
response. as he stopped to start hi
wheel.
"And NiePs!" Stuart called again
IF it should be blowing a gale you't
better bring the cook along to steel
while you watch your engine. Have
him fix light supper before he starts
AYE, aye, sir!" he cried, as the lit
tie craft shot away, leaving a streak o.
white foam in her wake.
Bivens was vastly amused at Stu.
arts orders.
Jim, you're as fussy as an old maid
You ought to marry and join the hu'
man race"
Stuart scanned the horizon, watch.
ing a flock of ducks working their way
northward. The sign was ominous
Birds know which way the wind is CO.
ing to blow before it comes, and If I
gale is on the way they always worl
into the teeth of it. They are al
equipped with barometers somewhere
inside their little brain-cells.
1t was useless to tell this to Bivens
He didn't have sense enough to under.
stand it. But he quietly made up his
mind to take up the decoys and row ir
as soon as the tide ebbed down to two
feet Of water.
In the meantime he would make the
best of the situation. The ducks begar
to come in and decoy like chickens
He killed half a dozen and in the ex'
citement began to forget the foolhard-
mess of the trip.
Bivens shot a dozen times, missed
got disgusted and began to fret ant
complain.
| At first Stuart made no answer tc
his nagging suggestions until Bivens
got 10 the one thing that had evidently
been ranking in his heart.
Jim, you're the biggest puzzle evel
struck. Every time l look at you
have to rub by eyes to see II I'm
awake. Would you mind telling mt
the mental process by which you re.
jected my offer?"
Whats the use to discuss it, I've
made up my mind-and that's the enc
of it,"
But / want to know" Bivens per-
sisted. Your silence on the subject
makes me furious every time thinl
of it. How any human being outside
of an insane asylum could be so fool
ish is beyond my ken."
Il know it is, so let's drop It," Stu
art interrupted.
II won't drop it. You rile me
You're the only man I've struck on thi:
earth that didn't have his price"
Perhaps we have different ways o.
| fixing values. To me value Is a thing
which gives life. If it brings death Is
it valuable? You are not yet fifty
years old and a wreck. What's the
use? What can you do with youi
money now?"
1T brings luxury, ease, indulgence
power, admiration, wonder, and the
envy of the world.
Whats the good of luxury If yol
can't enjoy it; ease if you never take
it; indulgence when you have lost the
capacity to play; power if you're too
busy getting more to stop and wielt
it?"
Jim, you're the biggest fool l evel
knew, without a single exception,
Bivens said, petulantly.
Stuart glanced anXiously toward thu
yacht. 1t was three o'clock. The tide
had ebbed half out and there wa'
barely enough water on the flats nov
for the tender to cross. 1t was snow
ing harder and the wind had begun t.
inch in toward the north.
mo more ducks today, CAL" Stuar
said briskly, returning to his tone o
friendly comradeship. We've got t
get away from here. It's getting cold
er every minute 1t will be freezing
before night"
We'll, let it freeze" Bivens cried
/ ln
Just ten minutes run when the tende
comes"
To Stuart's JOY he saw the men star
the tender.
It's all right, they're coming now!'
he exclaimed. We'll have anothe
crack or two before they get here"
He crouched low in the blind for fiv,
minutes without getting a shot, ros'
and looked for the tender. To his hor
ror he saw her drifting helpless befor'
the wind, her engine stopped and boti
men waving frantically their signals
of distress.
MY Cod" he exclaimed. THE ten
ders engine is broken down"
Bivens rose and looked in the direc
tion Stuart pointed.
why don't the fools use the oars?
They can't move her against thi
wind"
will they go to sea-" Bivens ask
ed, with some anxiety.
No, they'll bring up somewhere OF
mud fiat or marsh in the bay on thi
low water, but God help them If the!
can't fight their way back before floot
tide"
Why" Bivens asked, incredulously
They'd freeze to death in an opei
boat tonight"
Norwegian sailors? Bosh! Not oil
your life! They were born on ice
bergs."
Stuart rose and looked anXiously a
the receding tide. He determined t
try to reach the yacht at once. H
put the guns into their cases, snapped
the lids of the ammunition boxes, stow