Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-16

that brief instant Of surprise and shock
Darlington had found and withdrawn
the wooden peg that fastened the cabin
door, He had scarcely done this when
Slosson came tramping att supported
by the three men.
Calling to Betty and Hannibal to es-
cape in the skiff which was towing
Astern the Kentuckian rushed toward
the bow At his back he heard the door
creak on It's hinges as It was pushed
open by Betty and the boy, and again
he called to them to escape by the
skiff. The fret OF the current had
grown steadily and from beneath the
wide-flung branches Of the trees which
here met above his head, Darlington
caught sight Of the star-specked arch
OF the heavens beyond. They, were is
suing from the bayou. He felt the river
snatch at the keel boat, the buffeting
of some swift eddy, and saw the blunt
bow swing off to the south as they
were plunged into the black shore
shadows.
But what he did not see was a big
muscular hand which had thrust itself
out Of the impenetrable gloom and
clutched the side of the keel boat. Co
incident with this there arose a perfect
babal of voices, high pitched and shrill.
z "sho'--I bet it's him! Sho'- it's
Uucle Bob's nevvy! Sho', you can hear
'em. Sho', they're shootin- guns! Sho"
Darlington cast q hurried glance in
the direction of these sounds. There
between the boat and the shore the
dim outline of raft was taking shape.
1t was now canopied by a wealth OF
pale gray smoke that faded from be-
fore his eyes as the darkness lifted.
Turning, he saw Slosson and his men
clearly. Surprise and CONSERVATION
was depicted on each face.
The light increased. From the fiat
stone hearth of the raft assembled q tall
column of flame which rendered Wis
ible six pigmy figures, tow-headed and
wonderfully vocal, who were toiling
like mad at the huge sweeps. The light
showed more than this. It showed a
lady Of plump and pleasing presence
smoking cob pipe while she fed the
fire from tick stuffed with straw. 1t
showed two bark shanties, line be-
tween them decorated with the never
ending Cavendish wash. It showed q
rooster perched on the ridge,pole Of
one Of these shanties in the very act
Of Growing Justify.
I'll. Hannibal, who had climbed to the
roof OF the cabin, shrieked for help,
and Betty added her voice to his.
All right, Nevvy" came the cheer
frl reply, as Yancy threw himself over
the side of the boat and grappled with
Slosson.
"17ncle Bob! Uncle Bob" cried
H. ~nibal.
c;osson uttered a cry Of terror. He
had a simple but sincere faith In the
supernatural, and even with the
Scratch Killers big hands gripping his
throat, he could not rid himself of the
belief that this was the ghost OF a
murdered man. rs
you'll take dogs licking from me,
neighbor!!" said Yancy !. grinlly. Il
been saving it TO- you!"
Meanwhile Mr.. Cavendish, whose
proud spirit never greatly inclined him
to the practice Of peace, had prepared
for battle. Springing aloft he knocked
his heels together.
i1"Whoop! I'm man as can slide
down thorny locust and never get
scratched" he shouted. This was
equivalent to setting his triggers; then
he launched himself nimbly and with
enthusiasm into the thick Of the fight.
It was Mr.. Bunk's unfortunate privil-
eye to sustain the onslaught Of the
Earl Of Lambeth.
The light from the, Cavendish hearth
continued to brighten the scene, for
Polly was recklessly sacrificing her
best straw tick. Indeed her behavior
was in every way worthy of the noble
alliance she had formed. Her cob pipe
was not suffered to 60 out and with
Comics help she kept the six small
Cavendishes from risking life and
limb in the keel boat, toward which
they were powerfully drawn Despite
these activities she found time to call
to Betty and Hannibal on the cabin
roof 4
.Jump down here; that amt no fit
tin place for you-all to stop in with
them gentlemen fightin'p
An instant later Betty and Hannibal
stood on the raft with the little Caven-
dishes flocking about them. Mr..
Yancy's quest Of his nevvy had taken
an enduring hold on their imagination.
For weeks it had constituted their one
vital topic, and the fight became
merely a satisfying background for
this restoration.
"sho, they'd got him! Sho'-he
want no bigger than Richard! Sho'"
"Oh!" cried Betty, with a fearful
glance toward the keel boat "Cant you
stop them?"
what fo'?" asked Polly, opening.
her black eyes very wide. "Bless yo'5
tender heart!-- you don't need to
worry none, we got them strange
gentlemen licked like they was pas
sci of children! Connie, you-all mind
that fire."
She accurately judged the outcome
of the fight The boat was little better
than shambles with the havoc that
had been wrought there when Yancy
and Darlington dropped over it's side
to the raft Cavendish followed them,
whooping his triumph as he came.
CHAPTER XXI. %
Yancy and Cavendish threw them
selves on the sweeps and worked the
raft clear of the keel boat then the
turbulent, current seized the smaller
craft and Whirled it away into the