Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1912-10-25

I carpeted with sea eed. Between these
flats are the channels. varying at low
water from two to four feet in depth.
but deepening rapidly as the tide flows.
The best time 10 visit the aats-tide
/ serving, of course-is the early morn
ing at sunrise. Then there is an inspi-
ration in the wide expanse, snap and
/ tang and Joy in the air. Ellery had
made up his mind to take a before
breakfast tramp to the outer bar and
/ so arose at five, tucked borrowed
/ pair OF fisherman's boots beneath his
arm, and, without saying anything to
his housekeeper. walked down the
lawn behind the parsonage, climbed
the rail fence, and "cut across lots" to
the pine grove on the bluff There he
removed his shoes, put on the boots,
wallowed through the mealy yellow
sand forming the slope of the bluf,
and came out on the white beach and
the inner edge of the flats Then he
splashed on, bound out to where the
fish weirs stood. like webby fences, in
the distance
A cart, drawn by a plodding horse
and with a single Individual on its
high seat. was moving out from be-
hind the breakwater Some fisherman
driving out his weir, probably. The
minister had been on the bar con-
siderable time before he began to
think of returning to the shore He
was hungry. but was enjoying himself
too well to mind. The flats were all
his that morning Only the cart and
its driver We're in sight and they were
half a mile off. He looked at his watch.
sighed, and reluctantly started to walk
toward the town; he mustn't keep Mrs.
Collins breakfast waiting too long.
The first channel he came to was
considerably deeper than when he
forded it on the way out. He noticed
this, but only vaguely. The next, how
ever. was SO deep that the water
splashed in at the top of one of his
boots. He did notice that, because
though he was not wearing his best
clothes, he was not anxious to wet
his other ones" The extent OF his
wardrobe was in keeping with the size
of his salary.
And the third channel was so wide
and deep that he saw at once it could
not be forded, unless he was willing
to plunge above his waist
He hurried along the edge, looking
for a shallower place, but found none.
At last he reached the point of the
fiat he was on and saw, to his dismay,
that here was the deepest spot yet, a
hole, secured out by current like
mill race. Turning, he saw, creeping
rapidly and steadily together over the
fiat behind him, two lines of foam, one
from each channel. His retreat was
cut off.
He was in for a wetting. that was
sure However, there was no help for
it, so he waded in. The water filled
his boots there, it gurgled about his
hips, and beyond, as he could see, it
seemed to grow deeper and deeper.
The current was surprisingly strong;
be found it difficult to keep his footing
in the soft sand. It looked as though
he must swim for it, and to swim in
that tide would be no joke.
Then, from behind him, came a hail.
He turned and saw moving toward
him through the shallow water now
covering the fat beyond the next chan
mel the cart he had seen leave the
shore by the packet wharf, and. later,
on the outer bar. The horse was jog
ging along, miniature geysers speuting
beneath its hoofs. The driver waved
to him.
"Hold on, mate" he called. Delay
there Stay where you are. III be
alongside in a shake. Git dap, Janu-
ary!"
Ellery waded back to meet this wei.
come arrival The horse plunged into
the next channel, surged through it,
and emerged dripping. The driver
pulled the animal into a walk.
Say" he cried, I'm cruisin' your
way; better get aboard, hadn't you?
There's kind of a heavy dew this
mornin'. Whoa, Bill"
"BiH" or January" stopped with APP
parent Willingness. The driver
leaned down and extended a hand.
The minister took it and was pulled
up to the seat.
''Whew!" he painted. 'I'm much
obliged to you. l guess you saved me
from a ducking, If nothing worse"
The horse. a sturdy, sedate beast to
whom all names seemed TO be alike.
picked up his feet and pounded them
down again. Showers of spray flew
about the heads of the pair on the
seat
81 amt so sure about that duckin',"
commented the rescuer. "Humi | guess
likely Wen be out of soundin's II we
tackle that sink hole you was under
takin' TO navigate. Let's try 1t lit
tie further down
Ellery looked his companion over.
well" he observed with a smile.
from what I've heard of you. Captain
Hammond. I rather guess you could
navigate almost any water in this 10
cality and in all sorts of weather.
The driver turned in surprise.
$50" he exclaimed. you know me,
do YOU? That's funny. was tryin
to locate you, but l amt been able
10. You amt a Trumetite. III bet on
that"
Yes, l am"
Tut! tut TUT you don't tell me-
Saw. Shipmate. you hurt my pride.
did think there want soul that ever
trod sand in this village that ! couldn't
name on sight. and give the port they
hailed from and the names OF their
owners. But you've got me on my
beam ends, And yet you knew me.
"of course did. Everybody knows
the man that brought the packet