The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-05-15

marsh and began the drcary tramp OF
two hours until the tide should rise
high enough to float their boat again.
'Why can't We walk along this marsh
all the way ta where the yacht iies?"
Bivens asked fretfnlly I'VE can fire |
Il gun. and the doctor can help us on
board -
I'VE can't go without the boat. The
marsh Is string Of islands cut by
three creeks. The doctor has no way
70 get to us. Both tenders are gone"
Stuart kept Bivens moving just fast
enough to maintain the warmth Of his
body without dangerous exhaustion.
The wait was slorter than expected.
The tide suddenly ceased to run ebb
and began to come ill., The reason was
an onlinouS one The wind had hauled
Squarply into the north and increased
it's velocity to forty miles an hour. and
each moment the cold grew more ter
rihIp Stuart found the little boat
afloat on the food tide. jumped in
without delay ;li., .is desperate
battle against win; .!.:.l tide.
1t was absolutely i.." cSS:ry for Riv
ems to keep his body in motion. 81
Stuart gave him an oar and ordered
him to get on his knees and help shove
her ahead He knew it was impossible
for him to keep his feet
Isivens tried to do rs he was told
aud made a mess Of it. He merely sue
ceeded in showing the boat around.
Stuart saw they could never make
Roadway by that method. turned AM!
shot back into the mnrsh.
Get outv he shouted sternly. "Yol
can walk along the edge. I can shove
her alone
Bivens grumblesl. but did rs he was
ordered
Don't yon leave the edge Of that
marsh ten feetr' Stuart shouted cheer
fully. II think wen make it now"
| 1t was a question whether one man
had the strength to shove the little
boat through the icy. roaring water.
| and keep her off the shore. He did II
successfully for IL hundred yards. ant
the wind and sea became so fierce he
was driven in and conld make NJ
hea1way. He called Rivens. gave hin
nm oar and made him walk In th'
edge Of the water and hold tho b0a'
OF while he placed his oar on th'
mud bottom and pushed.
It took two hours Of desperate bat
tling to make half mile thnngh tli'
white. binding. freezing. roaring wa
ters The yacht now lay but 600 TO-"
away from the edge Of the. marsh,
Say. why do we stop 50 much?'
Bivcns growled I'm freezing Il
death. Let's get to that yacht
well do our best" Stuart answer
ed gravely, land If you know bow t.
pray now's your time"
"Oh. tommyrot!'' Bivens said con
temptnously Il can throw stone 4
her from here"
"Get in. Stuart commanded lam
lie down again fat on your back"
Bivens obeyed. and the desperat
fight began.
. Stuart made the first Jew stroke
. with his oars successfully and cleare
the shore, only to be driven bac
: against it with crash. wav
swept over the little craft
Stuart grasped Bivens' hand an
found a cake of ice on his wrist. II
showed the boats nose again into til
wind and pulled on his oars with
steady, desperate stroke, and she she
) ahead, For five minutes he held he
head into the sea and gained a fe'
J. yards. lie set his feet firmly again:
the oak timbers in the boats side IN
began to lengthen his quick. pOwerfl
3 stroke. He found to his joy he wa
, making headway. He looked over h
l. shoulder and saw that he was ha
way. He couldn't be more than j.
:, feet and yet he didn't seem to
getting any nearer 1t was now I
never. He bent to his oars with Il
Inst ounce of reserve power in b
tall sinewy frame. and the next m
- ment an oar snapped. the boat spu
- round like top and in minute W:
!. hurled back helpless on the marsh.
AS the sea dashed over her aga
- Bivens looked up stupidity M
=, growled:
70 "Why don't you keep her straight
.. Stuart sprang out and pulled T
~ nnmbcd man to his feet. half dragg'
~ and lifted him ashore.
70 Here, here, wake upr' he shout'
in his ear. Get move on you,
10 you're goner" He began to n
= Biyens' ice clad wrists and hands, al
tie little man snatchcd them awi
Vi angrily.
stop itv' he snarled. "My han
IN are not cold now"
IL NO, they're freezing" he answer
TO as he started across the marsh in
he dog trot. pulling Bivens after hi
nd The little man stood it for a hundr
90 yards, suddenly tore himself loose q
ke angrily faced his companion
he Say. suppose yon attend to yo
own hidc--I cnr take care OF n
nd self
II tell you, you're freeing. You
getting numb As soon as ! can
1r- your blood Il little warm we've got
wade through that water for III
We drcil yards and make the yacht
I'll do nothing Of the sort. Bivt
let said ''I'll stay here till the next I
and walk out when the waters ebl
i. off. I'm not half MS cold as ] was.
you're losing the power to II
/" You've got To plunge into that wa
RI with me now, and VIC can fight
way to safety in five minutes
rt. water is only three feet deep. an'
nd can lift yon over the big waves. "
not he there in 4 jiffy. Come on!
Tie seized his arm again and drag
A