The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-05-23
CHAPTER vii.
On the Breast Of the Sea.

On the Breast of the Sea.
Can you keep afloat in this rough
ness?"
II think so, now that I have the
life preserver. But the rope scarce
me for minute. 1t got wound about
my feet"
II thought 80. But we are drifting
away from the boats, and should SWIM
back as fast as we can. Can you
swim?"
Yes; better when get rid OF this
cloak. Which way is the yacht? I've
lost my bearings"
Behind US over there. Put your
hand on my shoulder and I'll take
you along until you get your oreatn'
Sol"
The girl obeyed implicitly. as IL
she were a good, biddable chila'
thought Jim. There was none OF tne
terrified clutching at rescuer whlch
sometimes causes disaster to two IN
stead of one. Miss Redmond was
Dddly euUChGu, IL uoy w.
was far from being In q panic
NOW for the boat. Can you SWIM
little faster? They'll surely come
back to pick US up" said Jim. with
an assumption of confidence that ne
, did not feel They could hear voices
from the yacht, and could follow, par
TALLY, what was going on. Miss Reo.
mond cast loose her cloak, put a mana
. on Jim's shoulder, and together they
swan nearer "Ahoy!" shouted jim
GIVE us hand!" But the boat with
4 the large woman in 1t had put ABOUT
I to the other side Of the yacht
"Ahoy! This way" shouted Jim.
. Throw US a rope!" he cried; but II
! any of the seamen Of the Jeanne
. D'Arc heard, they paid no heed.
- Come this way" said Jim to mis-
~ companion. We'll catch them on the
/, other side of the yacht"
q 81 can't swim much in all THESE
ID Clothes. said Agatha.
- "Never mind, then. Hold on to th'
- life preseryer and to me, and wei
~ make It all right" On the CREST
. Of the swelling waves they swan
ID round the dark hulk of the vessel an
an heard plainly the clamor of the me-
- as they embarked In the small boats
=. Two of them seemed to be fastene
~ together. raftlike, on the starboar
u side of the yacht, and were quicKi
80 filed with men. Prayers and curse
.n were audible, with the loose. wild II
VA Aexion of the man who Is IN tn
pes clutch of an overmastering fear a
" long as there had been work for the
!, to do on the ship, they had done
-n though sullenly; they had even co
u trolled themselves until the attem
= gu was made to place the two womt
sn In safety. But after that their Sc
'p0 restraint vanished The orders OF u
nu' officers were unheeded; the mi
n.o laaned and scrambled and slid IN
an the boats, and in minute more tn
VOC had cut loose from the Jeanne DAl
lanes dimly perceived that t
saw boats were moving away from the
nau into the darkness Then he Gale
Ecu and called again, redoubling his spe
in swimming; but only the beat
neu the oars came back over the wat
es- The heart in him stood still with
i'ei unacknowledged fear. Was 1t posi-
lio- thew were absolutely leaving them
ieu' bind9 Surely there were other boz
He raised his voice and called ag
ooa' and again. At last one voice, carei
and brutal, called back something
's,le reply Jim turned questioning 9
.ne to the girl beside him, whose !
Nins face was discernible on the dark
van. ter. !, an
van .ua saws the boats are all full
Tue .Then we must hurry and make
.no tho Yacht. Where is she?'
>, n ae The Jeanne dare had slipped a
ias from them into the darkness.
a "she was this way, | thought.
I. 5. am sure" said Agatha, pointing
, 10 the night. But though they swan
: -. way they did not come upon
ward They turned a little. ana tnen tal
com. again, and presently they lost 9
v,ftlv sense of direction.
rhers In all his life Jim was never a
/. no detained to go through 80 black
:. hour as that which followed the 9
some. donment Of the Jeanne Dare.
ah,a courage left him. and his spirit
, the 70 that leaden, choking abyss "
Tim. tights did not exist. Since the
ham. mediate object OF saving the sniI
. lad which he had worked as hard as
other, had been given up, the ne
ga On ,mnortance was to save the w
hands who for some mysterious reason
,ok a heen aboard II was beyond his
oward or Of imagination to suppose tina
ma TO other motive Of action could pos
St ten preyail, even among her enc
her, That they should leave her to q
arms. while they themselves fed to
feared paratiye safety In boat was
~,,ad k.,yjnva