The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1913-11-12

ssI don't think SO, but whether tney
do or not we must chance 1t. but II
ANYTHING should happen to me I'll cur
the boat adrift, and you will be In
Gods hands"
silently ! assisted her to take her
place in the stern sheets. 1t was NOT
a large boat. On the contrary. yet she
made but a small figure sitting there
Then l went on deck had can OF
oil with me to oil the blocks. II was
as I fancied. By that time everybody
on the ship was asleep In a drunken
stupor. The ship was deserted so FAR
as human supervision was concerned
stfu I didn't neglect any precauton
7 oiled the shives of the block and
lowered the boat away carefully. inch
BY inch, until 1t was water borne !
treasured. my mistress by whispered
words as ! did So She had had her In
structions and right well she followed
them. She had her boat hook out and
Tended OF the minute the boat touched
the water For me to Delay the rails
and slide down the forward one to cast
OF and take my place in the boat was
but the work of an instant Inc oars
had been carefully mufi1ed, Although
the noise Of the waves rendered con-
versation quite safe. we neither OF US
spoke a word until had rowed some
distance from the ship.
Il was nearly midnight before we got
everything shipshape. my lady brave
" helping me with her best EFFORTS,
and the little vessel threshed gallantly
through the big seas.
had carefully taken my bearings
during the day and as had q good
compass on the boat l knew exactly
how to steer. Fortunately the wind
held steady. laid her course SO
a. to clear the northeast end Of the
island, around which l intended to
swing SO as to be hidden from the
ship at daybreak.
told her after awhile that she was
safe No sound had come from the
ship and the lights in the cabin which
at Hrst we could see dimly presently
disappeared. Our escape had not been
discovered l suggested at last that
she should go to sleep. ! arranged the
boat cloak and blankets and although
she had to be much persuaded l finally
prevailed upon her to lie down In the
boat, her head by my knees. and thus
We sailed on through the night
When day broke hauled aft the
sheet and headed the boat to the south
ward, for had now crossed the head
Of the island and could run down the
other side. By the time 1t was fairly
dawn I had made enough southing to
place the north end Of the island be-
tween ourselves and the ship. l steer
ID the boat toward the land
Ny hopes were high and felt q kind
Of exhilaration at our escape. although
I was by NO means inclined to mini
mixs the possibilities Of peril we might
soon b compelled to meet The island
was our destination. however. and for
It therefore l determinedly headed my
small craft with its precious and still
peacefully sleeping cargo.
The island was unlike any had ever
looked upon. In the 6rst place. like
most Pacific islands. It was Enclosed
by q barrier reef, over which the
waves broke in whitecaps as far as
could see. I supposed that somewhere
IucEo WOuiu 10 al oPSuAA6 a. sNS 800
through which we could sail. That
was invariably the case with all such
islands that had ever known or read
about But ! could not see the open
ing from the boat yet The lagoon en-
closed by the barrier reef seemed to be
Q quarter or half mile wide.
The strangest part Of the whole
scene was that the island itself looked
Ike whitish gray wall rising straight
up from the lagoon for. l suppose, from
$50 feet in the lowest part to 300 feet
or more without break Its top was
covered with greenery. II stood up
like a solid rampant Of stone From
where we were ! couldn't see the end
Of the island. although from my inspec
tion of 1t the day before ! judged II
might be six or eight miles long. and
az had sailed past 1t | estimated II
was about the same breadth and near
ly circular in shape.
long distance away on the other
side and hard to be seen at all from
the level Of the sea in the small boat
lay other islands. family outlined on
the far horizon
suppose must have thrashed
about somewhat when ] brought the
dingy to the wind and changed her
course, for presently my little mistress
awoke. She sat up instantly. and after
tho hriofoat ACKNOWLEDGMENT of nv