The leader-enterprise. [volume] (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1912-1915, 1913-01-10
me snow had ceased to fall. and the

tender
He had gone perhaps 2G0 yards when
the boat grounded on the flats He
saw ut once that it was impossible TO
make the yacht until flood tide. The
safest thing to do was to get out and
push to the island marsh. 200 or 800
yards away. There they could take
exercise enough to keep warm until the
tide came in again. 1t would be II
wait of two hours in bitter cold and
pitch darkness.
Bivens sat up and growled
whats the matter? Can't you hur'
ry up? I'm freezing to deathv'
I'VE can't make 1t on this tide. We
will hive to go to the marsh
Cant we walk over the flats and let
the boat goT'
II could walk It. but you couldn't"
why not?" Bivens asked angrily.
because you haven't the strength"
Nothing Of the Sort" Bivens pro-
tested vkiously.
He stepped ont of the boat and start
ed wading through the mud. He had
made ab0ut ten steps when his boot
stuck fast and he reeled and fell.
Stuart picked him up without COM
ment and led him back to the boat.
Bivens was about to climb in when
the lawyer spoke quickly:
You can't sit down now You've got
to keep your body in motion or you'll
freeze Take hold Of the stern of the
boat and shove her"
Muttering incoherent curses. the little
man obeyed while his friend walked in
'front.' pulling ON the bow line
In fifteen minutes they reached the
marsh and began the dreary 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 to where the yacht lies?'
BivenS asked fretfuly. I'VE can fire
a gun. and the doctor can help us on
board"
1--WE can't go without the boat. The
! marsh is Il string of islands cut by
three creeks. The doctor has no way
to 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 shorter than expected
The tide suddenly ceased 20 run ebb
and began to come in. The reason was
an Ominous one. The wind had hauled
squarely into the north and increased
its velocity to forty miles an hour. and
each moment the cold grew more ter
rible. Stuart found the little boat
afioat on the flood tide. jumped in
without delay and began his desperate
battle against wind and tide.
1t was absolutely necessary for Biv.
ems to keep his body in motion. sc
Stuart gave him IN 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.
RivenS tried to do as he was told
and made Il mess OF it. He merely sue
ceeded in showing the boat around.
Stuart saw they could never make
Roadway by that method, turned and
Fhot back into the marsh.
can walk along the edge. ! can shove
her alone"
Bivens grumbled. but did as he was
ordered
Don't you leave the edge of that
marsh ten feetr' Stuart shouted cneer-
fully. Il think we'll make it now
1t was question whether one man
had the strength to shove the little
beat through the icy, roaring waters
and keep her off the shore. He did it
successfully for a hundred yards. and
the wind and sea became so fierce he
was driven in and could make no
headway. He called Bivens. gave him
an oar and made him walk in the
edge of the water and hold the boat
OF while he placed his oar on the
mud bottom and pushed.
1t took two hours OF desperate bat
thing to make half mile through the
white, binding. freezing, roaring wa
ters. Tho yacht now lay but 300 feet
away froa the edge of the marsh.
Say. why Go we stop so much?'
Bivens srowied. I'm freezing to
death Let's set 10 that yacht"
We'll do our best" Stuart answer
ed graveiy. and il you know how to
pray now's your time"
oh tommyfUt!" Bivens said con-
teznptuousiy. Il can throw a stone to
her from here"
Get in" Stuart commanded. land
lie down again Gat on your back!"
BlvOns obeyed, and the desperate
fight began.
Stuart made the hrst few strokes
WITH his oars successfully and cleared
the shore. only TO be driven back
against It with "A crash. A wave
swept ovvr the little craft
Stuart grasped Bivens' hand and
found a cake OF ice on his wrist He
showed the boats nose again into the
wind and pulled on his oars with a
steady. desperate stroke, and she shot
ahead. ToF Eve minutes he held her
head into the sea and gained q few
wards. He set his feet 6rmly against
! the oak ttmbsPs In the boats side and
began to lsngthen his quick, powerful
stroke. He found to his Joy be was