Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-02-05

!!RH fmuu nut OF lnNTSn#ln# the 8O0YsOna this
low water, but God help them ifs tiiey,
can't fghtstheir way sback before food
tide ..Z&
".Why?" Bivens asked credulously.
They'd freeze to death In an open
boat tonight. 5 ..::.
Norwegian sailors? Bosh b Not on
your life: They were born. on Ice.
bergs.'' 's3.
Stuart rose and looked anxiously at
the recedlng tide. He determined to
try to reach the yacht at once. ne nut
the guns into their cases. snapped the
lids Of the ammunition boxes, slowed
the ducks he had killed under the5stern
OF the boat and stepped out into the
sha low, swiftly moving water. He de-
cided to ignore Bivens and regard him
as so much junk. He pulled the boat
out Of the blind, showed it among the
decoys and took them up quickly.
The snow had ceased to fall, and the
cold was increasing every moment.
Stuart scanned the horizon anxiously,
but could see no sign Of the disabled
tender. 5.. f..#
+ He had gone perhaps 200 yards. when
the boat grounded on the flats. He
saw at 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- Il
wait Of two hours in bitter cold and
pitch darkness. ::.: f#
Btvens sat up and growled. {.
''What's the matter? Can't you hur-
~ up? I'm freezing to deathr' S#
1--WE can't make it on this tide. We
will have to go to the mals!l.'' :a
Cant we walk oyer the fats and let
| the boat go?" ..~ ~.-.* T..
~ could walk it, but you couldn't,
"Why not?" Bivens asked ang:iy.
because you haven't the strength
'Nothing Of the Sort" Bivens pro-
tested viciously. Y
| He stepped out of the boat and start
ed wading through the mud. He had
made about ten steps when his boot
| stuck fast and he ree'ed 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: - T.
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. = 81
| 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 fretfully. 1--WE can fire
a gun, and the doctor can help us on
board" 49,
1--WE can't go without the boat. The
marsh is 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
l
body without dangerous exhaustion
The wait was shorter than expected.
The tide suddenly ceased to 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
adoat on the food 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. so
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 bis feet.
Bivens tried to do as he was told
and made mess Of it. He merely sue
reeded in showing the boat around.
Stuart saw they could never make
1eadway by that method, turned and
shot back into the marsh. ,:'~.
Get QUIT! he shouted sternly. "You
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 feet" Stuart shouted cheer:
fully. Il think we'll make it now" j. F..
1t was a question whether one man
had the strength to shove the little
boat through the Icy. roaring waters
and keep her off the shore. He did it
successfully for hundred yards. and
the wind and sea became SO fierce he
was driven in and could make no
Roadway. He called Btvens, gave him
an oar and made him walk In the
edge of the water and hold the boat
Off while he placed his oar on the
mud bottom and pushed. IS. = fl
1t took two hours Of desperate bat
thing to make half a mile through the
white, binding, freezing, roaring wa
ters. The yacht now lay but 800 feet
away from the edge Of the marsh.
"Say. why do we stop so much p
Bivens growled. I'm freezing to
death. Let's get to that yacht
"We'll do our BEST" Stuart answer
ed gravely, land If you know how to
pray now's your time.'' .%=s Z.
"Oh, tommyrot!' Bivens said con.
temptuously. II can throw stone to
her from here" II" 5ls:.:> ~ MA -.
Get In Stuart commanded, 'and
lie down again fat on your backw