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


in case it should shut In thick and
come after us in double quick time.
You understands
Yes. sir"
IF it looks bad don't wait too long. II
it should be blowing gale you'd bet.
ter bring the cook along to steer while
you watch your engine. Have him fix
Il light supper before he starts"
Bivens was vastly amused at Stu
arts orders.
Stuart scanned the horizon. watch |
ing flock of ducks working their way |
northward The sign was ominous.
Birds know which way the wind Is
going to blow before it comes. and II a
gale is on the way they always work
into the teeth of it.
1t WIS useless to tell this to Bivens.
He didn't have sense enough to under
stand it But Stuart quietly made up
bis mind to take up the decoys and
row in as soon rs the tide ebbed down
to two feet of water.
In the meantime he would make tho
best o. the situation. The ducks De-
gan to c::.na IN and decoy like chics-
ems lie kiliy;: half Il dozen and in s3o
excitement began to forget the fool
hardness CT The trip.
Bivens shot a dozen times. missed,
got flisgusted and began to fret and
complain. He said:
"Jim, would you mind telling me the
H., oh Hof0Nf06
my offer? You're the only man I've
struck on this earth that didn't have
his price"
Perhaps VIC have different ways Of
fixing values. You are not yet fifty
years old and wreck. What's the
use? What can you do with your
money now?"
at brings luxury. case, indulgence,
power. admiration, wonder and the
envy of the world
whats the good of luxury II you
can't enjoy it. case il you never take
it, indulgence when you have lost the
capacity to play. power If you're too
busy getting more to stop and WELD
it,"
"Jim, you're the biggest fool | ever
knew, without single exception"
Stuart glanced anxiousiy toward the
yacht. It was o'clock. The tide had
cb,ed half out and there was barely
enora water on the fats now for the
tender to cross 1t was showing hard
or and the wind had begun to inch tu
toward the north.
mo more ducks today. CAL" Stuart
said briskly. returning to his tone Of
friendly comradeShip. We've got tO
get away from here. It's getting colder
every minute. 1t will he freezing be-
fore night"
We'll. let it freeze Bivens cried
peevishly "What do we care? It's
Just ten minutes run when the tender
comes
To stuart's joy he saw the men star
the tender.
Its all right: they're coming now!'
he exclaimed ''We1l have anOthe
crack or two before they get here"
, He crouched low in the blind for fiv'
minutes without getting a shot. ros
4 and looked for the tender. TO bis hor
!, ror he saw her drifting helpless befor
the wind. her engine stopped and bot
= men waving frantically their signals o
n distress.
n MY Godr' he exclaimed 'The ten
: der's engine is broken down.
= "Why don't the fools use the oars?'
:. "rhey can't move her against thi
o wind
$ will they go to sea?" Bivens asked
with some anxiety.
, mo: they'll bring up somewhere o
n mud fat or marsh in the bay on thl
e low water. but God help them II the
can't fight their way back before floo(
!. tide"
e "Why:" Bivens asked incredulousl.
# They'd freeze to death in an Ope
d boat tonight"
Norwegian sailors? Bosh: Not Q
your life. They were born on ic
bergs."
Stuart rose and looked anxiously ,
Il the receding tide. He determined
IS try to reach the yacht at once. He ~
l. the guns into their cases. snapped II
{, lids of the ammunition boxes. stowe
10 the ducks he had killed under the stel
j. of the boat and stepped out into ii
shallow, swiftly moving water. He
II cded to ignore Bivens and regard hi
y as SO much junk. He pulled the bo
out of the blind. showed 1t among tt
n decoys and took them up quickly.
~ The snow had ceased to fall. and t
! cold was increasing every momei
Stuart scanned the horizon anxiOusl
w but could see no sign Of the disable
- tender.
- He had gone perhaps 200 yards VIII
:. the boat grounded on the flats.
= saw at once that it was impossible
:. make the yacht until flood tide. T
" 10 safest thing to do was to get out a
Ae push to the island marsh. 200 or 3
yards away. There they could ia
exercise enough to keep warm until
40 tide came in again. 1t would be
ell wait of two hours in bitter cold a
ST. pitch darkness.
Rivcns sat up and grOwled.
rs WHATS the matter? Can't you b
'et ry up? I'm freezing to DEATH
es I'VE can't make it on this tide.
III will have to 20 to the marsh.
an Cant we walk over the flats and
on the boat 60"
Il could walk it. but you couldn't.
EST "N'hy not?" Bivens asked angrily.
"Recause you haven't the strength
:. ..Nothing of the sort:' Byens
OK tested viciously.
'es He stepped out of the boat and st;
ed wading through the mud. He
TO made about ten steps when his
lde stuck fast and he reeled and fell.