The Southern herald., 1915-09-03
DEAL!S FISHER boy
BY KEITH KENYON.

Raymond Deal sat on the deck o.
his houseboat and idly skinned thu
pages Of a current magazine. Tht
Sea Urchin was anchored of Beach
mead, and from its decks one coult
command view of the pretty cot
tages and catch a glimpse of the roo
of the large hotel farther down the
beach.
Far out where the breakwatel
stretched q rocky arm to protect
Beach bay from the more turbulent
sound, he knew the water was crash
ing against the black barrier with 9
swishing, musical cadence; it was q
sound that he loved above all others
Suddenly he tossed his magazine aside
and, propping his elbows on the rail
debated whether he should step into
the dory and go out to the break
water to spend the afternoon on the
rocks; he had often done it before.
He turned his head at the creaking
sound of oars working in rOwlocks.
A boat was moving along pS-Ilously
close to the Sea Urchin. All that was
visible to Raymond were a big flap
ping straw hat and pair ,of slim,
muscular, brown arms handling the
oars with the skill of a born sailor.
Hi, there, young man, be careful
you don't scrape my paint" called
Raymond testify.
The hat bobbed back and he caught
a brief glimpse of a dark, brilliant
face. Then it vanished under the
head covering, and boat and occupant
shot away at full speed.
Raymond watched it's foaming
wake.
Scared that young chap out of a
weeks growth" he grinned. Must
have been one Of that Italian colony
out at the point. What a glance that
handsome young vagabond did shoot
from those eyes! Well, l may as we'll
indulge myself in this vacation
period; so here goes"
He spoke to his man, a well-trained
Japanese, and presently had entered
his motor boat and was chugging out
toward the black line of rocks. He
was bareheaded and his shirt sleeves
were rolled above his sun-tanned
arms, A blackened pipe was gripped
between his teeth. His blue eyes
sparkled with pleasure.
Ogl had put aboard a small basket
containing sandwiches and a thermos
bottle. He needn't return until night.
Raymond had almost overtaken the
rowboat when it left the channel and
disappeared around the end of the
breakwater. He did not follow 1t. He
dropped anchor on the inner side,
where the water was comparatively
calm, and, taking his basket, he clam
bered up the rocks until he reached
a nook above high-tide mark. OF
course in heavy gales the water COM
pletely covered the rocks, but now
the waves beat pleasantly in foamy
crispness, sending up refreshing
showers of salt spray.
Raymond could not see the young
fisherman; indeed he forgot all about
him. Propped comfortably on a
cushion of seaweed, his hands behind
his head, he sat and dreamed Of
nothing in particular as an hour
passed and the tide rose higher. After
a while he slept, lulled by wind and
sun.
Suddenly he sat up, wide awake
The wet splash of water upon his
hand told him that he had dreamed
too long. Contrary to his reasoning,
the wind had freshened to half a
gale and the waves were dashing al
most over the breakwater. His first
thought was for his boat. It was a
hundred feet away The tide sweep
Ing through the channel had dragged
the motor craft away from her
anchorage.
THE dickens!" sputtered Raymond,
rising to his feet and surveying the
situation. Il wonder where that
young Italian is. He might save me
a swim. By Jove! There he is now
and bawling like a little Niagara!"
Sure enough, the slim, blue overall
ed form was crouched on the rocks
behind him and the face was buried
In the brown hands while the shoul-
ders heaved and the big hat bobbed
suggestively.
"Humph" commented Raymond
contemptuously, picking his way to-
ward the weeping one. Just as he
reached the spot he looked down and
saw that the ancient rowboat was
lying bottom upward on the rocks
and that the fat bottom was broken
and gaping.
Don't cry over spilled milk, old
sport" laughed Raymond, tweaking
at the arm of the disconsolate one.
"oh. go away!" protested the
mourner.
well, I've a great mind to and
leave you marooned here. What do
you say to that, young man-eh?"
He leaned over and pulled the hands
away from the tear-stained face.
A pair of golden-brown eyes
drowned in tears looked up at him