The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-12-02

Jean l.u1ltte. MS mOuIA sui LulI VI Vii
con. land will you come along? There
must be millions Of them ducks and
geese. didn't know there was so
many in all the world"
"You may go. both Of you. Jean La
f1tte." said l. IF you'll be careful not
to shoot yourselves. As for me. must
go back once more to the boat,
fancy"
We found It not difficult now to go
aboard the Belle Helene. for. in the
lessening seaway. she rolled not so
evilly. Peterson sprang to the deck
as the bow of our boat rose alongside
on wave and made fast our line.
When Williams and l had followed we
took a general inventory of the Belle
Helene. All the deck gear was gone.
spare oars and spars, a canvas or so
and some coils of rope. Beyond that
there seemed no serious damage, un-
less the hull had been injured by its
pounding during the night.
cts mud bank here. l think. Mr..
Harry" said Peterson. "She may have
ripped some Of her copper on the oys-
ter reefs, but she seems to bed full
length, and maybe she's not strained.
after ALL
"There's the line of channel guides"
said |, pointing to row of sticks driv
I'll into the mud a couple of miles in
length
YES" said the old man, 1.-THE chan
hel's not more than biscuit toss from
here. We came right across it. If it
hadn't been in the dark we'd have
gone through into the lee of the island
and been all right. Now, as it is.
we're all wrong"
How do you mean?" l asked.
How'll we get that anchor up"
grumbled he. "If we start the engines
and try to crawl up by the capstan we
couldn't pull her out of the mud. 1t
we put ON donkey engine we'd snatch
the bow out OF here before we could
lift the hook. And, until we do, how
are we going to move her? There's
the channel, but it's as far as ever.
We can't sweep her off. OF course. and
we can't pole her off,
"Well. Peterson" said l, "let us, by
all means, hope for the worst" l
smiled, seeing that he now was pos
sessed Of his normal gloom.
''Well," said he, I'VE went on at full
tide and hard aground at that. This
wind is blowing all the water out of
%I1n HHySv,
should turn and drive in again we
might move her if we caught her at
high tide once more. Until that hap
pens l guess we're anchored here for
sure"
"rhe glass is rising now, Peterson"
said pleasantly.
"Oh, yes, it may rise little,' said
he, land of course the storms gone
by for the time. But l don't think
there's going to be any good change
of weather that'll hold very soon. But
now Williams and Ill go below and
see, if we can start d pump. l expect
she's sprung leak, all right"
Shaking his head in much apprehen-
sion, the old man made his way with
Williams first into the engine room.
For my own part l turned toward my
cabin door. All at once as did so 1t
seemed to me | heard a sound. 1t
came again. sort of meek, diffident
sound, eXpectant rather than complain
ing. And then l heard an unmistaka-
BILE scraping at the door. Fastening.
/ flung it open. was greeted with
great whine Of JOY and trust.
partial" | cried, and caught him
by the paws as he put them on my
shoulders and rubbed his muzzle along
my cheek. whimpering. partial! Oh,
my dear chap! I'm glad to see your
AS matter of fact, had forgotten
Partial these three days, other things
being on my mind.
I'VE may be here for month" said
Peterson gloomily, looking at the Belle
Helene. now rolling just a little, her
keel fast full length in the mud bar.
II don't think there's ever going to be
any change of wind-it'll blow steadi-
ly this way for week anyhow"
II presume, Peterson" said l coolly
that you don't see the sun breaking
through the clouds over there at all.
And l fancy that you will not believe.
either. that the sea is lulling now"
heard Williams chuclzling as he
stopped over his engine. Thus, chug-
ging on merrily With the long, oily roll
of the sea under us. we presently once
more ran our surf and this time had
small difficulty in winning through.
for, once we felt the ground under us.
we simply sprang overheard and wad-
ed in, dragging the boat with us, waist
deep sometimes in the flood, but on the
whole quite safe.
My two pirate mates came down to
the beach joyously and helped us I'M
load. 1t seemed that they had made
something of a hunt already. for with
much pride Jean now displayed to me
certain birds. proof of his own PROV
ess with his shotgun.
H.