The Washington herald., 1915-03-28


OF course, it is quite impossible TO say
now certainly what had happened.
The boat was nccling over. so that
the gunwale was within ten inches OF
the water. and both Evan and the
other laborcr were striking down into
the water, with oar and boathook, on
either side of Hills arm. Mr. Fison
instinctively placed himself to count
crpoisc them.
Then Hill, who was burly, power
! ful man, made strenuous effort, and
rose almost to standing position.
He lifted his arm. indeed. clear out
of the water. Hanging TO it was a
complicated tanglc of brown ropes
and the eyes OF one OF the brutcs that
had hold of linn. glazing straight and
rcsolutc. showed momcntarily above
the surface The boat heclcd more
and more, and the grcen-brown water
| came pouring in a cascade over the
side
Then Hill slipped and fell with his
ribs across the side, and his arm and
the mass OF tentacles about it splash
cd back into the water He rolled
over; his boot kicked Mr. Fison'S
knee as that gentleman rushed for
ward to seize him, and in another
moment fresh tcntaclcs had whipped
about his waist and neck. and after a
brief, convulsivc struggle. in which
the boat was nearly capsizcd, Hill
was logged overheard. The boat
righted with violent jerk that all but
sent Mr.. Fison over the other side,
and hid the struggle in the water
from his eyes.
He stood staggering TO recover his
balance for moment. and as he did
so he became aware that the struggle
and the infiowing tide had carried
them close upon the weedy rocks
again. Not four yards off table OF
rock still rose in rhythmic movements
above the inwash OF the tide. In a
moment Mr.. Fison seized the oar
from Evan, gave one vigorous stroke,
then, dropping it, ran to the bows and
leapcd. He felt his feet slide over the
rock, and, by frantic effort, leaped
again toward further mass. He
stumbled over this, came to his knees,
and rose again.
Look out" cried some one, and
large drab body struck him. He was
knocked fiat into tidal pool by one
of the workmen, and as he went down
he heard smothcred, choking cries,
that he believed at the time came from
Hill. Then he found himself marvel
ling at the shrillness and variety of
Hills voice. Some one jumped over
him, and curving rush OF foamy wa
ter poured over him, and passed. He
scrambled to his feet, dripping. and
without looking scaward, ran as fast
as his terror would let him shore
ward. Before him, over the fiat space
OF scattered rocks. stumbled the two
workmen-onc a dozen yards in front
Of the other.
He looked over his shoulder at last.
and. seeing that he was not pursued,
faced about. He was astonishcd.
From the moment OF the rising of the
ccphalopods out of the water. he had
been acting too swiftly to fully COM
prehend his actions. Now it seemed
to him as ii he had suddenly jumped
out OF an evil dream.
For there were the sky, cloudlcsS
and blazing with the afternoon sun,
the sea, wcltering under its pitlcss
the breaking water. and the low. long.
dark ridges of rock. The rightcd boat
foatcd. rising and falling gently on
tho swell about dozen yards from
shore. Hill and the monsters. all the
stress and tumult of that fierce fight
for life, had vanished as though they
had never been.
Mr. Fison's heart was beating rlo-
lcntly: he was throbbing to the hnger
tips, and his breath came deep.
There was ssomething missing. For
some sccouds he could not think
clearly enough what this might be.
Sun, sky. sea, rocks-what was 1t:
Then he remembered the boatload OF
excursionists. 1t had vanished. He
wondered whether he had imagined it.
He turned, and saw the two work
men standing side by side under the
projecting masses OF the tall pink
cliffs. He hesitated whether he should
make one last attempt to save the
man Hill. His physical excitement
seemed to desert him suddenly, and
leave him aimlcss and helpless. He