The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-03-31

position In Wnlcn l ndu ieit MIN, hnu
his head was rocking--almost with
ing-from side to side.
Anything can do for you" ]
asked.
He made no reply at first. but on my
repeating the question he answered.
mo. no; I'm all right. Leave me alone
till morning."
But as turned to 60 noted that his
head had resumed it's rocking motion.
Maud was waiting patiently for me.
and took notice. with thrill OF Joy
OF the queenly poise OF her head and
her glorious. calm eyes Calm and
sure they were as her spirit itself.
"Will you trust yourself to me for
a journey of six hundred miles or so?"
| asked.
You mean" she asked. and
knew she had guessed Alright.
"Yes. l mean just that" replied
There is nothing left for us but the
open boat"
For me- you mean" she said you
are certainly as safe here as you have
| been"
mo. there is nothing left for us but
the open boat" ! iterated stoutly
will you please dress as warmly as
you can, at once. and make into ~
bundle whatever you wish to bring
with your"
And make all haste" | added. as
she turned toward her stateroom.
The lazaretto was directly beneath
the cabin. and. opening the trapdoor
in the floor and carrying a candle with
me, | dropped down and began over.
hauling the ships stores. ! selected
mainly from the canned goods. and by
the time l was ready. willing hands
were extended from above to receive
what passed up.
We worked in silence. | helped my
| self also to blankets. mittens. oilskins
caps. and such things. from the slop.
chest. 1t was no light adventure. this
trusting ourselves in small boat to
so raw and stormy sea. and 1t was
| imperative that we should guard our
selves against cold and wet.
We worked feverishly at carrying
our plumber on deck and depositing 1t
amidships. so feverishly that Maud.
whose strength was hardly positive
quantity. had to give over. exhausted.
and sit on the steps at the break OF the
poop. This did not serve to recover
her, and she lay on her back, on the
hard deck, arms stretched out and
whole body relaxed. 1t was trick |
remembered OF my sister, and l knew
she would soon be herself again.
knew. also. that weapons would not
come amiss, and re-entered Wolf Lar
sens stateroom to get his rife and
shotgun. | spoke to him. but he made
no answer, though his head was still
rocking from side to side and he was
not asleep.
"Good-by, Lucifer," l whispered to
myself as I softly closed the door.
Next to obtain was a stock of am
munition--an easy matter, though
had to enter the steerage companion
way to do 1t. Here the hunters stored
the ammunition boxes they carried In
the boats, and here, but a few feet
from their noisy revels. took posses
sion of two boxes.
Next. to lower boat. Not SO
simple task for one man. Having
cast off the lashings, hoisted first on
the forward tackle. then on the aft
till the boat cleared the rail, when
lowered away, one tackle and then the
other, for a couple of feet, till it hung
snugly. above the water, against the
schooner's side. | made certain that
it contained the proper equipment OF
oars, rowlocks and sail. Water was
a consideration, and l robbed every
boat aboard of its breaker. AS there
were nine boats all told 1t meant that
we should have plenty of water. and
ballast as well. though there was the
chance that the boat would be over
loaded, what OF the generous supply OF
other things | was taking
A few minutes suficed to finish the
loading. and | lowered the ho"' into
the water. As helped Mau
rail and felt her form clos
It was all could do to keeI
ing out. II love you!
Truly Humphrey Van Weyc
last in love. thought, as J
chung 10 mine while | 10
down 10 the boat held on
with one hand and SUPP
weight with the other. and
at the moment of the feat.
strength had not posses
months before. on the day
by to Charley Furuseth
for San Francisco on Ii
Martinez.
AS the boat assembled on
feet touched and released
| cast off the tackles and lt
her. ! had never rowed in
put out the oars and at Il
OF much effort got the boz
the Ghost. Then eXperim
the sail. ! had seen the BIO;
and hunters set their spritsails many
times, yet this was my first attempt.
What took them possibly two minutes
took me twenty, but in the end ] sue
| pppdod In cpItit,o ond trim ming II and