The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-11-24

Kansas, ana Joey dreaded TINS
new terror more than the
mad fury of the seas. But If the
men were fighting for their lives and
hers she must help too. That was
clear. She had a weapon, a loaded re-
volver. which she had picked up from
beneath a boats tarpaulin lying on
the spar deck. She opened her door
and peered out. She could not see
any one and the rattle of a hailstorm
overhead effectually dulled any other
noise. But several shots fired again
in the fore part Of the ship were audi
BILE above the din of the pelting hail.
So she ran that way. with the fine
courage Of one who fears. vet goes on,
and her eyes pierced the shadows with
a tense despair In them, for what
could so few men do against the I'M
seen watchers who sent up the thirty
ON smoke columns she had counted?
Quickly as Elsie had reached the
deck, the warlike sounds which dis
turbed her rest had ceased. Save for
the footsteps Of men whom she could
not see, the prevalent noises We're
caused only by wind and sleet. While
she was hurrying forward as rapidly
AS the darkness permitted. the lights
We're switched on with a snddenness
that made her gasp. The dog began to
bark again, but it was easy to distin-
guish his sharp yelps Of excitement
and defiance from the earlier notes Of
alarmed suspicion. In fact, Joey himself
was the first to discover the stealthy
approach of the Indians. Courtenay
and TOllemache, who took the mid
die watch, from midnight to 4 a. H.,
had failed to note the presence of sew
eral canoe on the ink black surface of
the bay until the dog warned them by
growing and ruti1ing the bristles on
his back. The night was pitch dark.
The moon was not only hidden by the
hills Of the island, but frequent storms
of rain M nail rendered it impossi-
bic while they ragged to see OIL hear be-
yond the distance Of a few feet.
In all probability as the canoes bOrc
down from WindWard Joey had scent
ed them. He also gave the highly i'm
portant information as to the quarter
from which attack might be expected.
Three men at least had gained the
deck. but the prompt use of a revolver
had caused them to retreat as silently
and speedily as they had appeared.
That was all. There was no actual
fight. The phantoms vanished as 81
lently as they came. The only exter-
nal lights OF the ship were the mast
head and side lights hoisted by Courte-
nay to reveal the steamers where
abouts in case n of the boats CHANGED
to be driven into the bay during the
dark hours. There was an electric
. lamp turned on in the donkey engine
Don and another in the main salon,
but means We're taken to exclude them
from showing without. If the Indians
meant to be actively hostile, lights on
board would be more helpful to the
assailants than to the assailed.
When the captain and Tollemache
followed Joey's lead, they d%iscerned
three demoniac figures vaguely outlined
by the rlddy glare of the port light in
the very act of climbing the rails.
They fired instantly. and the naked
forms vanished. Both men thought
they heard the splashing caused by
the leaping or falling of the Indians
into the sea. BY the same subdued
radiance Courtenay made out the top
of IA pole or mast sticking up close to
the ships side. He leaned over, fired
a couple of shots downward at ran
dom, seized the pole and dashed it to
q stanchion with a loose o D end, a
remnant Of II of the awnings. \
small craft, even an Indian canoe.
would be most useful, and its capture
might tend to scare the attackers.
Telling Tollemache to mount guard,
he raced back to the saloon hatch and
summoned assistance. the others
searched the ship in small detach-
ments. but the Indians were gone. 1t
was manifest that one beyond those
driven off at the first onset had Sc
cured a footing on deck. Then. taking