Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-01-12

water when his attention was attract
ed by a cleaning spot in a heap of oys-
ter shells at the waters edge. They
were dead shells, bored by the startish,
the great enemy of oysters. The water
here was twelve feet deep, the land
sloping up above a little natural cave.
Overcome by excitement at his find,
which ShOne as brightly as the moon
above, Sam Jack completely forgotten,
NabOb brought his boat in to land and
stepped cautiously ashore. Then he
drew in a deep breath, went under,
keeping his eyes fixed on the pearl,
and stretched forth his hand to pluck
the prize.
Instantly his fingers were impris-
oned in n wise. Nabob knew what had
happened. 1t was the giant mussel,
that inOcuous shellfish so dreaded by
the Bahama negro. He was trapped
under water.
He fought with the desperate fury
of a man who has just one minute to
live before his lungs give out. That
minutes anguish was the worst that
Nabob had ever lived. through.
The mussel, firmly anchored in its
oozy bed, bit into his fingers and
seemed immOvable. But Nabob had the
strength of all his race. His muscles
stood out like cords of steel and his
great chest heaved as he pulled.
And gradually the mussel began to
come from it's bed. Now Nabob could
see the cleaning lure still fastened be-
tween his fingers. He pulled superhu-
manly. And the mussel was giving
way. 1t was a question which wouls
give first, the mussel or Nabob's
lungs.
A gasp, a terrible heave and Nabob's
head appeared above the water. He
let the poisoned air out of his lungs
and drew in a fresh breath. Then,
clinging to a mangrove on the bank
with his free hand, he continued to
fight. 1t was doubtful even now which
would give tirst-the mussel, Nabob's
strength or the mangrove.
The mussel and the mangrove gave
together. 1t came up out of its oozy
pit just as the tree broke, p%recipitat-
But Nabob soon struggled to his feet
and made for the land again. The
weight of the mussel, heavy though it
was, did not impede him, but his hand
was raw and bleeding and the great
shells were tightly clenched upon it.
Still, freedom "a great, and Nabob,
lying upon his back on the mud, among
the mangrOves, offered up the hearth
est thanks that he knew how.
This done, he looked at the mussel.
And now, to his utter amazement,
it took the form of a trap of steel. 1t
was a trap of steel. And the lure was
quarter, c%unningly fixed in the edges
of the steel wise.
"Oh, Lord" groaned Nabob, who's
set this here thing for me?'
A ringing laugh from among the
bushes answered him, and out of them,
from behind the hut, there stepped Sam
Jack, as large as life, his mouth
stretched as wide as only a Bahaman
negro's mouth can stretch.
You're smart, Nabob," he grinned,
but / guess l was too smart for you.
Whatll | do with you now l got your"
"Lemme go!" yelled Nabob.
Sam Jack stopped over Nabob
fiourishing the knife which Nabob had
plunged into the dummy clothes. Then
he remembered their old partnership
and relented. He pressed the spring
and the trap flew open, leaving Ma.
bob's crushed hand free.
"Forgive me, Sam Jack !" whimpered
Nabob.
THAT'S all right, niger" answered
Sam Jack. "Say, that boat of yours
don't amount to much. Come and be
my pardner again."
Nabob stretched out his crushed
hand and gripped Sam Jacks.