Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-09-22

combcr bigger than its fellows reared
up and slapped a barrel Of water In
BOARD. The next wave swamped her.
sunk to the clamps. Stella held fast
to the top sides. crouching on her knees,
immersed to tho hips In water that
struck chill through her flesh. She
| had the wit to remember and act upon
Jack Fyfe's oaching-namely, to sit
tight and hang on. No sen that ever
ran can sink Il canoe. Wood Is buoy
ant SO long as she could hold on the
submerged craft would keep her head
and shoulders above water. But 1t was
numbing and cold. Fed by glacial
| streams. Roaring lake Is icy In hottest
midsummer.
What with padding and battling and
the excitement OF the struggle, Stella
had wasted no time gazing about for
| other boats. She knew TINT If any one
at the camp saw her rescue would DO
speedily effected. Now, holding fast
and sitting quiet, she looked eagerly
about rs the swampc1 canoe rose log
gily on each wave. Almost Immediate
~ She was hcurtcncd by seeing distinct
ly some sort OF craft plunSing through
the blow. She had not long to wait
after that, for the approaching launch
was lean lined spccdcr, powerfully
engtncd, and she was being forced.
Stella supposed 1t was one OF tho Abbey
runabOutS. Even with her teeth chat
ter1ng and numbncss fastening itself
upon her she shivered at the chances
the man was taking. 1t was no sea for
speed boat to smash into ut thirty
OF, rp
the top Of ono wave and disappear In
a white burst Of spray, slash through
the next and bury itself deep again,
flinging foamy cloud far to port and
starboard. Stella cried futilely to the
man to slow down. She could hang OH
long time yet, but her voice carried
no distance.
After that she had not long to wait
In four minutes the runnbout was with
In n hundred yards, open exhausts
cracking like n machine gun. And then
the Sery thing she expected and dread
cd came about. Every moment she ex-
pectcd to see him drive bows under and
go down. Here and there at intervals
upliftcd comber taller than its fell
lows, standing, just rs 1t broke, like a
green wall. Into one such hoary head
ed sea the white boat now drove like Il
lance. Stella saw the spray leap like
q cascade, saw the solid green curl deep
over the forward deck and engine hatch
and smash the low wind shield She
heard the glass crack. Immediately the
roaring cXhausts died. Amid the whis-
tie Of the wind and tho murInur of
broken water the launch staggered like
a drunken man and mrched Off into the
trough. deep down by the head with the
weight of water she had taken.
The man In her stood up with hands
cupped over his mouth.
Can you hang on awhile longer" he
shouted, eth I can get my boat bailcd 2"
"I'm all right" she called back.
She saw him heave up tho engine
hatch. For minute or two he bniled
rapidly. Then he spun the engine with
out result. He Strengthened up at last,
stood irresolute second and peeled OF
his coat.
Tho launch lay heavily In the trough.
The CANOE rising and clinginy on the
crest Of each wave, was carried for
ward few feet at time, taking the
run of the sea faster than the disabled
feet separated them, but they could
come no nearer, for the canoe was
abeam and slowly drifting past.
Stella saw the man stoop and stand
up with coil of line in his hand. Then
she gnspetl, for he stepped on the coam-
Ing and plunged overheard In a beau |
tiful, arching dive. a second later his
head showed glistening above the gray
water, and he swan toward her with
slow overland stroke. 1t seemed an
age. although the actual time was brief
enough, before he reached her. She
saw then that there was method in his |
madness, Cor the line strung out behind |
him, fast to clcat on the launch. He
laid hold OF the canoe and rested. few
seconds. painting. smiling broadly ut
her.
SORRY that whopplng wave put me
"I'd have had you ashore by now.
Hang OH for a minute" :
He made the line fast to .thwart
near the bow. Holding fast with one
hand, lie drew the swamped canoe up
to the launch. In that continuous roll
1t was no ensy task to get Stella aboard,
but they managed 1t. and presently she
sat shivcring In the cockpit watching
the man spill the water out of the
canoe till 1t rode buoyantly again. :
Then he went to work at his engine
methodicnlly. wiping dry the ignition
terminals and MI the various connec-
lions where moisture could effect a
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