Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1917-11-15
CHAPTER vil-continued.

However. our conversation lapsed ut
last. through sheer WEAKNESS on my
part. ! had been at the steering oar
50 !5Dg, staring out into that drear ex-
pahs2 of ocean and sky, that every
hu~:le of my body ached, and my eyes
coEll scarcely be forced to remain
open. In the silence she must have no.
tced this for she exclaimed suddenly:
"vshy, never thought! you must be
veal'ly dead with fatigue. Let me take
che oar while you Sleep"
Il am AFRAID l shall have to-" I ad-
s:s.lcd, "for 1 must keep awake to-
hight. You feel competent?"
"Why. Of course; you .aw lie steer.
u anything goes wrong can call YOU
Hnsily enough. Please lie down for a
eew hours"
I looked about, permitting her to
grasp the oar, and slip into my seat.
"Really feel as if 1 must" said
ReSrcsfully, "and there can be no dam
Ser while things keep as they are. Call
Me. though, if there is n change in the
Wes cher, for that jury mast will never
etand any weight of wind"
Il promise; but am better boat
man than you think"
must have slept for several hours
sndisturbed, for. when l finally opened
Fay eyes once more the sky above us
was beginning to turn purple with twi-
Night, and the breeze had failed, so that
RAe sail tapped idly against its impro-
~!sed mast. This, perhaps, was the
teoise which had aroused me. sat up
tside awake instantly, and stared about
ttae In the boat. There was little
change noticeable; Miss Vera still
Hl'1ng to the steering oar, showing no
vutward signs Of WEAKNESS, and greet
Fd me with smile and nod of the
head; but Mccain had moved forward,
sud sat playing idly with an open jack
Anife.
II bear testimony that you slept we'll,
atr. Hollis" the girl said cheerfully.
Il did not realize until 1 lay down
how weary was," replied, adopting
Rser manner, "but really you had no
Night to let me lie so long. Why, I
must have been sleeping three or four
Aours, and you will be tired out"
| "Oh, no; 1t was no trick ut all. The
wind kept steady until just few mo-
ments ago. and I do not feel in the
Aeast fatigued."
"And you have seen nothing? no
smoke, no sail?"
She shook her head, her eyes grown
Dfave.
"Not thing; we seem to be abso-
ltitely alone in the immensely of the
,sea-just one great wave after the
other. lit gets on my nerves."
1T certainly Dies; such a sight has
driven more tkan one insane But
what does this mean? Why is the bis
leuit bag out here?"
pointed to the bottom of the boat,
beyond her feet. Her eyes met mine,
her answer made in whisper.
"He-he crept back here while I was
Adjusting my oar, and took two"
''McCann2"
eyes. he had the bag before no
taced. and thought it best not to anger
him then, for he held that open knife
N Ms hand"
"You should have called me-"
1.-THE mischief was done before had
any time. Besides knew you needed
the sleep. What are you going to do?'
I smiled bit grimly, glimpsing him
beneath the sail.
II am about to give Mr.. Fergus Nc.
Gam. late of New York, little speci.
pen Of sea discipline which hope may
asst him for the remainder of this voy'
age" replied quietly. "Hold the boat
sseady, Miss Vera. and leave me to at.
&end to this degenerate son of wealth.
I crept forward. scarcely Earring the
rail craft, and was beyond the Jury
mast before the fellow had aroused
sufficiently from his knife play even tc
note my approach. He stared at me in
solently. leaving the keen blade trem
bling in the plank.
'McCann," began. wasting no tim,
In preliminaries. lifting myself on on,
knee. and facing him. "the young lad,
says you took advantage Of my beinI
sound asleep to help yourself to bis
cults: Is that so7"
"Well. what II did7 I was hungry.
$50 sm I; SO no doubt is the lady
Tor tho inntter OF that. Hunger is n
qualification for stealing. You wer
not starving: you received exactly tn
same share we did. More than that,
have assumed rymmand 1T this boa