Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-14

forward part which thrust clear us
she topped sea and twist 1t aside.
tending always to throw her liyCalSidc
into the trough. Spray began to splash
aboard. The seas were SO short and
steep that the canoe would rise
over the crest of n tail one and dip
its how deep In the next or leap clear 10
strike with slap that made Stclla's
heart jump She had never undergone
quite that rough and tumble expert
ence in small craft. She was being
beaten further ont aud down the lake,
and her arms We're CROWN: tired. Nor
was there any slackening Of the wind.
The combined rain aud slaps Of spray
soaked her thoroughly. A paddle gath
cred about her knees IN the lli!gc, sloSll-
ing fore and aft rs the craft pitched,
killing the natural huoyancy of the
canoe. SO that she dove harder Stella
took n chance. ceased padding and
balcd with a small can. She got
tossing that made her head swim
Willie she lay in the trough And when
she tried to head up into it again one
combcr bigger than its fellows reared
nj 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- the hips in water thar
struck chill through her flesh. She
had the wit to remember and act upon
Jack Fyfes coaching namely, to sit
tight and hang on. No sea that ever
ran can sink 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
|, mid simmer. 81
What with padding aud bailing and
the excitement Of the struggle, Stella
had. wasted no time. gazing about for
other boats. She knew that If any one
at the camp saw her rescue would be
speedily effected. Now, holding fast
and sitting quiet she looked eagerly
about as the swamped canoe rose log
gily on each wave. Almost Immediate
lssfy she was heartened by seeing distinct
ly some sort of craft plunging through
the blow. She had not long to wait
after that, FOR the approaching launch
was lean lined speetler powerfully
engined, and she was being forced.
Stella supposed itwns one Of the Abbey
runabouts. Even with her teeth chat.
tering and numbness fastening itself
upon her she Shivered at the chances
the man was taking. 1t was no sea for
speed boat to smash into at thirty
miles an hour. She saw it shoot Off
the top of one wave and disappear In
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 ham, ON
n long time yet, but her voice carried
no distance.
After that she had not long to wait
In four minutes the runabout was with
in hundred yards, open exhausts
cracking like machine gun. And then
the very thing she expected and dread
ed came about Every moment she ex-
pected to see him drive bows under and
go down. Here and there ut intervals
uplifted a comber taller than its fol
lows, standing. just as it broke, like a
green wall. Into one such hoary head
| ed sea the white boat now drove like a
| lance. Stella saw the spray leap like
a cascade, saw the solid green curl deep
I over the forward deck and engine hatch
and smash the low wind shield. She
heard the glass crack. Immediately the
roaring exhausts died. Amid the whis-
! tie of the wind and the murmur OF
broken water the launch staggered like
drunken man and lurched or into the
trough, deep down by the head with the
weight of water she had taken.
Tho man In her stood up with hands
cupped over his mouth.
Can You hang on awhile longer" he
shouted, "till l can get my boat bailcd p
I'm all right" she called back.
/ (TO BE CONTINUED