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


up ana slapped II barrel OF water In
board. The next wave Swampcd her.
Sunk to the clamps. Stclia held fast
to the top sides, crouchlng OH her knees,
immersed to tho hips In water that
struck II chill through her flesh. She
had the wit to remember and act upon
Jack Fyfe's oaching-namcly, to sit
tight and hang on. No sea TINT ever
ran can sink canoe. Wood Is buoy
ant. So long rs she could hold on the
submerged craft would keep her head
and shoulders above water But It 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 that If any one
at the camp saw her rescue would be
speedily effected. Now, holding fast
and sitting quiet, she looked eagerly
about rs the swanpcd canoe rose log
gily on each wave. Almost immediate.
ly she was hcurtcncd by seeing distinct
ly some sort OF craft plunging through
the blow. She had not long to wait
was lean lined spcetlcr, powerfully
engincd. and she was being forced.
Stella supposed 1t was one OF the Abbey
runabouts. Even with her teeth chat
terlng and numbncss fastening itself
upon her she Shivcred ut the chances
the man was taking. 1t was no sea for
a speed boat to smash into ut thirty
miles an hour. She saw 1t shoot Off
the top of one wave and disappear In
white burst Of spray, slash through
the next and bury itself deep again,
ninging Il foamy cloud far to port and
starboard. Stella cried futilcly 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 hundred yards, open exhnusts
cracking like II machine gun. And then
the rcry thing she expected and dread
cd came about. Every moment she cX-
pcctcd to sec him drive bows under and
go nown. Here and there ut intervals
upliftca comhcr taller than its fell
lows. standing, Just rs 1t broke, like
green wall. Into one such hoary head
ell sea the white boat now drove like n
lance. Stella saw the spray leap like
a 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 cNhausts died. Amid the whis-
tie OF the wind and tho murmur of
broken water the launch staggered like
drunken man and lurchcd Off into the
trough. deep down by the head with the
weight of water she had taken.
The man I'm her stood up with hands
cuppcd over his mouth.
"Cnn YOU hang on awhile longer" he
shouted, "till I can get my boat bnilcd p
"I'm MI right" she called bnck.
She saw him hcave up tho engine
hatch. For minute or two he builcd
rapidly. Then he spun the engine with
out result. He Strengthened up at last,
stood irresolute Il second and peeled Off
his coat
The launch lny heavily In the trough.
The CANOE rising and cliuglng OH the
crest Of each wave, was carried for
ward few feet at time, taking the
run Of the scn faster than the disabled
motorhont SO now only n hundred odd
feet separated them, but they could
come no nearer, for the canoe was
abenm and slowly drifting past.
Stella saw the man stoop and stand
up with coil OF line in his hand. Then
She gnsped. for he stepped Oh the coam-
Ing and plunged overheard In beau
tiful, arching dive. a second later his
head showed glistcning above the gray
In Il
slow overland stroke. 1t seemed nm
age. although the actual time was brief /
enough, before he reached her. She
saw then that there was method in his |
madness, for the line strung out behind |
him, fast To clcat on the launch. lie
laid hold of the canoe and rested q few
seconds. painting. smiling broadly ut |
her.
Sorry that whopping wave put me |
out OF commission" he said Mt last. |
I'D have had you ashore by now. |
Hang on for Il minute"
He made the line fast to thwart
near the bow. Holding fast with one
hand, he drew the swampcd canoe up
to the launch. In that continuous roll
1t was no cnSy 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 ut his engine
methodicnlly. wipins dry the ignition
terminals aud all the various connec-
tons where moisture could effect
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