The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-31


he Florida straits, and ON my way
e night in the channel OH Knights
the next day."
mysterious creature ploughing
madly through the dark water,
dragging our pitifully small boat
in its wake. We were far from
land: in fact, we did not know
where we were and could only tell
by the position of the stars the di-
rection OF our general course.
"Once, when night had settled
completely down and We were be-
ginning to feel anxious as to the
outcome Of our adventure, the
lights of vessel twinkled on the
horizon, and filled us with hope
that our troubles would soon be
over. for We were certain it was
the yacht Samoa searching for us.
1t was going south, and when we
came broad side of the vessel We
recognized her as a boat of the
Morgan line, bound for Key West.
Twice more during the night we
passed boats and hailed them, but
they went on their way without
answering our calls. The irony CT
our situation was made manifest
next day when we learned that the
boat we had seen last was really
and truly the Samoa looking for us.
We had passed her twice and she
had failed to discover US.
1T was evident to me that nv
two companions in the boat had
long since had enough of the sport
they were at first SO eager to share
with me. We had been out all day
under the blazing sun without a
bite to eat since breakfast, and with
only one bottle of water in the boat
The strain on their nerves had been
something awful and I could hardly
blame them for wanting to give uI
the chase and get back to their grub
and hunks.
"'See here, capt'n.' they said
what's the use? We can't never
catch that damn thing and get him
to port. Let's cut the lines and lei
the devil CO.
! Not on your life,' I said. I'll
follow that, fish or devil. to hell
or Africa-whichever. way he's
headed but what I'll get him.
Threatens to Shoot Companions t0
Save His Prize.
"IIl be damned if l do ex-
claimed one Of the men, doggedly
Selling an ak he raised it above his
head and was actually going to
chop the lines that held the fish.
1T was no time for parleying
Action was needed if would save
my game and 1 can tell you l got
! into action mighty quick.
Pulling out my pistol l jumped
to guard over the tow lines.
reckoned there was some fire in my
eyes and the fellow saw l meant
business when / said:
"'Cut that line, damn you, and
I'll shoot
We'll. sir, there was nothing
doing right then for quite a spell.
With my finger On the trigger
I looked him square in the eye.
Slowly the ak descended. but not
on the toy lines.
'ShucRs, l was only joshin' you.
capt'n. he said with an attempt at
bravado that was lost on me.
"'Well. l don't admire your
brand Of humor, that's ALL I said.
II l were you I'd cut it out
But l was by no means assured
the by play was intended as joke.
The men were in surly mood and
felt that any weakening on my
part would be taken advantage OF
by them. If l didn't keep a sharp
lookout, I would lose my game, and
can tell you I had no notion OF
letting that happen.
"Fo- the rest of the night, pistol
in hand, and with my finger ON the
trigger, l stood guard over those
tow lines while we rushed wildly
over the dark waters Of an unknown
! sea, towed by that awful monster
We knew nA where.
Capt. Thompson Loses is Pounds
/ As Result Of Strain.
THE nervous strain | was under
was almost intolerable. 1t is a
fact that after had passed through
that terrible experience l found
had lost 16 pounds and had aged 10
years.
You may be sure that the first
faint streaks of yellow light in the
east heartened US greatly, worn oul
as We were by our all-night vigil
for we were ravepously hungry, tir.
ed to death and all but ready to col.
lapse.
THE sun shot up and flooded the
sea with silver light. Eagerly We
scanned the circle Of the distant
horizon, but neither land nor sal
was in sight.
"The monster we had struck had
evidently spent much of its
strength. Already he was begin.
ming to slow down. and was max.
ing ready to strike another har.
poon into his body when l heard 3
shout and felt hand on my arm.