Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-02-02
breakers foamlng AZ the ro0t Of the

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and stood grouped about the deck
ready for the first thrilling plunx.
into adventure. My aunt and Mis.
Browne had tied huge green wells Owe
their cork helmets. and were ciump
Ing about In tremendous h0bnailet
boots. All the Luggage / was allowed
to take was in a travelling bag and 2
gunny-sack. ~obligingly donated by the
cook. Speaking Of cooks. | found We
had one Of our own. Il coal-black ne
gro with g~rizzled wool an unctuous
voice and the manners OF an old-school
family retainer. SO far as | know his
name was Cookie. / suppose he had
received another once from his spon.
sors In baptism. but If so, IL was bur
led In Oblivion.
Now a narrow cleaning gap ap-
peared In the wall Of cliffs. and the
freighter whistled and lay to. There
began a hustle at the davits. and
shouts OF Lower away" and for the
first time 1t swept over me that we
were to be put ashore In boats. Aunt
Jane burst u IN lamentation. She
would not, could not go In a boat.
She had heard all her life that small
boats were most unsafe. Why didn't
the captain sail right up TO the island
as she had expected and put us
ashore Even at Panama with only a
little way 10 20 she had felt Ii suicidal
here II was not TO ~ thought of.
But the preparations for his des-
perate step went on apace. and no one
hreded AUNT Jane but Mr.. Tubbs. who
had FASTENED 10 succor beauty II dis
tress.
Then Aunt Jane clutched at Mr..
Shaw's coat lapel rs he went by. and
he stopped long enough TO explain pa-
iiently that vessels OF the freighter's
size could not enter the bay, and that
there really was no danger, and that
Aunt Jane might wait II she liked fill
the last boat. as IL would take several
trips to transfer us and our baggage.
| supposed OF course that this would
include me, and stood leaning ON the
rail. watching the first boat fade to a
dark speck on the water, when Mr..
yane appeared at my elbow.
Ready. Miss Harding? You are
TO go in the mex boat with me. !
asked especially"
"Oh, thanks :" | cried f%erventlx. lie
would be much nicer than Mr.. 1mbbs
10 cling to as / went down-imleed. he
was So tail that If It were at all a
ehalIov, ,I..a p,f0bt ,.pa If,,, nc N
stepping-sfone- and surxixe-Lheped |
drowning men didn't gurgle very much
meanwhile Mr.. vane had disap-
over the side. and a sailor was
lifting me and setting my reluctant
feet on the strands of the ladder.
"Good-by. auntie :" | cried, as | be.
gan the descent. Don't blame your
self too much. Everybody has got TO
90 some time. you know, and they say
irowning's easy"
With Il stlied cry Aunt Jane for
so6k Mr.. Tubbs and flew to the rail. |
was already out Of reach.
"Oh. Virginia =" she walled. "0h.
my dear child! II it should be The
last parting"
Give my iewelry and things tol
Bess, baby - / Observation-Disclosures
back. Then the arms of the Honor
lbleZ Mr.lNaHe= received nle.-The
strong rOwers benz their backs and
he boat shot out over the mile or two
II bright water between us and the
Great slow swells lifted us.
We dipped with a soothing. cradle
Ike motion. | forgot to be afraid. in
he delight Of the warm wind that
our cheeks, of the ~moonbeams
hat on the crest of every ripple were
'plintered e a thousand dancing
lights. | forgot fear, forgot Miss Hig-
glesby-Browne, forgot the harshneSs
" the Scotch character.
.Oh. glorious, %glorIous.- I cried to
'uthbert vane.
Not SO dusty, eh?" he came back
II their ridiculous English slang. Now
IN American would have said "Some
little old noon that :" We certainly
nave our points OF superiority.
All around the island white charg-
ng lines Of breakers foaned ON rag
red h%alf-seen reefs. Now our boat
the lift Of the great shoreward
and sprang forward like a liv-
thing. The other boat. empty Of
III hut the rowers and returning from s
he island TO the ship. passed us with
hail. We were IN the little bay I'M
Ter the shadow of the frowning clins.
Al the head of the bay, "A quarter
# a mile away. lay a broad white
reach shining under the moon At
he edge Of lark woods beyond a fire
burned redly. Ii threw into relief the1
lack moving shapes of men upon the
and.
Straight for the sand the sailors
Irove the boat. She struck IL with a
ar, grinding forward heavily. The
nen sprang overheard. wading half
To the waist. And the arms OF
Honorable Cuthbert vane had
Matched me up and were bearing me
and dry TO shore.
MIR. Shaw approached and the two
men greeted each other in their on
and British way o As we couldn't
vall nn1er the circumstances mimi /,