The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-09-25

from me sue the .oat swiftly passed
the line of the shadow and melted into
the night. Nellie sat at the stern with
the tiller ropes clutched in her soft
palms. From the deck of the El Rio
came the roar of tumult. Men shouted
and swore and pistols and rifles
cracked. The balls whistled perilous-
ly close to the fugitives.
A new sound arose and Bunker
swore aloud. They're getting the
boats out" he gritted. "We've got to
hurry. Do you know where to 60. Miss
Archman?"
desperately to pierce the darkness
mo" she gasped T-I-everything
10 SO dark"
Lucky for us 1t isl They'd run us
down in no time If they could see u.s."
The captain looked behind him. Port
your helm" he cried. Hard aportl
Quickr"
Nellie did not understand but she
obeyed the order instinctively and the
boat swung round at a right angle
| just in time, for as 1t veered its side
grated against a point of rock, and
Nellie saw with a shudder that what
she supposed was bank Of clouds was
a line Of low, overhanging cliffs that
edged the shore.
"steadyi'' ordered the captain.
Nov, Carr, two strong strokes and
then lie on your oars and keep quiet"
The boat shot forward with renewed
impetus then slowed somewhat as the
oars ceased to drive 1t on. But 1t did
not stop. Carr watching the stars
above the line of cliffs, saw that 1t was
still moving quietly. 1--WE seem to be
in a current" he muttered, almost In
audibly, In the captains ear.
eve are. There's a six-mile current
along here, taking us right along. It'll
take us to the place where our party
landed today. If we can get there be-
fore the moon gets over the top Of the
mountain we'll probably get away.
Watch for the break in the sky line /;
you won't be able to fnd 1t any other
way. And now we'd better keep
quiet"
The moon shone vividly on the El
Rio, but the pursuing boats had passed
Into the heavy shadow of the island
and the mountain and were invisible.
The fugitive boat drifted silently
guided by the rudder and now and then
by a cautious almost inaudible move
ment of Captain Bunker's oars.
Abruptly Nellie moved uneasily and
looked behind. They're coming this
way" she murmured.
The confused noises of the pursuers
oars had separated themselves. One
set had grown louder. Between the
strokes the sound of the others could
be heard more and more family. Un
doubtedly the boats had separated and
one was seeking for the fugitives In
the right direction. And 1t was fast
coming nearer.
! Cautiously Captain Bunker urget
the skin on, moving his oars SO silent
; ly that the others could scarcely hea
) them. Even the drops from the blade
) on the return stroke fell so short
distance they made no sound.
We've got to keep silent" he whis
, pered. ''If they hear us they'll catcl
us quicker'n lightning. Watch for tina
cash in the cliff We ought to b.
mighty near 1t now"
AHc pursuing DOht Was very uedI
+. Feverishly the three in the ski
) scanned the ragged line Of cliff tina
was beginning to show more plainl,
against the sky as the moon, still ris
. ing behind the mountain, cast it's sheer
, over the sky.
J Suddenly Carr moved. There 1t is,'
} he muttered. --as ss-f-
cash, rapidly widening, showed II
the sky line. With swift but eau
. tious stroke Bunker headed the boa
! inward
But Nellie leaned forward with {
gasp. Suppose they are going in
/ too," she painted. Suppose they thinl
we are trying to join mother2"
'Then they'll catch us. unless we ge
! ashore and hide" said Captain Bunker
| as he lay back on the oars and heave,
nightly.
Inward the boat shot, into blacke
gloom. Floating silently between th'
rocky walls the three dimly saw thu
, pursuing boat dash across the moutl
) Of the cash and heard, above the rat
} tie of the oars, the voice of the cox
t swain melting the men to greater ef
forts.
: Quickly the sound died as the boa
} shot past the edge of the cash. Thel
Bunker drew q long breath. "Toucl
, and gol" he said. plunging his oars Il
. the water. "Come on, Carri The
. can't hear US now. Careful, Miss Mel
: lie, watch the sky line and try to kee
: us in the middle of the channel"
!. Nellie obeyed. She detected the bs
! ginning of the curve In the course @
: the DETECTION of the sky line an
: steered the boat around the curve an
into the straight way to the beaci
: Then she uttered 4 cry. '1They'r
l here" she breathed. Mothers here T
= On the sand. not score of fee
l. away, the dying embers of tiny fir
) were Pickering.