Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-18

saw him, propped against a rock, one
arm dangling uselessly, his face
streaming with blood. AT his feet
another man held a hand to his side
and breathed with a whistling noise.
They had been under the boat when
it made it's final turn and grounded
bottom up on the sand.
The captain worked himself upright
with an effort of will that brought
beads of cold Precipitation to his frost.
blackened forehead. He set his jaw.
He lifted the tiller feebly and touched
a man with it and then inched along
and prodded another. They answered
with grunts or hacking coughs. 1t
was pleasant on the sand, warm, and
there was an instructive knowledge
that danger was over for the imme-
date hour.
The captain croaked, chose men
will need DOCTOR" He stared bleakly
at the injured. For that matter, all
of them would need a doctor. Some
would unquestionably lose fingers or
toes. Some would go down with hot.
quick fevers. A doctor and warm
food and shelter must be found. He
got to his knees, tried to stand, but
his outraged legs gave way. He had
been sitting for hours, many. many
hours. He found he could not even
straighten his body while lying side.
wise on the sand. The appren&ce was
upright, looking round. All, youth!
The sun, the warmth. and the feel
of land under him sent surges of
strength into the boy. The captain
stared at him and groaned, gathering
his will.
After Il while. he made an effort to
80 ,1I L. Rzn
the boy to his side. Together they
perhaps frozen muscles. He got up,
at last, swaying and bending at the
knees, but with his eyes hard with
purpose. The apprentice had found
an opened can of beef washed up and
was boiling the food. despite its soak
ing of salt water. He offered the
captain some, but the older man
waved in negation. What he needed
was sleep, ages and ages of Sleep He
leaned on the boys shoulder and start
ed for the distant. stunted trees.
might he some one there" hs
coughed. We've got to see. The men
need help . we all need help"
He laughed. or tried to. The boy said
suddenly. there's something. sir,
Some houses or huts."
gether. Presently the captain saw
what the boys keen eyes had seen.
some rude-looking shelters of boughs
and what might have been skins. Al
most at the same time there c1me
faint and far-away cry. and black dots
appeared among the trees and adj.
vanced cautiously. After an inter
minable time, SO it seemed. a crowd Of
flat-featured men surrounded him. He
mumbled at them. He pointed back
to where his men lay. inert and soaked
in the sun. Inperceptibly the pride
Of command steadied his voice, forced
his Keeling senses to behave
The apprentice was whispering in a
frightened voice: "What are they go
ing to do? Kill us. sir?"
The captain patted his shoulder He
didn't know. He hoped not. They
looked down the beach and saw the
men lying there. Some of them had
started off. What We're they? Natives
Of some sort. All, there was a white
man coming. A tall and bony man in
rough clothes was running toward;
them. Everything was all right now.
The captain nodded gravely to him
self. The bony man said something
quickly about being a trapper. and
then the captain failed to hear or
see him. He had slipped Imply from
the apprentices side to the sand. He
lost consciousness. with the absurdly
foolish feeling of being grateful that
it was now permissible for him to
do so.
fCopyright 1877