The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-03-02
Chapter %
Only A Miracle

4 Nd then-Clyde came.
n The perpetual, brain-de-
stroying beating in the jungle had
died down little, in honor Of the
middle Of the night; and from
under it now came a faint, thin
signal from the shore. I stood
frozen for a moment, unable to
believe.
But It sounded again, drifting
across the water on the breeze
with an eerie disfinctness- This
time il was unmistakable. That
thin, two-noted piping was from
the bosun's pipe Clyde carried.
'Starboard " ate III Into the
longboatl Smartly now. smartlyi"
The bosun came stumbling TO
his feet. Whats the matter?
What's up?"
Wake those men upI Get EN-
into the boatl"
Surprise gagged him. He SIAM
meFed as ne muttered an order to
a sleepy seaman, then stood star
ing as if he could not believe that
the man had oaeyed. After a mo-
ment. though, he went wavering
down the deck, hunting out the
rest Of the men. ,.I.s...f
We piled into the long boat, and
as the ears began to find them
selves. | headed straight in-shore
cannon tube and all. Because of
its load. the boat shipped a little
water now. even in the small rip
pies of the bay. Here on the sur
face | thought | could place the
whistle as it came again. But for
4 long time it did not come. until !
was beginning to doubt my own
cars.
Then II last. as my steering wa
vered. It sounded once more. dis
tinct and clear.
Something clicked through the
swing Of the oars as the men
heard that. II wasn't a change IN
stroke, but more as If a deeper
pulse had suddenly begun to beat.
driving Us forward. swung the
nose of the boat TO port.
Every man in the boat must
Lave known the chances we were
taking. especially loaded as we
were. That signal. Clyde's own
whistle though il might be. could
easily have been the batting of a
trap. got hold Of one Of the six
shooters. stuck il in the front Of
my telt, and strained my eyes for
the first sign Of a prau hiding in
the black bar Of shadow on the
beech.
There is no surf in Balingong
bay. | put her in as close as I dared,
then turned and began coasting
the shadows.
Test oars" said at last. I'm
going ashore. Stand on and of for
little bit. and keep me in sight as
long s you can. II there's any
sound Of something going wrong.
cont try 10 follow me. Pull out 70
eie-r water. ana get ready TO make
q running fight back TO the ship"
We were very close in TO the
shadows now. any moment ] ex-
pScted to hear the keel find the
bottom. / was getting ready TO
step into the water, when sud-
denly there was q splashing close
beside US in the shadow, and a
shape doomed svaist-deep. Some
OF the men gave a spasmodic jerk
On their oars. swinging the boat.
And then the figure spoke.
Damn Il. do have 10 chase my
own boat all night?"
| half dragged him aboard as
he fioundered over the transom.
Under my hands I felt a sticky
CLOTHING Of blood.
You're wounded. sirl"
Mind your own business. Star
board oarsl Drive this thing back
to the ship.1 s
Nasty Kris Cut
E0R a while neither 81 US said
: anything. The men were pull
ing hard. giving the sweeps every
thing they had 10 get of that un-
cody beach. Through the sound
of the oars we could hear Clyde
breathing hard. in long shaking
gasps: but he got his breath at
last and lost no time in laying into
me.
What is this cannon tube doing
in the boat?"
Sir. there isn't enough water
10 get the Linkang over the bar.
So ! was getting ready to- fig-
ured the best thing TO do was-I
was all set to-
AN set 20 what7" he demanded
angrily. IF you mean TO tell me
you were going 70 disobey every
order gave you. and land guns"
No, sir
We'll. then, what the hell7'
''Sir, the Avon can cross the bar.
] was going 60 take the Avon"
Those people agreed 20 that"
No. sir. ! wasn't going % ask
them