The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1942-05-07
CHAPTER 1

lithgo, N. Y, the Hudson's east
bank retreats to the base of {
steep hill, and the current sets
strong inshore; but the beach i:
hard sand, it's descent gradual.
The spot is loved by bathers
From mid-May to terms end, any
local truant officer would save
time by coming here in search Of
school dodgers, and from sum
mer vacations start to its finish
every afternoon sees swimmers
arrive in force.
What few seasons see is a hui
man being on that hill to the rear
It is heavily wooded, commands
no view save strip of river.
Yet somebody was at pause
there this day in June.
He might have belonged to the
silent brotherhood of rocks, for
he possessed all their protective
coloring.
His clothes were gray.
Hat off he showed gray name
around the bald dome of his
pointed head.
Gray was his thin, clean-shav-
en- face with its mere slit of a
mouth and Dubious nose, and
gray were his eyes that peered
through horn trimmed spectacles
-peered restlessly up river where
the current made a curve to the
bathing beach.
His lips framed inaudible
words:
cit ought to be here any min
ute"
And again:
"They ought to arrive soon."
That cit" was apparently some
thing expected by water, for it
was mentioned when the cold eyes
gazed north.
The "they" must have meant
swimmers, because this pronoun
formed itself when a frowning
glance secured the still untenan-
ted shore below the hidden watch
er's perch -.
The beach wasn't long empty.
Tedy Martin appeared, and
Skinny Smith. The boys stripped.
Hugging themselves, they regard
ed the river. The watcher regard
ed it, too. His eyes turned anx-
iously northward again, but his
ears remained alert.
''Wonder how the water is"
Lets try it."
''Not on your life! Bud Harri-
son'd raise Cain if we went in a.
head O. him."
Younger patrons Of the place,
these dared not offend juvenile
etiquette by plunging in before
their seniors reached here.
Through the still June air, their
voices mounted distinctly to the
watcher on the hill. Buzzing in
sects provided the only other
sound.
Skinny began to throw stones
at the Hudson. A contest develop
ed. Among his trees the watcher
growled curses at the empty river.
Teddy suffered defeat.
"Mebbie you kin throw farther,
but I betcha can't throw as sure.
I kin hit mark more times'n
you"
"Ain't nothin' to throy at"
"Take a tree"
"In the river, mean. I'm talk
in about a movin' mark :"
At his hiding place, the watch
er, keen eyes once more peering
northward, uttered a deep sigh.
Half relief, half doubt. For he saw
something up there where the
current understanding eth
er hoped for, or feared.
Below, unsuspicious Teddy also
saw it. Black. Between five and
six feet long. Half submerged.
Bobbing senselessly.
'That log'll do"
The clog" pranced shoreward,
sided, spun around. Then it came
on again, and again retreated. A
merry log, it was performing a
sort of dance, but its capers to-
ward land were longer than those.
backward.
Skinny threw - wide Teddy
jeered - and threw no better i
The secret observer stopped
looking upstream. His attention
concentrated on those marksmen
and their mark.
"Confounded little fools!" "a
watch consulted-"the big ones
were here this time yesterday"
Only some go feet offshore now,
that log.
Dragged Skinny: ''Stand back,
Ted, an femme show you how"
ooh. but if gifts nearer every