The Internet Detective Library — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘d his not a differ- there as if istant on to er, they o the . that *k of and get Auch with the nd ‘he, A STRANGE ATTEMPT AT CAPTURE. 89 He saw at once that the course had been considerably changed, and that they were now headiny directly for an island that lay to the east of the course which he believed to be the right one. The change in the motion of the boat had been due to cutting across the water at a different angle than had been the case before. ‘Well,’’ said Stokes, ‘‘is that Taska?’’ A grunt from the Esquimau seemed to mean yes, and Stokes looked with lively interest at the nearing land. ‘*That doesn’t seem to be like the land described on Mur- dock’s map,’’ thought Stokes. . ‘‘But I suppose it is, and that before long I shall see the buildings connected with the mine.’’ A moment later he said to himself: ‘‘Hither this is not Taska or Murdock’s map is all wrong, for according to the map there should be some kind of a dock and a small building on this southern shore. I can’t see any sign of a dock now.’’ He looked over his shoulder at the skipper, and saw that the Esquimau was holding the boat steadily on her course, evidently with the intention of landing upon this island. ‘‘Are you sure that’s Taska?’’ Stokes inquired. There was again an unintelligible grunt. Stokes might have demanded a clearer answer to his question if it had not been that just then the boat heeled far over as a little gust of wind struck it, and for a moment it rocked violently. Stokes saw what the trouble was. The water was getting shal- low as they neared the shore, and that made the waves rougher. The land also caused the wind to blow irregularly, and the skip- per apparently was not attending carefully enough to his work. At the same moment, too, the foresail sheet gave way, leaving the sail flapping and making it possible that if another gust of wind should come unexpectedly the boat would capsize. Knowing just what had to be done, Stokes gave up any attempt to question the skipper, but crept out upon the little bowsprit, caught the sail and with considerable difficulty made it fast again. {t was the one thing to do at the time, and while it was being done there was no possibility of questioning the skipper. It took so much time that when at last the sail was made fast again the boat was very near the shore. A glance in that direction showed Stokes that there was a row- boat hauled up on the beach. This showed that the land was occupied, and the probabilities seemed, therefore, that it really was the island of.Taska. ‘‘See here!’’ Stokes cried, ‘‘where do you intend to land ?”’ EGOMEE JOO SiC