The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 71: what you’re looking at

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

THE TRACK OF MIDNIGHT. 263 He held out his hand, and Johnson grasped it. ‘Good luck,’’ he said, and Douglas strode rapidly away. _ Johnson piled up all the dry wood he could find upon the fire, and peered anxiously towards the dark line half way across the flood. The minutes dragged until it seemed that hours had passed since his comrade went away. He listened for any sound which would tell him that the two women were still living, or that Douglas was safe ; but nothing came to him save the crackling of the fire and the roaring of the water. He stood up and uttered a long coo-ee. ‘Then he heard two voices, high and shrill, answer him across the flood, and another from up the stream. ‘Help is coming !’’ he shouted, and dimly heard, but could not under- stand, the answer from the humpy. When he left Johnson, Douglas walked as rapidly as he could along the bank, until he came toa spot opposite and ina line with the trees among which the humpy stood. ‘The light of the fire showed distinctly across the water, and he saw that the stream was narrower where he was and flowing with a tremendous current. Stripping off his boots and coat, he tied the length of rope round his waist. Then he plunged in, striking out with all his strength diagonally across the river, the current carrying him along with fear- ful velocity. Around him the water bubbled and boiled, and logs floating with the current threatened a greater danger than the flood. But he wasa strong, able swimmer, and he was well in the center of the stream when he saw the clump of trees immediately before him. The rush of water, as it approached the obstacle to its course, divided, and the hardest part of his task was to prevent himself being carried out again. He was spun round in the eddies and almost dragged under as he neared the trees ; then he seemed for a mo- ment to have got into still water, and in another second he was clinging, breathless and well nigh exhausted, to the branches of a standing tree. The force of the current was no longer so tremendous, and as soon as he had recovered his breath he struck out slowly and swam gently from tree to tree until he saw the shadow of the humpy roof loom ahead of him. A few more strokes and he was alongside of it, and, grasping a projecting sapling, he clambered on to it and upon the sloping bark. ‘‘ Where are you?’’ he gasped, fearful as he heard no one that he was too late. ‘“Mr. Douglas !’’ Mary exclaimed as she recognized his voice. ‘* Yes,’’ he panted. ‘Oh, Narli, we are saved !’’ she cried. He struggled and clambered to the side where the two were clinging. Then he shouted out the words that told Johnson the fight was won so far. CHAPTER XIX.—CouRAGE WINS. Ir was evident that nothing more could be done until morning, and Douglas shouted over to Johnson that they were quite safe until the dawn. He kept the fire blazing, and the gleam of it was some small comfort to the three who were clinging to the humpy roof. Otherwise they had but little to cheer CONNICLOOLKS. CO) |