The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

68 SULLIVAN JONES’ BOARDERS. ‘‘No noise, now,’’ he said, tossing the revolver up and down in his hand. ‘Can you guide a boat through these rapids ?’’ Charlie shook his head. You lie!’ said Prior. ‘‘ You know the channel, and you must take us across,”’ A yard beyond rude steps ran down the side of the wall. Prior took the lead, pulling Charlie after him, and Mortlock came behind, tugging ata valise that seemed to be a terribly heavy burden. At the bottom Prior drew a boat from the bushes. ‘They forced Charlie to the middle seat, and then took their places, one at each end. ‘Now, then,’’ said Prior, ‘‘ take those oars, and land us safely on the other side below the Falls. No trifling, now, or you’ll make food for the fishes ;’’ and he handled the revolver in a suggestive way. There was no escape, so Charlie took the oars and pulled out into the current. He was badly scared, but he still had his wits about him, and as the boat glided ahead under his quick strokes he tried to think what to do. The robbers—murderers indeed, no doubt—intended to catch a train somewhere on the other side. The satchel contained the stolen money. They were desperate men, and to thwart them in their plans would be next to impossible. The river was very low, and the channel was extremely perilous. Ljittle wonder the robbers had pressed a guide into their service. Bright as snow in the moonlight the rocks tossed up the foam and spray, but with a cunning hand Charlie steered the boat among them, scraping dan- gerously near at times, and then riding high on the crest of the waves. At his back was Mortlock, with the valise, while Prior faced him, revolver still in hand. | Neither of them spoke as the passage was safely made through the first dangerous rift, and when they reached a bit of calm water, Prior said : ‘“Now mind, young fellow, no nonsense. ‘Take us below the Falls all right, and we’ll land you high and dry on the first island. Some one will _ take you off in the morning. And not a word about this to any one!”’ They were now half a mile above the Rockville Falls. In their rear lay the scattered lights of Dauphin, while ahead, over the top of the great Rock- ville bridge, a silvery white halo reflected from the electric lamps showed where Harrisburg lay, five miles below. A spurt through the rapids again, and the boat shot beneath the bridge. As they neared the Falls and the roar of the water increased, Prior looked about him uneasily. The Rockville Falls are almost an unbroken line of gray rocks that stretch in the form of a crescent a mile and quarter across the river. The channels are known only to the old rivermen, and are dangerous at all times. In the center rises an unusually high group of rocks, running a few yards above the Falls, and splitting the current into two streams, which sweep around it on both sides with terrible velocity. Straight for this point Charlie steered the boat, and as it shot with the swiftness of an arrow directly toward the rocks, both men half rose in alarm. ‘Now, then,’’ Charlie called out loudly above the roar of the water, Eomichook (S@)