University of Oregon monthly., November 01, 1908, Image 12

U niver sity
of
O regon M on th ly
■
With remarkable.coolness, John, Jim and, Harry had remained
behind to giye the women and old men an opportunity to set out in
the boats. They- ha,d helped yiyian and her father into pne of the
little crafts and had anxiously watched them leave the ship. The
little boat, like the others,was borne swiftly away on the waves, a
huge* billow caught it up apd..then alt at once it vanished frosh sight.
Although day was now slowly breaking, nothing more Could be
seep of t h o ^ in the boat.
The /(^burns, forvthe moment, forgot the storm. They were
dazed' with grief. Any ©tie of the three would willingly have sunk
into the waves if byVspjdoing he Oould save her. But now she was
gopej/They stood together, watching the^pbt whefe they had last
B n the boat, but nothing appeared. j
“Look o^t,” ro.ared the isaptain and the three were roused from
their lethargy. 'T,he ship was going to pieces and danger was im­
m in e n t^ fhose<who w&fe left on board/'
^Suddenly, th e , ship gave, a lurch. The mainmast had snapped
ahd was Swept overboard'into the sea. With it went .John, Jim and
Harry, who luckily- v^fe,"caught in the wreckage. They .¡aiuhg ,on
desperately. W ave after wave of salt brine overtook them, pound­
ing1 ruthlessly Upon their stick <o.f timber. They were drenched and
col'd, yet the^held on for fife; Even in their hour of greatest peril
there was one thought that was uppermost in the-mind of each.
"“Was Vivian
Wag there any hope of her getting ashore?*
What an agony they suffered.
As' day dawiied and the storm abated somewhat, they could see
far ahe$.-d-of them the dark outlines of land. The wind was at their
hW^s; ahdflfcey>saw/hat they would be blown, ashore if they could
hold fast ’to their timber. They were hungry, cold and nearly ex­
hausted.
It was nearly poon’ when they felt that they at last were near
enough land to’' wade, ^shpre. “Thank God/’ groaned Harry, “we
are safe at last.”
The. wind had died down and the sun was peeping out from be­
hind the .clouds. The three were weak, but still had strength enough
left to, run down the he£.ch to start the blood hrough their veins;
Not a word was spoken for some time yet each man knew of whom
the other two were thinking. It was unbearable.
Jim had looked out to sea. Something was struggling in the