Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 June 1904 — With & Fourth Reef [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

With & Fourth Reef

By SIDNEY H. COLE

Harriet Atherton stood on the end of the frail little pier, looking over ths choppy water of the bay flecked wltr angry, hissing whltecaps. Save for these touches of white the water had taken on the leaden hue of the low clouds which hung the sky. The wind whipped her skirts about smartly and took untoward liberties with her hair, blowing'a fragrant brown strand now this way, now that, In charming abandon and bringing the color to her cheeks and the sparkle to her eyes at the tliodgbt of a sail In wind and water like these. On either side of the pier was a catboat, triple reefed, and in either catboat was a young man prepared to buffet the gale in the open water outside. “Am' I going out?” cried Harriet in response to a query from Stanley Drake. “Indeed I aip. It’ll be gorgeous. Rail under, shower bath with every sea and glorious shivers every time she heels to a flaw. You don’t Imagine I’d let a chance like this go by. do you?” "And who’s the locky man?” called John Frisby from the other boat “I believe I’m scheduled for your supercargo, Jack,” she laughed. “All right” he said. “I’ll be ready in a trice.” He scrambled from the cockpit and began to pat another reef in the sail. “What’s that for?” she asked sharply. “Yon,” he answered simply. “I’m not taking any chances if you are going.” “If you won't take me along just as you were going yourself I won’t go,” she announced. “I should have put in the fourth reef anyway,” he said. Her lips curved disdainfully. She looked at Drake’s sail. He was preparing to start with three reefs. “Three reefs I’ll go with you,” she said to Frisby. “I'm afraid you won’t go then,” he said calmly as he continued tying the stops. “This is a four reef zephyr.” “I’m going out with three reefs,” she said impatiently. “Not with me,” he remarked with a firmness that surprised her. She had known Jack Frisby for five years, and during those five years her word had been law to him. She had never seen him like this before. It piqued her pride, and a stubborn gleam came into her eyes. * “You’re afraid,” she mocked. “I am,” he assented cheerfully. “Then I shall go with some one who isn’t timid.”

"Frisby aaid nothing, but in deter- ■ mined fashion continued hia reefing. Drake was all ready to, atari. “Oh, Stanley,” she called, “I think m go with you. may I?” “Come on,” said Drake with a grin In Frisby’s direction. He helped her aboard, and they went heeling out over the bay. Frisby, under four reefs, followed. HIB face, still bard and set, gave no hint of the tumult in bis mind. Wltb the tiller In one hand end the straining sheet In the 'Other, he ’ followed Drake’s catboat Afcoss the bay. He could see the spray Wine over tier bows In bucketfuls as the wash struck her, and with every flaw she lay over until her boom dipped. He saw Harriet close to Drake in the cockpit, and once, when the flaw heeled them over more than usual, he heard the girl’s little scream and her nervous laughter after it He shut bis teetlh. “Don’t wonder the papers get plenty of scare beau drownings,” he growled. “It’s such girls as she makes ’em,” he added bitterly.

At the other side of the little bay they came about and headed for the open sea. Frisby followed suit Despite his extra reef he held his own with them. When they passed the point the full strength of the gale struck them. They had gone but a short distance when a flaw bore down upon them. Frisby was looking anxiously ahead at the moment. He saw Drake endeavor to let his sheet run, and at the same moment he saw the sheet had jammed in one of the blocks. In a second Drake’s catboat was over.

Frisby ran alongside, cAught sight of a brown head in the water and pulled Harriet r board. For several anxious moments he waited. Then from under the sail Drake’s white face came to the Burface. Frisby ran forward and managed to pet i hold on the hair. For a

heartbreaking minute It seemed the Bea would tear Its prey from him, but grimly he kept his hold and finally landed the unconscious man on the deck beside him. His efforts to get clear of the sail had exhausted Drake. He lay In the cockpit white and breathing faintly. Frisby came about and started back. He turned to the girl, his eyes blazing. “Take the tiller and keep this course,” he said harshly. “Ease off the sheet when it flaws. I guess you’ve done for him,” he added brutally as he bent over Drake. He worked over the unconscious man, and when at last the eyelids opened waveringly he pot his brandy flask between Drake’s teeth. Then he turned to the girl. She stood heroically at the tiller, wet, disheveled and shivering pitifully, while great tears rolled down her cheeks. “Keep yourself together,” Frisby said sharply. “Better take some’orandy.” She shook her head miserably. Frisby caught the tiller and held out the flask. “Take it; it is medicine,” be said shortly. Meekly she obeyed. They rounded the point again, and in the shelter of, the bay the force of the gale was materially diminished. Frisby looked at the huddled figure of the girl beside him. He saw she was sobbing. A sudden contrition gripped him. “Good Lord!” he gasped. "I didn't know I was such a brute—that is, I didn't know it would come to the surface in this way.” “I—l always wanted you to stand out against my—my foolish whims,” she said, “and when you did—l was angry—because you did what I wanted you to do, Jack.” The last word came in a tone of pathetic entreaty. Frisby’s pulse quick ened. “I’ve asked you a hundred times to marry me,” he said. “Now I demand it” “I’m too wicked to marry anybody,” '.j not.” he replied sternly. «“I*4 marry you anyway,” she said •Tlx .TJl*6;e coughed weakly and raised Iltanjt on an elbow. ’“Wtiere am I?” he asked. “In % boat with four reefs, thank heav4ri,” Frisby replied.

FBISBY BAH ALONGSIDE AND P[?]LLED EARRIET ABOARD.