Part 50 (2/2)
”You haven't even a stick and the fellow has a gun”
”I've got et hold of To Coround that dropped to the e All was dark and nobodypretty sound if that doesn't waken hi the net-beam We'll break in”
Jake picked up a thick wooden bar, and when the door gave way they plunged into the kitchen and Jim struck a match The house was horribly dirty, and old clothes, e lines lay about, as if Shanks had hurriedly sorted his belongings and left those he did not want They found nobody when they went upstairs
”Lance has been here before us,” Jiuns and has et a cart”
”He had his shooting punt and the tide hasn't left the creek yet,” said Jake, and they ran across the one, but there were fresh footain
”The creek winds and he must shove her across the mud in places,” he said ”My punt's on the sands If we are quick, wereeds and rushes, and fell into pools, and hen they reached a hollow at the edge of the sands The bank was steep, but the tide had not left the channel, and Ji in, pulled up the punt's anchor Then he stood on deck, using the pole, while Jake paddled The tide was running out and they drove the punt furiously past belts of h and they could not see across Shanks, however, was not in front; Jiutter that joined the channel farther on They et there first
”Keep it up!” he shouted, as he bent over the pole ”In five minutes we'll be round the bend and can see the bay”
Jake braced himself for an effort and the water foa weed and scu to the level of the flats and its wet slope sparkled in the ht
Jake saw the sandy point that marked the bend and resolved to hold out until they reached the spot
They shot round the bend, and Jim thren his pole In front lay a broad expanse of sand, broken by belts of shi+ning water A flock of oyster-catchers, screaround; but this was all
”Shove her in!” Ji of the channels We'll strike across the flat”
The sand was soft and they labored hard When they were halt-way across, a low, dark object rose above the edge of the bank It was roughly triangular andfast
”Shanks's punt!” said Jake ”He has set the little black lugsail and the wind's fair You can't head hi to try,” said Jim, as now some yards in front; and they pushed on
They were exhausted when they stopped beside a belt of sparkling water, and Jim cried out hoarsely and clenched his fist The channel ider than he had thought, and near the other bank a punt was running doith the tide One could hardly see her low, gray hull, but the tanned lugsail cut sharply against the bank, and its slant and the splash of foa punts are not built to carry canvas, but they sail fast in smooth water when the wind is fair
”We're too late; I don't know if I'm sorry,” Jake remarked with labored breath ”My notion is, Shanks has pulled out for good, and nobody is going to miss him much Wind's off the land, water's smooth, and the tide will run west for three or four hours He'll be a long way down the coast before it turns In theand it looks as if you had lost your shoe”
”So I have!” said Jih the one and he'll find trouble waiting if he comes back”
They set off Both et and dirty, and when they reached Langrigg Jim's foot was sore
CHAPTER XVIII
JIM'S RELEASE
On theafter his pursuit of Shanks, Jim was conscious of a flat reaction dick's story and the exciteet his troubles, but noas cool they returned He had promised to marry Evelyn and found out, too late, that he loved another There was no use in railing at his folly, although this was great, and it was futile to wonder how he had so grossly ht her, but romantic admiration and respect for her fine qualities were not love The i was that she held his proood