the fifth string- 第14部分

formed；　a　treacherous　spot　for　small

craft；　and　requiring　rare　skill　to　pass

in　safety。



When　Sandy　told　Leander　to　take　the

main　channel；　it　was　with　a　desperate

hope　that　Foley　and　Hildey　would　be

in　doubt；　for　the　moment；　which　skiff　to

follow　as　they　came　out　under　the　bridge。

Within　himself；　he　reasoned　that　this

hesitation；　on　their　part；　would　consume

sufficient　time　to　permit　the　boys　to

gain　a　lead　and　reach　in　safety　the　landing；

two　miles　below。



‘‘The　chances　are　jest　even…Stephen；''

he　said　to　Gilbert；　‘‘though　it　separates

us　from　Leander；　till　we　reach　the　Devil's

Elbow。''



But　alas！　Sandy's　reasoning　failed　him

for　once　this　time。



As　Foley　and　Hildey　came　through

under　the　bridge；　the　former　cried：



‘‘Steer　to　the　right　channel　an'　foller

that　boat；　that's　the　one　the　kid's　in。''



‘‘They're　after　us；　darn　'em；''　said

Sandy；　‘‘but　we're　gittin'　ahead　bully。

Keep　it　up；　Gil；　an'　we'll　come　out　all

right；　see　if　we　don't。''



Dripping　with　perspiration；　and　with

hands　burned　and　blistered；　Sandy　and

Gilbert　were　forging　ahead　and　gaining

on　their　pursuers；　straining　every　nerve

to　increase　their　lead。　As　they　rounded

a　bend　in　the　channel；　Hildey　shouted：



‘‘There's　yer　chance　to　plug　'em；　pard。　Shoot！''



Foley　obeyed；　and　the　boys'　skiff；　which　was

a　metallic　one；　was　bored　through　by　the

pistol　ball。　The　water　poured　through

the　hole；　and　Sandy　shouted　to　Gilbert：



‘‘Drop　yer　paddle；　take　yer　hat　an'

put　it　over　the　leak；　tight　as　yer　kin；

bale　with　the　other　hand；　or　we'll　sink

in　a　minit。　Lily；　sit　up；　so　yer　won't

get　wet；　but　don't　show　yer　head；''

and　with　a　courage　born　of　despair；　Sandy

renewed　his　efforts。



Foley　was　gaining　rapidly；　and　it

seemed　that　only　a　miracle　could　prevent

the　boy's　capture　before　they　reached　the

Devil's　Elbow。



Three　minutes　passed　with　only　the

sound　of　the　lightning…like　dip　of　the

paddles。　Another　short　bend　in　the　channel；

and　a　hundred　yards　ahead　was　the

confluence　of　the　two　currents；　which

were　ever　at　war。



‘‘Keep　on　bailing；　Gil；''　cried　Sandy；

‘‘an'　when　we　git　past　the　Elbow；　if

they're　too　close　to　us；　I'm　goin'　to　use

my　pistol　on　'em；　but　I　don't　want　ter

shoot　till　I　can　make　the　shot　tell　fer　all

it's　worth。　Steady；　Lily；　hold　tight；

Gil；　don't　move；　I'll　git　yer　through

without　swampin'；　'cause　I　knows　every

current　in　the　Elbow。''



Through　the　mad　swirl　of　waters　the

boy　held　his　boat；　and　steered　her　into

the　quiet　tide　beyond。



Leander　and　Dink　were　just　turning

the　bend　of　the　main　channel　an　eighth

of　a　mile　away；　and　the　skiff　containing

Foley　and　Hildey　had　reached　the　outer

current　of　the　eddy。



‘‘Now　you've　got　'em；''　yelled　Hildey；

as　Sandy's　skiff　veered　to　the　left；　not

twenty　yards　from　the　other。



‘‘Not　if　I　knows　it；''　cried　Sandy　as

he　shot　square　at　Foley；　the　ball　going

through　the　sleeve　of　his　coat；　but　leaving

him　unharmed。



‘‘Curse　yer　fer　a　fool！''　came　from

Foley；　dropping　his　paddle　and　standing

up　in　the　skiff；　which　now　had　nothing

to　guide　it　but　Hildey's　exhausted　arm。

The　skiff　was　rocking　violently。　Foley

attempted　to　balance　himself　as　he　raised

his　pistol　to　shoot。　In　a　flash　the　frail　craft

was　caught　in　the　conflicting　currents；　it

careened　and　capsized；　and　the　two　men

were　battling　for　life　in　the　whirlpool。



Sandy　was　so　intent　on　escape　that

he　had　gone　some　distance　down　stream

before　realizing　he　was　no　longer

pursued。　Suddenly　an　agonizing　cry　was

borne　on　the　midnight　air：



‘‘Help！　Help！　I'm　drownin'！''



The　boy　rested　on　his　paddle；　and

scanned　the　river　in　the　direction　of　the

voice。



‘‘Don't　let's　let　'em　drown　like　rats　in

a　hole；''　said　Sandy；　and　he　started　his

boat　back　toward　the　bend。



‘‘Gil；　gimme　yer　pistol。　They　may　be

tryin'　to　play　some　trick　on　us；　an'　if

they　are；　we'll　be　ready　for　'em。''



The　precaution　was　unnecessary；　for

when　they　came　near；　they　saw　the

upturned　skiff　circling　around　in　the　eddy；

its　paddles　bobbing　with　the　waves；　and

the　hats　of　Foley　and　Hildey　slowly

drifting　toward　the　bank。



Leander　and　Dink；　meanwhile；　had

come　up；　and　with　the　other　two　boys

remained　for　fully　half　an　hour　waiting

for　some　sign　of　the　two　robbers；　but

in　vain；　for　far　beneath　the　surface　of

the　water　in　the　maddening　current；　the

ill…spent　lives　of　Foley　and　Hildey　were

ended。　They　were　dead　in　the　cruel

embrace　of　the　Devil's　Elbow。











End