FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102  
103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>  
ld send the water lapping around their horses' feet. Jim recognized the danger. They must get around that promontory or give up beaten. Then he gave Caliente a touch with a spur, the first that day. With a snort, the spirited animal sprang forward faster than before and at his shoulder was the chestnut with flaming nostril. None too soon had they reached the headland, for the recurrent waves were beginning to surge against it, with full force and gnawing foam. In the fierce fury of their charge, they sent their horses against the sea. It was at the long withdrawal that made bare the scattered black rocks, that they rounded the headland. But too soon a great thundering wave with the force of the Pacific behind it came roaring in and swelled to the horses' throats, almost submerging the riders. But the animals held against its withdrawing power and before the ocean could return to the attack, they had got beyond the headland to a safe place on the beach. The horses were trembling and quivering with their exertions and with the fear of the sea which is the most terrible and paralyzing of all fears. Jim drew a long breath of relief and looked ahead to see if there was any sign of Jo. Then to his consternation he saw that the beach curved inland and at the further end of the curve was another frowning headland thrusting itself out somewhat further than the one they had but just rounded. CHAPTER XXIII THE ENCHANTED ISLE Let us now return to the Sea Eagle, and find out what is happening there. You recollect that Juarez had just discovered two islands lying on the South-eastern horizon, the one, long and low, the other comparatively short and dumpy. He had been conversing with the tall shepherd of the island, who seemed to take an interest in Juarez. But because of his isolated life during a greater part of the year, he would have taken an interest in a stone idol, if he had chanced to discover one. "Which of these islands are we making for?" inquired Juarez. "The one where we land," replied the sheep farmer oracularly. "I might ask the Cap'n, only I never pester him with questions. You aren't a Yankee, are you?" "No," replied Juarez, "I'm not. My folks live in Western Kansas." "I'm glad to hear it, son. But what are you doing here?" he asked. "You aren't a Yankee, are you?" inquired Juarez, quizzically. The man laughed softly to himself. "You've got me there, lad," he said. "It looks to me
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102  
103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   >>  



Top keywords:

Juarez

 

horses

 

headland

 

replied

 

inquired

 
interest
 

Yankee

 

rounded

 

return

 
islands

island

 
conversing
 

shepherd

 

ENCHANTED

 

CHAPTER

 

happening

 

horizon

 

comparatively

 

eastern

 

recollect


discovered

 

making

 

Western

 

Kansas

 

questions

 

softly

 

laughed

 

quizzically

 

pester

 

chanced


greater

 
discover
 

oracularly

 

farmer

 

isolated

 
breath
 

recurrent

 

reached

 

beginning

 

nostril


faster

 

forward

 

shoulder

 

chestnut

 

flaming

 

gnawing

 
withdrawal
 

scattered

 

charge

 

fierce