CATCHING THE BOAT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5, 4 February 1909, Page 167

CATCHING THE BOAT

The Wilkinson family had looked forward to Wilkinson s holiday so long that Liike and the twins went four times to look at the calendar in order to make sure that it had really arrived.

They all arose at 4 -o'clock to put up tie lunch and get down to the landing time to get good seats on the upper deck, for there were to be great crowds going to Milwaukee. Serepta declared that she was so sleepy she couldn t tell whether she was eating toast or leather. It was 2.30 when they i-eached Milwaukee, and they had three whole hours in which to go to the Soldiers' Home on the trolley, cars. 'Wilkin"son fought in the civil war, and never let a place of this kind go unvisited if he could help it.

Tlie trolley ran through a beautiful bit of country, and the twins were delighted more than once by the tree 3 that brushed the top of the car. The ride took an hour, so thoy were a little stiff when they got out, and were glad to Avalk around the beautiful grounds to got rested. There was so much to see, and they lost their way so many times that it was half -past 4 before they knew it. They hurried back to the trolley line, having to stop twice because of the breaking of the patent handle on the lunch basket, but when they got there not a car was in sight. Some people who were just driving away called to them that the car had broken down and wouldn't be in running order again for two hours. It seemed too dreadful to be true, but Serepta recognised them as fellow-voyagers, and Luke ran to a drug store telephone and asked the manager. Wilkinson was obliged to be at his office early in the morning, and could mot stay over night, and they had not money enough in all their purses to take them home by rail, so there was nothing for it cbut to go to the landing in carriages.

Luke went to the livery stable, where he found that all but two small buggios had" been hired by other passen-

gers of the boat some time before, and these he seized upon at a price (in advance) 'that took every spare cent save just enough for car fare at home. - They had lost so -much time talking and telephoning that ip was very late when they climbed into their buggies and started. -Mrs. . Wilkinson, Serepta, . and one of the twins got into -one buggy, "and the^rest got into the other, and- with a driver- in each one it was rather close quarters. The men guaranteed that they, would reach the wharf in plenty time,, and away they went at a pace that at least showed their good will. The horses seemed to enter into the spirit of it, and the way they tore through the city streets was a disgrace and a violation of the speed ordinance. . ' People started after them. The drivers whooped for those in front to get out of the way, and small boys stood on the corners- and cheered. . Mrs. Wilkinson screamed once when they turned so sharp a. corner that they teetered on two wheels only, and was not a bit comforted or reassured when, the driver .told her there was nothing to fear, as the horse ojice belonged to the fire department. Luke decided after- the third block that he would give up his idea of being a lawyer and join the fire department. Therefore, whenever he could gather his scattered wits, he gasped out questions regarding the enlistment and the number of alarms in a day. The driver, answering in jerky monosyllables, thought it paid better to be an iceman or a teamster, especially with five or six children to bring up. Once a^ policeman pursued them for two awful blocks, and the people on the street shouted, ' Stop, thief !' and ' Runaway 1' But the policeman grew tired and turned back as soon as he got out of his district. Mrs. Wilkinson was immediately relieved when he disappeared. When the, mad race was nearly^ over, Mrs. Wilkinson was worried for fear it might all be in vain, but after whirling around a few more corners and just failing of three collisions, she saw the tops of the" boat's funnels and drew a long breath. " - As they came to an abrupt jolting halt, .the boat's passengers ran to see them, and, leaning over the railing, waved to them to hurry. They had just half a minute to spare, so they sprung out hastily and" fan up the gangplank, thankful for the narrow escape: Then, seated in the only vacant chairs, munching sandwiches, they entered into conversation with several passengers in a -vain quest for information. Another half -hour passed. The moments dragged on and darkness settled down. Suddenly, however, upon the appearance of a round figure crossing the' gang-j>lank in a leisurely manner, .they waited in silence for the boat to depart. ■ • Fifteen minutes, a -half -hour, a whole hour, passed, and no one stirred. Some men in blue shirts lounged on the wharf whistling, but the boat might have been incapable of motion so still she lay. Serepta -wrapped herself up in her golf cape, while Wilkinson entered into conversation with several of the passengers. Luke went below to investigate, and presently .returned with a piece of soul-stirring " information. ' That was the captain,' he said. 'He was caught out at the Soldiers' Home by the breaking of the trolley, and he waited till they mended it.'