Off To See The Wild West Show Part 1, Chapter 20 (1/4) By Frank Beill 1886: Hull, Yorkshire

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4). (4/4). Part 1 Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Part 2 Prologue, Chapter 1, 2, 3.

The deck rose and fell beneath my feet. My moccasins were meant for the solid earth of the Dakotas, not a slippery wooden deck in an Atlantic storm. I continued focusing on the infant pony and repeated all the psalms and hymns I could recall. Words that were drilled into me. I never thought they'd ever be of any use, other than to avoid Jolly Rodgers' wrath if I'd failed to learn them by heart but they were all I could think of at that moment. Feelings of false security soon vanished. An enormous wave swept across the ship. I held on to the tiny pony with all my strength, glad it was tied to the deck. I was thrown across its body. The colt's heart was pounding beneath me.

The weight of water flattened both of us onto deck timbers that jerked up to a forty-five degree angle. I held on feeling the drag of the water trying to swill me towards a sea that was now beneath me.

The angle of the deck changed to near horizontal again. Where was Laughing Waters? The colt she was tending was alone and fighting its way back to its feet. She was gone. 'Laughing Waters!' My scream was lost in the howl of the wind. Lashing spray filled my mouth and eyes. I forced myself back up, lifting my charge with me. Where was she? My eyes flitted everywhere. My heart fell deeper than my stomach. She couldn't be gone. She couldn't. There was a hand. A small, brown hand was clutching the bottom rail at the deck edge.

My moccasined feet slithered and skated. Again the sodden deck dropped ahead of me. I was thrown onto my back. The new steep angle kept me sliding in the direction of the hand. I hit the side rail and there was a sharp pain in my side but I ignored it.

I threw out a hand and grasped fingers that were losing grip of the rail. My other hand swung across and grabbed the wrist. I struggled to my knees pulling with all my strength. A terrified face appeared above the edge of the deck. Her other arm came up and her hand grabbed the rail. I held on to her, praying not to let go. I couldn't lose someone else I loved. Not so soon. Stronger arms intervened and her weight was taken from me. Dog That Stands was beside me, hauling his daughter to safety and pulling me back too. I hurt. My hand went to the pain in my side and I felt a trickle of blood. Everything went black.

***

'You're a brave boy.' Miss Arta's voice whispered in my ear. A cool hand stroked my forehead. I blinked at the flickering light of an oil lamp above me. My head twitched to one side to escape the glare. I was lying on a bench and Miss Arta was sitting beside me. Behind her I could see the still figure of Laughing Waters on another bench. 'Laughing ...' Miss Arta's finger on my lips stopped me speaking.

'She's all right. Ain't she, Doc?' My protector asked my question for me.

Continued... Next Page (2/4)

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