Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-02-16

P"S"Nb iAuih SIGuN. Dut lne ieafe, or at
!eas! doubts. exceeded .he hopes. Il
was, therefore. with Il sensation of relief
hat the crew feIt the pilot boa. to be in
mntlan. and as The waters whiZzed past,
fhefr sptrl's rose. Tas very schooner
seemed TO share in the gcueral anxiety
No grey houud, loosed from the leash.
could have sprung forward more eager.
ly or swiftly.
The B'ght has now shut in. The
wind sighed mournlul!y up in the sky; a
wIli scud went aitung overhead ,now hid
tug, now revealing 4 few, faint stars; and
hosea was black as lux, except where
the white caps flashed up for all instant,
omlnous OF coming tempest.
For long iime Gne rush OF The hull
as 1t glljed through the waters. was the
only sound heard. Every eye mean
time, WAS scanning the narrow, but iu.
m"liunus prospect, IN the vain hope Of
discerning newhere the skiif, and lis
occupant. As the schooner left the shore
out oi sight behind her, this scrutiny be-
came more sharp: buI alas To no pur-
pose.
"pon'' you see any hing yet!' cried
'he master al last haillng The principal
lookout from the helm. Surely he's
III sighi snmev here"
There's no sign of him, SIR"
"We're close on the sh0al now, and
must soon go about. Can we have pass.
ed him."
"Cun't say. DOn't think we have"
iaconicasly replied The man Ills dark
enough: bun I've looked sharp, SIR
At that instant a dull roar was heard
close ahead. and long hne of tuaul sud
denly whitened the gloom IN tina, drrec-
tIon, proclaiming that the schooner was
pelilon'ly near to the shoal
Ready about shouted the master:
and Instantly every man sprang Ia his
station. "haul in. let 60, belay! Round
size is cheeriIy! !" And as he finished.
lie iIgn; craft danced away on the other
tack, leaving the breakers at a safe dis
Iance astern.
Lock lively now, mind we don't
leave him, cried the master, as the sIoaI
rapidly faded into The darkness behind.
~ GU don's see his skF bottom upward,
any Of you!'
The pilot boat Was now no longer
gliding no:selessly, like greyhound
coursiug. but leaning over ~ The wlnd,
she struggled against lhe headsea, like a
war horse charging up hill. When The
bow struck the opposing waves the spray
often few cracking to the very cross
trees apparently. while simultaneously u
quivef ran through the hail from stem TO
slern, and The mLsts creaked audibiy.-
Far out 10 leeward beliied the larboarh
shrouds. while Hose 10 windward were
SO tavt that landsman would have ex-
Pected 10 see them snap.
"No1hlng ye'!' These were The
words with which The helmsman broke
another long silence.
"Nolhing, sir.
"lle can't certainly be inside Of U.s.
We've either II Used him, or else he wen.
to the bottom before We reached the
shoal Blu! hark! What's lhat?'
As he spoke what seemed fain, cry
came out Of the gloom ahead. Was
II chlld's voice! Or was il only u
modulaliom OF the gale! ..........
They listened, not daring 10 breathe.
Nothing reached their ears but the sound
OF the wind in the rigging, and the dash
of The waters humping against the bow;
and. with long drawn sigh, the master
was preparing to break the silence. and
propose Iacking toward the shoal again.
But suddenly, close a: hand, there
rose cheering voice out of The dark
ness.
"HiIlo there! Hi'lo! Dom, run fell
low down"
ATS Billy" shouted the master, elec-
wically. "l's the boy himself. Hilo,
i, is! Hillo! Where are you, my hear.
Iy!"
HIS voice rang clear over all The up
roar of the winds and waves, like truia.
p6t-call OF succor in the crisis of battle.
Here am." stoully replied the little
hero, his skill dancing up suddenly on,
of the gloom. "l4uf little, or You'll
! be over me.
| All brushed 10 The eide of he schooner,
except The helmsman, who called up all
his skill 10 shave the skiif, as he afta
ward said, without hitting il. a.
An interval of thrilling suspense san
ceeled. The pilo, boat deviated, for "a
instant. from her direct course, curiesy.
ing up toward he wlud Ike a lady in a
dance; aud then, falling of again, dashed
forward OH her old course. like The same
gay beauty coquetting partner. But,
during that second, the intrepid lad
watching his opportunity. had sprung al
the bob-stays, and clambered dripping
on deck, jus, as The schooner fell Off.
lie was surrounded a. once, and borne,
shouting ors in triumph, aft, where the
master. handing the helm to another
caught him in his arms, as if he'd been
his own child.
You'll be as great man as Decatur
| if you live. nay LAD, he cried. Deeasu.
was, in The masters opinion, the great.
est person thai ever breathed. "Bu, comt
below, come below he continued, -
I"you're as wet as musk rat Dang il
Billy" he exclaimed, rapturously, .'bu
you re hero"
"You think WASH, scared .hen. sir
l.. a IL n. I !.