Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-09-26

per HouI. ne went 10 the wleel ans
waited anxiously to see if the captain
would go below. The latter was feel
ing particularly sleepy, and, although
all captains are somewhat anxiou:
when skirting the Florida reef. there
was really no danger to be apprehe nd
ed while the schooner was able to lay
her conrse, and the wind remained
within rational limits. So cautioninp
the mate to keep bright lookout, and
then charging jim to keep the schooner
close on her course, the captain went
below and was Immediately sound as
leep.
The mate walked the deck for twen.
ty minutes, then leaned over the bul.
warks and yawned. Presently he nod.
ded, and suddenly rousing himself
sought out convenient seat sheltered
from the wind, and in a few minutes
was as sound asleep as though he was
in his berth. Jim waited until he
was certain that the mate was oblivi.
Gus of the schooner existence, and
then put the helm up till the vessel
fell of six or seven points from her
proper course.
The sails drew nearly as well as
they had done before, and the schooner
rushed on straight toward the reef.
There was no danger that Jim's man
Guvre would be detected unless the
captain came on deck, for was the
mate TO wake up he would probably
fancy that the wind had hauled aft
and would trim the sails to suit it.
The wind steadily rose, while Jim
stood at the wheel and steered the
vessel straight to her death. When
two o'clock came, and he was relieved
lie gave his success sor at the wheel the
course which he had been steering
and the mate, waking up just at that
moment, Stacked away the sheet. and
congratulated himself upon making n
good run. Presently he sank arain
into his careless slumber. and Jim and
the man at the wheel were the only
men on board the schooner who re-
mained awake. Jim sat on the head
Of the bowsprit and watched the ris-
Ing OF the gale. Already tie knew
there must be sea on the reef in
which no vessel that should strike
could possibly live. If his calcuIa-
tlons of the distance run by the
schooner since leaving Havana were
correct, she ought to be within hearing
OF the surf before four o'clock. II he
was wrong, why he had failed for this
time lie need apprehend nothing
from the captain, for at the worst hc
could only be found guilty Of having
mistaken the course given him 10
steer. No one would suspect him OF
voluntarily trying to wreck the schoon-
er y low moan in tile distance,
hardly perceptablc, and heard only at
brIet intervals Jim rose and straight
ened his anxious look over the lee
bow. Nothing could be seen through
the thick darkness. But he was not
mistaken. Louder and clearer he
heard the distant moan OF the surf.
lie drew a long breath. Now If the
dull mate and the stupid sailor at the
wheel should not notice the sound f1r
the next twenty minutes He stole
aft to the shadow OF the galley. He
could see the man drowsily at the
wheel. The mate was still sound
asleep. He went back to the forecas
tie
! The boom OF the surf was now unmi,-
taxable. Louder and louder grew il,
ominous sound. More and more intent
~ did Jim gaze through the NIGHT
watching for the first glimpse OF the
tossing spray. suddenly he heard the
heimsmcD call out To the mate who
sprang to his feet and came forward
They had taken the alarm at last. Al
most at the same moment jim saw a
white sheet tossed in the air close under
the schooner'S lee bow. His game was
won. lie yelled breakers ahead"
Hard down, for Gods sake" just as
The mate reached him The schooner
struck; and the mate stumbling over a
rope, was overheard in a moment The
capta ain was on deck almost a. soon as
she struck, and, calling to the men to
Keep cool, ordered the deck load To be
immediately hove overheard. jim
worked as hard as the rest. Perhaps
the instinct OF duty had returned to him.
Perhaps he knew that the schooner was
doomed III spite OF the captains efforts.
Lightened by the loss OF her deckloud
she fioated only To be driven higher aud
hrmer on the reef. The great waves
came racing in and leapcd OH board the
irmi craft, beating her with blows That
wood OF iroa could not long withstand.
Her masts We're cut away, but the sac
riflce eased her but little. She pounded
heavily on the sharp-pointed coral. and
1t was plain that she would hold togetii-
en- but short time. and that there was
no hope OF her driving over the reef i'll
to the deep waters beyond
There was but one serviceable boat
aboard the schooner, end thi, the cap
tain ordered to be prepared for launch
ing. While the men were engaged in
clearing away the boat, he went below
Tor his chronometer and log, and when
he reappeared he was ACCOMPANIED bv
an OH and apparently very feeble man.
Jim Smith had heard that there was a
passenger i'll the cabin who was too i'll
to appear Oh deck. The crew was in
clned TO believe that he was IA priest
of some unspecified denomination. but
there seemed to be no authority for this
belief. Latterly no one had spoken OF
him, and Jim had entirely forgotten his
existance. The boat was small ana
crazy-looking jolly boat, that could with
difficulty carry the captain, mate. cook,
and six seamen, who composed the
people OF the schooner The sick pas
senger was therefore, particularly un-
welcome, and the men murmured that
II would be impossible for all to embark
in the boat.
Captain Williams was Il mild-mau-
nered, kind-hearted man, but he was
iuliy capable of maintaining his author
ity. lie turned 10 the men and said.
Not man OF YOU enters the boat Til
the deacon Is in. Are YOU cowardly
enough to leave an old man to drown!'
The deaconn These words brought
back to jim Smiths memory. the good
old man who had been a father to MIN;
who cared for him and loved him. when
no one else had kind word or look for
him. lie looked closely at the passen-
ger. Worn and faded with illness and
a