Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-01-03

"ByGeorge, yonder comes the
Aramanth !"
A spark appeared, close to the
water several miles down the
river. The pilot took his glass
and looked at il steadily for a mo-
ment, and said, chiefly to himself:
at can't be the Blue Wing. She
couldn't pick up this way. She's
the Aramanth, sure"
He bent over speaking tube
and said:
"Who's on the watch down
there ?''
A hollow, unhuman voice rum
bled up through the tube in an
swer:
II am. Second engineer"
'Good You want to stir your
stumps, now Harry-the Ar
amanth's just turned the point
and she's just a-humping herself,
tool"
The pilot took hold of rope
that stretched out forward, jerked
it twice. and two mellow strokes
of the big bell responded. A voice
out on the deck shouted:
stand by, down there, with
that larboard lead !"
mo, [ don't want the lead"
said the pilot, 81 want you. Roust
out the old man--tell him the Am
aranth's coming. And go and
call jim tell him "
"Aye-aye, sir -
The cold MANI was the captain
he is always called SO on steam
boats and ships; "Jim" was the
other pilot. Within two minutes
both of these men were flying up
the lighthouses stairway, three
st, at a Jump. Jim was in his
81! sleeves, with his coat and
ves - his arm. He said:
81 sas just turning in. Where's
the ass 90
Ii COX it and looked.
Mt appear to be any night
has on the iack-staff-it's the
Al snth, dead sure!'
8 captain took a good long
look and only said:
"Damnation !"
George Davis, the pilot on watch,
sh ted to the night-watchman on
decE
"How's she loaded 2"
1.-TWO inches by the head sir"
''Taint enough ~
The captain shouted, now:
Call the mate. Tell him to call
all hands and get lot of that
sugar forrard-put her ten inches
by the head. Lively, now J"
"Aye-aye, sir!'
A riot of shouting and tramp
ling ffoatel up from below pres"
entity, and the uneasy steering of
the boat showed that she was get
ting "down by the lead"
The three men in the pilot
house began to talk in short, sharp
sentences, low and earnestly. AS
their excitement rose their voices
went down. AS fast as one OF
them put down the spy-glass an
other took it up-but always with
q studied air of calmness. Each
time the verdict was:
"She's a-gaining."
"The Captain spoke through the
tube:
"What steam are you carrying 2"
"a hundred and forty-two, sir s!
But she's getting hotter and hotter
all the time.
The boat was straining and
grooming and quivering like
monster in pain. Both pilots
were at work, now, one on each
side of the wheel, with their coats
and vests off, their bosoms and col
lars wide open, and the prespira-
tjon flowing down their faces.
They were holding the boat so
close to the shore that the willows
swept the guards almost from
stem to stern.
''Stand by" whispered George.
"-Fll ready" said Jim under
his breath.
"IIet her come !"
The boat sprang away from the
bank like a deer, and darted in a
long diagonal toward the other
shore. She closed in again and
thrashed her fierce way long the
willows as before. The captain
put down the glass:
"Lord how she walks up on us!
| do hate to be beat ~
"Jim," said George, looking
straight ahead watching the
slightest yawning of the boat
and promptly meeting it with the
wheel, how'll it do to try Murder
er's Chute ?"
"Well, it's-it's taking chances.