The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-01-20


swept the guard almost from stem to
stern
'Stand by II
'All ready = said Jim. under his
breath.
Let her come !'
The boat sprang away from the bank
like deer, and darted in a long diagonal
toward the other shore. She closed In
again end thrashed her fierce way along
the willows as before. The captain put
down his glass.
Lord, how she walks up on US! | do
hate to be beat!'
"Jim," said George. looking straight
ahead, watching the slightest ya~ing of
the boat and promptly meeting it with
the wheel. how'll it do to try Murder
er's chute.
"Well. lists taking chances. How
was the cottonwood stump on the false
point below Broadman's Island this
morning p
Water just touching the roots. "
"Well, its pretty close work. That
gives six feet scant in the head of Muir
derer's chute. We can barely rub thro'
if we hit it exactly right, But its worth
trying. She don't care to tackle it"
meaning the Amaranth.
In another instant the Boreas plunged
into what seemed crooked creek, and
the Amaranth approaching lights were
shut out in O moment. Not a whisper
was uttered now. but the three men
peered ahead into the shadows, and two
of them spun the wheel back and forth
while the steamer tore along. The cLute
seemed to come to an end every fifty
yards. bat always opened out in time.
Now the head of it was at hand. George
tapped the big bell three times, two lead
men sprang to their posts, and in mo-
ment their wierd cry rose on the night
air, and were caught up and repeated by
two men on the upper deck.
IN 90 botton!''
''D-e-e-p four
''Half three -
Quarter three !"
"Mark under wa-a-ter three =
Quarter twain -
Davis pulled couple Of ropes there
was jingling Of small bells far below, the
boats speed slackened, and the pent up
steam began to whistle and the guage-
cocks scream.
by the mark twain
"Quar.ter- II
Slight and halfl''
Eight feet"
'Seven- ana-half -
Another jingling of little bells and the
wheels ceased turning altogether. The
whistling Of the steam was something
trightful now; it drowned all other noises
Island by,to meet her y
George had the wheel down hard, and
was standing on spoke.
''AlI ready |"
The boat hesitated, and seemed to hold
her breath. as did the captain and pilots.
and then she began to fall away to star
board and every eye lighted.
Now then meet her meet her
Snatch her -
The wheel few to port so fast that the
spokes blended into a spider web-the
swing of the boat subsided-she steadied
herself
Seven feet
"Sev-six and half!''
six feet! Six f.
Bang! She hit the bottom. George
shouted through the tube:
Spread her wide open IFhale Il al
her 7"
Pow-wow--c how The escape pipes
telchel snowy pillars of steam aloft. the
boat ground, and surgea. land trembled-
and slid over into
Mar twain -
"Quarter- ker--"
Tap TAP tapt' Ito signify ''lay in
the leads.
And away she went, flying up the viii
low shor.s. with the whole silver sea Of
tie Mississippi stretching abroad or
every hand.
No Amaran;h In sight
"fla ha, boys We took couple of trick;
that timeI' said the captain
And just at that moment a red glare
appeared in the head of the chute ant
the Amaranth came sprineicg UP ate
them.
We'll, / swear"
Jim. what is the meaning Of that 2
II Il tell you whats the meaning Of it