Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-05-15

bnat uCtle DOaG on Sucn nISnb! DO you
think there is any dangerl"
1 would rather have been stabbed. l
went off, full of venom, to help in the
pilot-house. By-and-bye the boats Ian
tern disappeared, and after an interval a
wee spark glimmered upon the face of
the water a mile away. Mr.. 7. blew
the whistle, in acknowledgment, backed
the steamer out, and made for it, We
few along for while, then slackened
steam and went cautiously gliding to-
. ward the spark. Presently Mr.. I. ex-
claimed:
"Hello, the buoy-lantern's out ~
He stopped the engines. A moment
or two later he said:
"Why, there it is again 2"
So he came ahead on the engines once
more, and rang for the leads. Gradually
the water shoaled up, and then began to
deepen again2 Mr.. Il. muttered:
"Well, don't understand this. l
believe that buoy has drifted off the
reef. Seems to be little too far to the
left No matter, it is safest to run over
it, anyhow"
So, in that solid world of darkness, we
went creeping down on the light. Just
as our bows were in the act of plowing
over it, Mr.. T. seized the bell-ropes,
rang startling peal, and exclaimed
My soul, it's the sounding-boat !"
A sudden chorus OF wild alarm burst
out far below-a pause-and then a
sound of grinding and crushing followed.
Mr.. T. exclaimed:
"There the paddle-wheelhas ground
the sounding-boat to lucifer matches
Run! See who is killed! !"
Twas on the main deck in the twink
ling of an eye. My chief and the third
mate and nearly all the men were safe.
They had discovered their danger when
it was too late to pull out of the way
then, when the great guards overshad
owed them moment later, they were
prepared and knew what to do; at my
chiefs order they sprang at the right
instant, seized the guard, and were
hauled aboard. The next moment the
sounding-yawl swept aft to the wheel
and was struck and splintered to atoms.
Two of the men, and the cub Tom, were
missing-a fact which spread like wild
fire over the boat. Thepassengers came
focking to the forward gangway, ladies
and all, anxious-eyed, while-faced, and
talked in awed voices of the dreadful
thing. And often and again L heard
them say: "Poor fellows! poor boy,
poor boy!'
By this time the boats yawl was
manned and away, to search for the
missing. Now faint call was heard,
off to the left. The yawl had disap-
peared in the other direction. Half the
people rushed to one side to encourage
the swimmer with their shouts; the other
half rushed the other way to shrek to
the yawl to turn about. By the callings,
the swimmer was approaching, but some
said the sound showed failing strength
The crowd massed themselves against
the boiler-deck ratings, leaning Overland
staring into the gloom; and every faint
and fainter cry wrung from them such
words as "Ah, poor fellow, poor fellow!
is there no way to save him."
But still the cries held out, and drew
nearer, and presently the voice said
pluckily:
81 can make it Stand by with a
rope?"
What rousing cheer they gave him !
The chief mate took his stand in. the
glare of torch basket, coil of rope in
his hand, and his men grouped about
him. The next moment the swimmers s
face appeared in the circle of light, and
in another one the owner of it was hauled
aboard, limp and drenched, while cheer
on cheer went up. 1t was Tom.
The yawl crew searched everywhere,
but found no sign of the two men. They
probably failed to catch the guard, tum-
, bled back, and were struck by the wheel
and killed. Tom had never jumped fol
the guard at all, but had plunged head
first into the river and dived under the
wheel. 1t was nothing; I could have
, done it easy enough, and said So but
, everybody went on just the same, max
! ing wonderful to-do over that boy, as il
; he had done something great. That
girl couldn't seem to have enough OF
that pitiful "hero" the rest of the trip
but little I cared; I loathed her, anyway
4 The way we came to mistake the
/ sounding boats lantern for the buoy
light was this: Ny chief said that after
: laying the buoy he fell away and watched
[ it till it seemed to be secure; then he
took up position hundred yards be
low it and little to one side of the
steamers course, headed the sounding
boat up stream, and waited. Having tc
0 wait some time, he and the officer got tt
talking; he looked when he judged tina
Y the steamer was about on the reef say
that the buoy was gone, but supposed
that the steamer had already run owe
s it; he went on with his talk; he noticed
! that the steamer was getting very clos
down on him, but that was the correc
J. thing; it was her business to shave hin
closely, for convenience in taking hin
= aboard. He was expecting her to shee
! off, until the last moment; then it fash
ed upon him that she was trying t.
l.. = q