The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-09-06

mated, for the gale was blowing with in
creased violence, and the iron rod and
the ropes they grasped to steady them
selves were already hot; and even as
they reached the upper deck the flames
broke fiercely out from the hatchway,
and the fire began to run in wavering
lines along the inner timbers of the
bulwarks and the ornamental edgings of
the upper deck.
81 have called you here" said the |
Captain, " to ask you in the presence of |
my officers if there is any safe spot, any
cove or bay, into which the steamer can
be run along the coast abreast of us"
"Do you mean to beach her, Captain?''
asked the lad.
Yes" he responded, ait is our only
chance. We must beach her. Can you
do it?'
81 can," said the lad, simply.
You can" exclaimed the Captain;
edo you mean to say, young man, that
you can beach this steamer? Gentle
men," he continued, as he turned to his
officers, eff this young man can do
what he says, every soul can be saved"
81 can do Just what | tell you can
do" said the lad; "that is, if the
engines work, and we can fetch her
around in the sea, and the flames don't
get ahead of US; for there is little bay
nearly abraost of us, and the water is
deep in it, and the beach is free from
rocks and stones, and can tell the pilot
just where to steer to get into it."
"But," said the Captain, and he spoke
with hurried utterance, as one who feels
there isn't a moment to lose, you
ought to know, and your friends here
ought to know, the danger you run, for
the flames will break out in a few mo-
ments. You can hear them roaring
under deck already. The flames will
break out in moment, | say; this pilot
beside it will stand in the center of
flames, and it will be through Gods
mercy if he comes out with his life. /
feel it to be my solemn duty to state
these things to you, young man, and in
the presence of your friends who are
interested in your life. Now, knowing
your danger, knowing that you will
probably lose your life, l ask you again,
will you pilot this steamer to that beach
There are six hundred souls on board,
and if you do it you will be their savior.
Will you do itT'
The lads face never changed amuscle.
The light in his eyes may possibly have
darkened little, and the old trapper
noted that his long, awkward fingers
shut into their palms with slightly
tinged grip, but his voice was quiet as
ever as he said:
l will help you beach her, Captain D
The Captain hesitated yet moment.
He knew himself that the lad was going
to his death-going with aquietness that
could have only ignorance or the finest
heroism for its cause. 1t was not to be
wondered at, that, accepting as he wa:
the sacrifice of life, he was touched
He gazed at the singular being before
him, observed the simple guilessness O.
his countenance, and, dashing a teal
from his eye, he turned to the trappel
and said:
cold man, this boy is your companion
and you love him?"
" Yis; the lad and me have slept to
gether, and we've eaten from the sam,
bark, and he and me has done Httl,
sarvices for each other that men in tn,
woods don't forgit, and l guess your
: about right, Cap'n, when ye say that
love the lad"
"God forbid !" exclaimed the Captain
"God forbid that take the responsibilit,
, of the sacrifice-for that's Just what i
! is, old man. Ought the boy to stay?"
l "Sartin, sartin," said the old trapper
eff the lad can save the wimmen folk
e and leetle uns, not to speak of the men
a by stayin' here, then he sartinly ough
to stay, even if he starts on his last trai
e from the deck of vessel instead Q
S from the shadder of the pine; for deaf
S never comes too quick to one who meet
n it at the post of duty, and it never come
s slow enough to one who shirks. Yis, le
n the lad stay where he is, and an old ma
e who has faced death on many fel
/ where bullets was thick will stand b
d his side, and the Lord of Marcy sha
II do with him as he will. l should like I
have seed the pups again; but the Lor
Il will take care of the dogs
e While this conversation had been ca
|! ried on, the officers of the steamer ha
e made arrangements necessary to ste,
9 the craft from the stern; for the pilo
It house was already so hot as to make
Ii unsafe for the four men stationed at Il
wheel to remain in it longer. The rop
e and blocks had been adjusted, the pu
n chase tested, and the steamer was alreac
y being directed from behind. The CAPITA
II still stood by the side of the lad, trump
n in hand, ready to give the order to We
IL her around.
s "Young man," said the Captain, "yc
lie are pilot now. When shall we swi1
a about? It's rough sea; but the fam
t. give us no choice"
lie The lad looked steadfastly mome
os at the beacon light they had passe
he asked the Captain question as to h
ID course, and then said:
"We are passing the cove! We mustr
is go rod father! Quick! Swing b
round"
lg The Captain lifted the trumpet to h
I'd lips and in tones that rang strong al
Id clear above the roar of the storm and
ID the flame, shouted "Hard-a-port wi
d, your helm! Hard-a-port, I tell yo
ps Jam her down for your lives!'
n The men in control of the helm obey
in with an energy born of the peril of t
ed moment. The mighty fabric swayed f
Sc a moment, and tore on as if unwilling
ne yield. But the next instant the immen
pressure of the helm hard-a-port beg
is to tell, and the monstrous bulk swu
slowly about, rolled downward into t
)n trough of the sea as if, she would ney
~ iloC, lCClOu OfCI do Sllc llloG tlle HIGH
ne wave square amid-ship till her larboa
9p rail lay deep in the kissing water, strr
in gled up, righted herself laboriously, an
d. as she Strengthened her course with t
h gale square astern, and with her stea
gauge standing at seventy-fve, shot
ward the shore like an arrow from t
N, bow,
re "Cap'n," said the trapper, as
Id lowered the trumpetfro his lips, "gi
wv us the instrerment, and do We run ba
wv there and keep the poor creeturs fre
throwin' themselves overboard-for tn
ed be gittin' wild. I can talk through t
es horn as well as ye can-and the lad W
ry tell me the words''
We 81 can't leave you, old man; it sh
ry never be said that Charley Stearns |,
en- two brave men to die while he saved |
own life"
lie "Cap'n," returned the trapper,
nd know yer feelin's; for l see the stuff
lie he made of. hut tho ord apniuts IL,