Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-10-19

man, sOlemnly, say no more. shall
stay with you and the lad IF we live,
all will live; if we die, we will die to-
gether, for will not leave you"
BE it as ye say, then. boy; yes, let it
be as ye say. This is no time for words,
and | can understand yer feelings; it
may be yc be right. The lad and me met
at the pond of the beavers, and it may
be best that we both go with him to the
end of the trail"
In a moment the old man said, sud-
denly:
Henry, if ye could git one O them
water-pipes, and the pumps are still
a-going, it may be ye could save our
lives. But be careful where we go, boy;
it's hot there ahead"
Lightning is scarce quicker than was
the motion of Henry, as he darted for
ward into the smoke which was rolling
up in great volumes from the front part
Of the boat.
By this time the forward part of the
vessel was a lmost one sheet of flame A
column OF the fire rose out of the for
ward hatch fifty feet into the air, but
was mercifully blown onward by the
force of the gale. From this the trap
per and the lad were at least safe, but
the flames were now breaking over all
restraint. The deck itself was being
burnt through, and sections were falling
into the hole. The stanchions and the
timbers of the bulwarks were already in
full blaze. The outer edges of the up
per deck were girdled with fire. The
roof of the pilot-house had begun to
kindle. The flames were already eating
their way toward the stern, and would
soon be in the rear Of the two men who
were standing half hidden in the smoke
at point which would soon be the very
center of the conflagration. But they
never finched. They stood in the exact
position where they were when Henry
left them-the trapper still holding the
trumpet in his hand, and the lad still
gazing steadfastly ahead
Tell them to port two points" said
the lad, quietly.
The old man placed the trumpet to
his lips, and through the brazen tube
his voice poured steady and strong:
The boy says, Tell 'em to port two
p'ints.'"
The vessel swayed suddenly to port;
and, as she leapt away, the lad said:
Tell them to hold her steady as she
is"
Again the old man lifted the trumpet
and called:
1.-The boy says, Tell them to hold her
steady as she is.
For minute not word was spoken
The steamer tore on through the gloom,
lighting her path with the flames. The
roof OF the pilOt-hOuse dropped in, and
the smoke and the cinders hid the two
men from the sight of those who, with
prayers on their lips, and with agonized
faces, were gazing at them from be-
hind.
Suddenly out of the smoke and fire
came the tones of the trumpet:
The lad says, Tell them | hear the
surf on the beach. "
Then the smoke suddenly lifted, split
by gust that tore through the air. and
those behind saw three men instead of
two standing on the deck. The trapper
and the lad still at their station, and
thirty feet further aft, Henry, hose in
hand, flooding with water the blazing
deck on which they stood But what
could the power of man do against the
rush of such flames? The young man
did his best. With hands blistered by
the awful heat, he stood heroically at
his post; but the garments of the lad
were on fire, and the hair of the trapper
was burnt to the scalp.
Suddenly the starboard half of the
upper deck fell with crash As it fell,
those behind saw the lad turn to the
trapper-saw him totter-saw him stea-
dy himself-saw his companion catch
him by the arm-saw the old hero, with
the sleeve of his coat, that was itself
smoking, wipe the cinders from his lips
as he lifted the trumpet to his mouth;
and out of the black, eddying smoke, as
it swept over the three and hid them
from sight, beloved the words, strong
as trumpet could send them:
''The lad says, Tell them I see the
surf on the beech. Hold her steady as
she isl! God"
The sentence was never completed.
The fiat bottom of the vessel touched
the sand-slid along it-and was driven
by the momentum of her movement half
her length up the beach Then she roll
ed over with great lurch; her smoke
stacks went down with crash, carrying
the upper deck on which they stood
with them, and the three men sank from
sight in the smoke and fire.