The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-08-23

OF my officers II there Is any safe SPOT,
any cove or bay into which the steamer
can Dc run along the coast abreast Of
Do you mean to beach her, cap
tain p asked the lad.
:" Yes" he responded, ut IL our only
chance. We must beach her. Can you
II can" said the lad, simply.
:. You caa ." exclaimed the captain
" 90 you mean TO say, young man, that
you can beach this steamer? Gentle
men,, ne continued, - he turned e
his oficers, III this young man can dc
what he says, every soul can be
II can do just what I tell you / can
do" said the lad, THAT is, II the en-
gines work.. and we can fetch her
around In this sea, and the flames don't
get ahead OF US; for there is q little
IL deep In Il, and the beach IL free from
pilot Just where to steer to get into It."
60 Duh 1sAv SSsuoePs~ANsSsA0 nOoPo.e
with hurried utterauce, rs one who
feels there isn't . moment to lose, 'syou
ought to know, and your friends here
ought to know, the danger you run,
for the flames Will break out In Q few
moments. You can hear them roaring
undertook, already. The flames will
break out In q moment, say; this
pilot-house will be on fire, and be who
stands beside II will stand In the centre
Of flames, and II will be through Gods
mercy ifhe comes out with his life. !
feel II 10 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 iife,i AK you again,
will you pilot this steamer to that
beach? There are 600 souls on board,
and II you do It you will be there
The lads face never changed a
muscle. The light In his eyes may
possibly have darkened o little, and the
Old trspper noted that his long, awk.
ward fingers shut into their palms with
q siightly frightened grip, but his voice
was quiet as ever as he said
~ will help you beach her, cap
tain" ~ ID 2t
The captain hesltated yet moment.
He knew himself that the lad was going
70 his death, -going with . quietnese
that could have only Ignorance or finest
wondered at, that, accepting as he was
the sacrifice Of life, he was touched.
He gazed at the singular being before
him, observed the simple guilelessnesa
Of his countenance, and, dashing q
tear from his eye, he turned to the
trapper and said:
.n "6 Id, MAN 'nas h S; beg isy0uro0mpaniOn
Yis; the lad and me have slept to-
gether, and we've eaten from the same
bark, and he and me has done little
sarvices for each other that men In the
woods don't forgit, and I guess you're
about right, cap'n, when We say that |
"God forbid!n exclaimed the cap.
tain, "God forbid that take the re-
sponsibility Of the sacrifice,-for that's
just what IL is, old man. Ought the
boy to stay ?" 80
aSartin, sartin," said the old trap
per ''if the lad can save the wimmen-
folks and the leetle uns, not to speak
of the men, by stayin' here, than he
sartingly ought to stay even II he starts
ON his last trail from. the deck Of q
vessel instead of from the shadder Of q
pine; for death never comes too quick
to one who meets 1t at the post Of duty;
and 1t never comes slow enough to
one who shirks. Yis, let the lad stay
where he is, and an old man who has
faced death on many . field where
bullets was thick will stand by his
side, and the Lord Of Marcy shall do
with him as he will. ] should like to
have seed the pups again but the
Lord will take care Of the dogs.n
While this conversation had been
carried on, the officers Of the steamer
had made the arrangements necessary
to steer the craft from the stern /; for
the pilot-house was already 80 hot as
to make It unsafe for the four men
stationed 1T the wheel to remain in 1t
longer. The ropes and blocks had been
adjusted, the purchase tested, and the
steamer was already being directed
from behind. The captain still stood
by the side Of the lad, trumpet In
hand. ready to give the orders to veer
her round. N ,f0
young man." said the captain,
s'you are pilot now. When shall we
swing her about? It's . rough sea |;
but the flames give US no choice"
4 The lad looked steadfastly moment
at the beacon they had passed, asked
the captain . question a. TO her course,
and then said:
1--WE are passing the cove! We
mustn't 60 . rod farther! Quick!
Swing her around ~
The captain lifted the trumpet to
his lips, and In tones that ran strong
and clear above the roar Of the storm
and Of the flame, shouted: Hard-a-
port with your helms! Hard-a-port,
tell you! jam her down for your
livesW Ef
The men in control Of the helm
obeyed with an energy born Of the
moment. The mighty fabric swayed
for moment, but tore on as II unwill-
ing to yield. But the next instant the
immense pressure Of the helm hard-a-
port began to tell, and the monstrous
hulk swung slowly about, rolling
downward into the trough of the sea
a. II she would never rise, reeled over
rs she met the mighty wave square
amid-ship till her lar-board rail lay
deep In the kissing water, struggled
up, righted herself laboriously; and as
she Strengthened her course with the
gale square astern, and with her steam
guage standing at rs, shot toward the
shore like an arrow from the bow.
"Cap'n," said tho trapper, as he low
cred the trumpet from his lips, "give
us the instrerment, and do We run back
there and keep the poor creeturs from
throwin' themselves overheard, for
they be gettin' Wild. I can talk
through the horn ~ well - We can
the lad will tell me the words"
II can't leave you, old man It shall
never be said that Charles Stearns left
two brave men TO die while he saved
his own life." vi
.lq''Cap'n," returned the trapper, 1T
know yer feelings for see the stuff
ye be made Of; hut the Lord appints
duty unto man, and its mot Of his
choosin'; and It's yer duty to 60, and
ourn to stay. Don't ye worry about
us. for be old and . few days more or
lee ~, Ana nth f70sntk rsnoffAr and 7