The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-08-23

in the sea, and the flames don't get
ahead of us; for there is little bay
nearly abreast 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 few mo-
ments. You can hear them roaring
undertook already. The flames will
break out in moment, / say; this pilot
house will be on fire, and he who stands
beside it will stand in the centre 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 in
terested in your life. Now, knowing
your danger, knowing that you will
probably lose your life, | ask YOU again,
will you pilot this steamer to that beach?
There are 600 souls ON board, and if you
do it you. will be their saviour. Will you
do it?"
The lads face never changed a muscle.
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 a slightly
frightened grip, but his voice was a quiet
as ever as he said:
" | will help you beach her, Captain"
The Captain hesitated yet a moment
He knew himself that the lad was going
to his death-going with a quietness
that could have only ignorance or the
finest heroism for its cause. 1t was not
to be 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 guilelessness of
his countenance, and, dashing tear
from his eye, he turned to the trapper
and said:
cold man, this boy is your COM
panion, and you love him."
"Yis; the lad and me have slept
together, and we've eaten from the same
bark, and he and me have done little SER
vices for each other that men in the
woods don't forgit, and [ guess you're
about right, Cap'n, when you say that l
love the lad.'
"God Forbid" exclaimed the Cap
tain, "God forbid that / assume the re-
sponsibility of the sacrifce-for that's
Just what it is, cid man. Ought the boy
to stay?"
"Sartin, sartin," said the old trapper;
" if the lad can save the women and the
leetle uns, not to speak of the men, by
stayin' here, then he sartinly ought to
stay, even if he starts on his last trail
from the deck OF a vessel instead of from
the shadder of the pine; for death never
comes too soon to one who meetsit at the
post of duty, and it 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 a field
where bullets were thick will stand by
his side, and the Lord of Mercy shall do
with him as he will. | should like to
have seed the pups again; but the Lord
will take care of the dogs"
While this conversation had been car
ried on, the officers of the steamer had
made the arrangements necessary to steer
the craft from the stern; for the pilot.
house was already so hot as to make il
unsafe for the four men stationed at the
wheel to remain in it longer. The ropes
and blocks had been adjusted, the pur
chase tested, and the steamer wa:
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.
Young man." said the Captain, "you
are pilot now. When shall we swing
about? It's a rough sea; but the flames
give us no choice"
The Lad looked steadfastly a moment
at the beacon they had passed, asked the
Captain a question as to her course, anC
said:
awe are passing the cove. We must
not 60 a rod farther, Quick. Swing
her round"
The Captain lifted a trumpet to his
lips, and IN tones that rang strong and
clear above the roar of storm and flame
shouted:
Hard-a-port with your helm! Hard
a-port, l tell you! Jam her down fol
your lives"
The men in control of the helm obey.
ed with an energy born of the peril OF
the moment. The mighty fabric sway.
ed for moment, but tore on as if un.
willing to yield. But next moment the
immense pressure of the helm hard-a-
port began to tell, and the monstrous
bulk swung slowly about, rolled down
ward into the seas trough as if she
would never rise, realed over as she met
mighty wave square amid-ship till her
larboard rail lay deep in the kissing wa
ter, struggled up, righted herself labori-
ously, and as she Strengthened her course
with the gale square astern, and with
her steam-guage standing at seventy-fve,
shot toward the shore like an arrow from
a bow
Captain" said the trapper, as he
lowered the trumpet from his lips, "give
us the instrument, and do We run back
there and keep the poor creeturs from
throwing themselves overboard-for they
be Citing wild. | can talk through the
horn as well as We can-and the lad will
tell me the words"
" l 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"
Cap'n,' returned the trapper. 81
know yer feelin's; for | see the stuff We
be made uf; but the Lord appints duty
unto man, and it's not of his choosin';
and its yer duty to 90, and ourn to STAY.
Don't ye worry about us, for | be old
and few days more or less on the 'arth
don't matter, and | can see by the look
IN the boys face that he be ready. So
give me the horn and you 60 where YOU
oughter go, and We'll stay where we
oughter stay"
The old man uttered these words with
such solemn majesty, and the truth they
expressed was so evident, that the Cap
tain did as commanded. He passed the
trumpet to the trapper and started aft,
where his presence and words soon COM
munlcated new hope to the terrified
throng. In a few moments the shouting
and screaming ceased, and not a sound
was heard save the roar of the wind. and
the waves, and the flames.
Henry" said the trapper, otis time
We he Cnin' for tho A., :, s..:.,