Daily Los Angeles herald., 1880-09-24

second mate had left on the port
rail, and then went below to con-
suit his charts.
The situation was, indeed, crit
ical one for the beautiful vessel,
which rested like u swan on the
heaving surface of the Miami Ca
nal. For three hours she had been be.
calmed by a baulky mule. Freight
ed with a cargo of golden-hued
pumpkins, 1t was important that
there should be DO delay in reach
ing the port to which they were
consigned. Hence the skipper's
anxiety was but natural. The
black clouds that were scurrylng
across the southern sky told too
plainly that a storm was approach
ing, and woe to the vessel that it
found unprepared. The Captain
knew that In the present situation
of his stately ship "a wreck was in
evltable should the storm strike
her. 1t was an anxious moment,
but his cheek never blanched. 1t
couldn't, unless washed, and
of this none who knew him
had any fear. CHANGING
hastily at the compass, he. saw
that the vessels's proper course
was east by south, and that the
lead mule was at least two points
away and on his beam ends. The
storm was rapidly approaching,
and the ominous mutterings of
heavens artillery was evidence
enough that ere long the now placid
surface of the canal would be lash
ed into white-capped billows, any
one of which would engulf the
Mary Ann. 10 think was to act
with the Captain. Hastily seizing
a glittering fog-horn from its place
in the ratlines, he placed 1T quickly "
to his mouth and shouted:
"Tie up the cook"
1t was wise move. The cook
was liable to Mysteries when any
thing went wrong, AMI frequently
tipped over the supper.
"The Cap'n's all right" said
Coshocton Joe to the ships carpep-
ter, tall athletic fellow from
Berea, whose brawny arms had
often directed the fatal fsh-.ine in
pickerel season.
"Aye, aye messmate," was the
response; ''and though Pm sore
afraid We'll meier see wife and
children again or steal in the San
dusky Valley, it's not 1 that will
shrink back or step ashore at O
time like this"
"Well. said, my hearty,n came O
gruff voice from the ships waist
"Our binnacle may go out this
night forever, but let us die like
Ohioans.n
BY this time the first puffs of the
approaching tempest were plainly
to be felt, and the shrill notes oil
the boss hens on the neigh boring
farms showed even they had scent.
ed the danger and were seeking
shelter.
II was q terrific moment.
The mule was apparently the
only animate thing that did moi
comprehend the danger. He lay
obliquely across the tow-patb, oc.
casionally whisxing a fly from his
ear with one of his hind feet, but
gave no other evidence of life.
| Unless he could be gotten on his
feet the ship would be lost. What
could be done?
While all were standing in
speechless amaze at the phenome.
nal cussedness OF the beast, slouch
hat was seen to emerge from the
forecastle, quickly followed by a
small boy. One glance at the an.
cry sky and another at the mule
was enough. Quickly leaping upon
the slop bucket, he sprang lightly
from the larboard rail to the tow.
path, and advanced toward the ap-
parently sleeping mule.
The crew looked on with aston
ishment.
With stealthy tread he crep,
alongside the animal, and with
one bound alighted on his back
Like a flash he grabbed its tail and
gave that member a violent twist.
In an instant the mule was on his
feet and kicking in seventeen di-
rections at once. But he was left.
The boy was on his back, holding
the lines with q grasp of iron.
With a terrible haw-haw of rage
the now thoroughly infuriated ami.
NAL dashed madly forward. The
strain on the cable was Immense,
and the good ships timbers groan-
ed as If In agony. In moment,
however, she felt the breeze created
by the mule going ahead, and her
cutwater cleft the blue waters like
q knife as she keeled to starboard
and stood away on her course.
The boy on the mule had saved
her, and when the Captain saw
him twist the animals tail he said,
loud enough for all to hear:
"That was the act of q statesman
and a diplomat"
Who was the boy? James A.
Garfield.
| J. FENIMoRE COOPER,