Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1883-07-28

ward to his father, the man "got."
Johnny heard him scrambling over the
rail and down The side steps at an as
tonishing rate of speed.
Il declare" johnny exclaimed, with
gasp, as he released Jack, who sprang
on the rail and watched the flying
man through the gathering darkness.
""Spose Jack hadn't been aboard!
There's over five hundred dollars in
fathers desk in the state room. Won't
have story for father, when he gets
back in the morning, thought he add
ed, cXctedly, as, lighting Il lantern, he
hung it in the main rigging, noticing
with some surprise as he did SO, that
the wind was rising, and it had begun
to rain.
Hour after hour passed and Still no
watchman. Capt. Seers had left the
message with Horizons clerk, who had
forgotten to deliver it; that was all.
And so, wrapped in his oil-skins,
Johnny paced the wet deck, with Jack
by his side, while all the while the con-
tinually increasing gale piped and
shrieked through the rigging.
BY midnight it was blowing harder
than ever, and Johnny began to feel
very uneasT, though he scarcely knew
why. Ascending to the quarter, he
steadieI himself by the mizzen rigging
and peered shoreward through the
thick darkness. All at once there was
a loud tang, and the stern hawser,
which mad been as taught as steel bar,
Stacked suddenly, and fell with u splash
in the water. Another similar noise,
and then another and still another.
Rushing frantically to the top-gallant
forecastle, Johnny saw that the great
ships hawser's hung helplessly at her
side. while the Texas herself was
swinging rapidly out into the river,
the gale driving off shore with terrible
force.
1t was not fear of personal danger
which made poor Johnny, as he stood
half paralyzed fora moment. cry, "Oh,
what can what shall | do?"
1t was the remembrance that his
fathers savings of twenty years We're
invested in the Texas, and Johnny had
heard him say that ho ought to keep
his share insured, but he could not we'll
afford it. And Johnny we'll knew that
q collision with the vessels anchored in
the river, or, still worse, striking the
Hawksblll lodges on the other side of
the channel, would bring heavy bill
of expense to the Texas owners.
Now, after launching, the great
anchor was hove up and hung by the
ring stopper at the cat head, ready 10
let 90. Johnny, who had been on
board when the Texas was launched,
had watched the whole operation from
beginning to end.
''It's all can do,' said Johnny
aloud, as sudden thought flashed
through his mind. The carpenter :
iron-headed maui lay on the forecaStle.
Selling it with fast beating heart,
Johnny placed one foot on the cat
head, and with a strength born of eX-
citement and despair, struck once
twice, thrice at strong iron trigger
which, when in position, confines the
hauling part of the ring stopper.
There was q swift rattle of chains, 6
tremendous splash, and then followed
the grinding rush and roar of the grea
chain-cable as it flew through the
hawse-hole from the ranges under the
forecastle. Then came tautening OF
the cable, and 10! the Texas was safely
riding at anchor nearly in the middle
of the river.
Il guess we'll 60 below and turn in
Jack" said Johnny, with n grea
yawn; "the ships all right now" AnC
they went.
What did the man mean by saying
that you amputated his arm, father?'
asked Johnny, on the following day, a
steam tug was taking the TeXa
swiftly down the river toward thu
p ocean.
! Il = 40 &c inv