The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-19

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. TILE FlltSI REIOls1
i OF A sIIIPWRECK.
i fArchibald Forbes in Youths Companion
One day the manager Of my paper sent
for me. II am in trouble, " saidhe. 'sP---
the man have down at Plymouth watch
ing for the arrival Of the Nyanza, tele-
graphs that he has no hope to anticipate
competitors. There are some thirty jour-
rEllistsAyaiting there, and after all sorts of
scheming, the conclusion has been fiAl1H
unanimously arrived at, that the OnlyssWA NJ
4 is for all to board the Nyanza together in
] theM1ail-tug, and get Macdonald to tell his
stoTNin their midst, for the common good.
snow I would regard it as an important
service, if you would take the matter up
band see if you cannot help us to retain the
4 prestige you earned for us on the two
4 previous occasions p.'i a@HtiH
1 | went down to Plymouth, and put up at
sh obscure inn ina suburb, keeping as much
outof Sight as possible. 1 sent privily for
4 my colleague, p, and directed him to
continue asubscriberWitht the communistic
scheme, and to posture as the sole repre-
sentative Of our paper in the field, not
breathing hint that L was attempting a
| diversion.
Then / went to a ship broker, whom
knew, bent on chartering a tug. 1t turned
out that there was but one tug, the Vollln-
teer, available for my purpose.
| l sent for it's skipper, a rough but gen.
uine diamond, whom engaged to be at my
service as long as wanted him. Without
telling him the nature of the duty, l ordered
him to be in readiness with steam up at an
unfrequented jetty on the further side of
the harbor.
This arranged, [ settled that my ship
broking friend would let me know as soon
rs Geographic intelligence arrived that the
Nyanza had passed the Lizard Light, about
twenty-fiv miles out from Plymouth.
This news came about 3 O'Clock, where
upon l at once went to the railway depot
and engaged whole first-class compart
ment on the train that was to leave for
London at midnight.
1t was the last day of the year 1874.
There was snow on the ground, and the
face of Plymouth. Sound was roughened by
bitter winter wind. AS dusk was grow
ing into darkness walked around to where
the Volunteer was lying, and found that
| the honest skipper was as goodas his word,
and that all was in readiness for an imme-
| diate start.
AS we steamed out towards that mighty
breakwater, which is one of the wonders
of the old country, confided to the skip
per that my intention was to board the
| NyaIlza as she came in, in advance of the
mail-tug that would put. out to her as soon
as her anchor was down.
Soon we had cleared the breakwater and
were out in the open water Of the sound.
1T will never do here" quoth the skipper.
IN man, seaman OF landsman, could board
a ship under weigh with this tossing tumble
of a sea on; we must go back inside the
breaEwater and lie in wait there's" so we
put about, and getting under the lee of the
breakwater, put all the lights out, save
those enforced by law, and waited for
events.
| Presently through the darkness we saWa
| light moving toward us across the water
from the direction of the harbor. AS the
| light came close, heard the hail
Volunteer, ahoy!"
Keep quiet!" 1 whispered to the skip
per. His whispered reply was
II know her; she is the Waterloo, a Dew
EXPORT tug. Somebody has supected your
scheme and gone and chartered her!"
Presently came another hail-s'Forbes!
Forbes!''
[ recognized the voice-that of gentle
man attached to another London news
paper; and [ let him shout Withouta word
of reply. But my presence and my plot,
then, had got wind, / realized; so there re-
manned only the question who should have
the luck first to board the Nyanza.
The Waterloo sheered away from us in
disgust, and crossed the gap in the break
water, so as to get on the lee side of the
Nyanza when that big ship should come
inside. The Volunteer, with me on board,
remained where she was; my skipper, like
Trochu, during the siege of Paris, had his
plan.
About O'Clock the great hull of the
Nyanza, sparkling with lights, came forging
through the gap in the breakwater. I'm
mediately three tugs were converging on
that hull-my Volunteer on her weather
side, the Waterloo on her lee-side, and the
mail-tug with the mass of journalists on
her, from the shore.
Soon my skipper had ranged up alongside
the big hull. Our tug danced and leaped
ON the broken water, like cork on mill
race.
You'll have to make jump and take
your chance, y said the skipper, as we stood
on the bridge. "When I sing out, make a
run across the bridge and spring with all
your might, and the Lord be good to you'll
| ''Now!'' shouted the skipper, as our tug
rose on the top of a wave and all but grated
on the black hull. took my run and made
my spring. With one hand l caught the
bottom of the mizzen chains Just where
they make fast to the ships side, and my
legs dangled down in the water. [ was
helpless, and my only thought was how
long could hold on.
A hand caught ME by the collar and
dragged me up. "Who are you and what
do you want said the owner of the saving
hand as soon as stood on the deck.
where can find Macdonald. the mate
of the Cospatrick? Quick" was my breath
less reply.
'BelOw-forward-b
didn' wait for the ''but,' but sprang
forward.
After a hurried search | found Mac
donald in the stewards pantry. Giving
the steward sovereign not to reveal our
whereabouts, [ Immediately tackled Mac
donald. He was a pallid, sullen-looking
Scotchman, and not one word would he ut
ter till he had made q bargain.
, ''I'll give you fifty pounds down. cried
1, IF you will tell me your whole story
and tell it to me alone.''
Ozone !" he replied.
''Then, y said /, there's the money. and
now fire away''.
He was q good narrator. having an eve