New-York tribune., 1884-03-09

CHAPTER XL-CoNrNUTp.
Docs lhc sea grow hca er q ASKED Aunt Da-
1nari, in a manner that. as | have said, made me
eusncct that for most of the time she vas a good
deal nearer dead than alive
@No." replied. thank Cod, the wind remains
steady Ii would be no more than n June "a ling
breeze for the Strathmorc, but It's gale for her
gig"
~Only keep the water from coming in" moaned
the old lady.
So far none has come in, aunt and its wonder
frI. Jack. how you and the men have managed to
Keen the waves from rolling in on rs" said Florence.
whose face | could just catch the glimmer of from
The laaf4rn light striking from whore il placed
IN the bottom of the boat near the compass, right
slorg under the thwarts.
SShill,ng handles her nobly, said l. l must re-
Ieve him in q minute; he has had two hours Of 1t,
and dare not trust the Others
-Can gou steer her as well as the boatswain, Mr..
Seymouri" I" tremulOusly cried Aunt Damaris.
-Oh, hope so if doubted myself Id leave him
whore he is. Ny darling" l exclaimed. lifting and
kissing FIorence's hand, " hat more can do to
comfort you and your aunt Il breaks my heart to
see you in such position this. Are yOu cold.
INV OwnG
@No." che repcd thanks to these warm clothes.
which due to youy foresight, Jack. Aunt, dear,
are you cold 2
30 -but IT'S long long night and the motion
is enough 10 turn ones brain ~ exclaimed Aunt Ia
mars Oh 'rhea do you think we shall reach the
island. Mr.. SEYMOUR
why If we continue at this pace; at o'clock
tomorrow morning | answered Not sooner.
hope. for want u see the land before fetching II.
What time is il now "
held my watch to the lamp, and said ." \ quar-
Oh" cried the poor old lady, " then we are to
have seven hours more OF this ~ nit ring which she
appeared 10 collapse, and said 40 m,re though |
heard my darling trying 10 rally her
Ia. bo ttS SN-qIU | Il q
helm and be glad 10 be relieved for the job of
steering that boat was terrible strain 4pon the al
hours at "a ships wheel. We watched for smooth
chance and then swiftly exchanged places. told
him 20 serve out brandy to men, tJr there were
several bottles OF that liquor IN tn. boat. and like
wise a meal of bread and preserved meat. and also
whispered to him to talk to the ladies and sCrve his
best 10 hoaCten them up; and TO TIM business ne
fell after eating aud drinking, very brSkly indeed.
Id hear his voice Tumbling with hearty laugh
breaking from him often, as he leaned over the
thwart talking with his back to me; and be
brought the two forward with the talk too.
constantly referring to Bob or Bill for coutrna-
lack of Ay, ay; True for yOu, mate; :; That
the time q day Miss :" Its gospel true, all what
the bosun's saying" and forth.
But my attention was sufficiently engrOsscd,
YOU may suppose. had handled boats IN my time
under various conditions Of weather; but never had
such work As this fallen to my share before. II
kept me bTeathess; every nerve IN me was screwed
Up till the wind. Us il poured hard against my bac-.
seemed 10 pass clean through me with a ,hrek The
least irlttentiOn the least neglect TO keep her a.
she was swung up 20 the top of sea, and appeared
20 pause thcIe, looking down, would have hled her
CUt Of hand. The widest times We're when the
surgc- broke under her and the smother of the roth
was tu-h with the gunwalc; then the ruddcr
seemed 10 have no grip; II was Ike floating in foam
with the Keel sheer out OF the solder elements and
whenever she drove clear of The mess and felt tie
heavy pOisng of the clear black water under her ,
hanks, ma oil bursting sign would 20 out ol my
heart. The sweat poured from my face. and had
not boon ten minutes with the yokc-liue taut in my
fists when | felt, through the pcrspratlOn that
| 1.
bath. ] wonder did not put a cTlcl, into my neck
when recall tn" manner IN which the sight of the
black hills looming up on sudden out of thc windy
gloom on ei'heI quarter kept me stretching IT, IL,
with NV teeth locked and could feel the VEN, upou
my forehead standing out hard under the skin Ike
WhipcOrd. Boys C0uld you expect the DO sun to
have suffered as didi lie had bad h, share of H.
as you'd have known by tie glad alacCity with
which ht surrendered the he.iu 90 me; but when !
took hold of the yOke-lmcs ! knew that the life OF
my sweetheart lay N those bits of Whtc stun and
that alone made the much les, III for th. lob tbau
he Why. the thoughts thar came INTO IHc made "a
long agony of that steering; pd think OF q sea
tumblnc INTO the boat and washing us out of her /
my daring drowning shrek for me to save her ,
These would be my fancies "a, Id lean forW ard with
s"iI Elahcc at the compass, and long look,
~I.h hnt" 20 bc a. hcrce as "a man gives who
tghtS for MS life. the swollen water, on rtIoi
band oi me. alive with the horrible swarm NJ flash
jns of phosphorus aud watch the Il IN ont of tL,
little craft SOAR up the black steep ahead while ia
feel my own shoulders nNoluntarily expanding
against the pressing of the fellows who .nI o.
my right and left, ana my logs ~trinug k. IRON
against the boats floor ready to icnd oii the sea
which one could hedT aTChmg over IN our wake
Bat whether IL was Gods providence or our own
good management we never once shipped much a.
a bucket Uf water If yOu bar the wei of the living
foam. Onward the boat III he'd held dead south by
the magnetic card, with the strong WIND STAINING
her bit ~ rcefcd canvas. ard her little cutwatcr
sbeaUug through the glrammg ebony like paper
knile through the leaves OF a book. 80
At O'Clock the bo'-un relieved me, and there was
then sensible drop in the wind. Yet the night Was
coal black. If 1t hadn't been Tor the lantern there
would have been nOthnS 10 look at. I'll stare aloft
for star Tor flaw IN the sOoty shr0ud and bring
ms eye back from the pOndeIOu. vaculty to the
lantern Tor the relief the SHINE Of II gave me.
dTeeJy \ WAS the haze OF spray blowing low over
the sea. but not too low 90 cover our boat that
made the night appear 20 black The presence Of
tho deep vas indicated by nothing but It's ire, and
tho pa nd tTemOT the spectral gushing of foam upou
it. When ! surrendered the helm. at ! O'Clock in /
the morning / was eI hausted that was forced
30 swall0w q MP of brandy and sit down without |
attempting 10 speak. for five or ten minutes 10 re-
eOyer myself Then. having benefited from the !
brief spoil Of repOse spoke to Florence, and found
both hef and her aunt WIDE awake. caTessed and |
ohaiot my darlings hands, and spoke tenderly TO !
the Old lady.
You are terribly wearied, jack" said florence; |
Their Il "a trombo IN your voice"
The exertIOn of steering this boat Is heavy | /
topied. have had two hours of IL. But the wind |
hOderatos. think. and We shall have less sea"
. ThalLk God for thatP quayered Aunt Damars.
rss 10 SItat PSteafton "a america Purshasss