Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-09
Gales aud Skftthts.
roH's FoRrUsE.
(Co.sinued from yesterday }

Her bulwarks were broken. and her
boats had been washed away. That she
had sprung leak was evident from the
lowuess Of her hull in the water, and
from the tact more than half of her cargo
of lumber had been thrown overheard to
Tighten her.
.Oh. father screamed Mary. here is
a vessel. am afraid it is Toms schoon-
err'
The group of fishermen had already
seen the craft, which was not halt league
distant.
she'll go down before she strikes the
rocks" said one. They have tried to
tighten her, as you can see by the looks OF
her lumber, but it won't do any good"
1t I'm not mistaken, that schooner is
the Ringwood :" cried Mr.. Gray. much
agitated. '.God help Captain Brown and
his crew."
As the vessel drew nearer all the men
on shore recognized the Ringwood. Her
occupants were seen clinging to ropes
and rigging to save themselves from be-
ing washed overheard by the seas that al
most constantly swept her half-submerged
hull.
"No hope for them, poor fellows" said
one man. THE best of swimmers
couldn't keep up in such sea. They are
all doomed"
Mr.. Gray clenched his teeth and walked
to and fro in his dispair.
at is awful ~ he muttered to himself.
"And to have to lose his life, too, just as
he was to receive fortune that would
have made him and my daughter happy"
The young girl ran to her parent.
Oh ,ad ..nb
father, we must save his life J"
Il doubt if any boat could live in that
sea-" said MIR. Gray, looking at the huge,
rolling masses OF water.
Just then there was simultaneous cry
from all the men.
The leaking schooner having filled. had
plunged almost out of sight, within
one hundred and twenty fathoms of the
shore.
Only a portion of her mainmast was
now visible. but the angry seas rolled
over this. and it soon disappeared.
The forms OF several sailors were seen
whirlng about, as they chung to planks
which had drifted clear of the vessel.
Tom may be one OF those men :" cried
Mary I'VE must go out and try to save
hfm!'
II don't think it'll be of any use. The
poor fellows would be drowned before we
coulp reach them." said one of the fish
ers Besides, it's likely our boat would
be swampedr'
I'VE can try" said Mr.. Gray. "Give
me lift with the boat
The boat was pushed down to the surf,
which was not so heavy in the cove as it
was beyond it.
But now all the men hung back. 1t re-
quired a strong heart to dare so dan
gerous a sea.
eff you are afraid l will 90 Alone"
said the fishers brave girl. springing into
the boat
Nor exclaimed her father. quickly
following. "You can steer and handle
an oar, Mary. in good weather. but not by
yourself in such sea as this"
Several of the other men now mustered
courage to Join Gray and his daughter !:
but before the boat could be showed towards
the raging waters. Mary's father told her
to jump out.
mo" replied the young girl. II will
help save Tom, or will die in the attempt ~
As she spoke, leaning over the, stern
sheets, she pushed against rock, sending
the boat out towards the wild waves be-
yond the cove.
You will require me to steer," she
continued. There are but four men here,
and all must pull or we will make no
headway."
She seated herself at the tiller.
mo, Mary, l tell you you must not
go ~ cried her father.
But as he said this the boat drifted
among the huge, rolling waves, and then
it was absolutely necessary to ply the oars,
and pull far enough out to save her from
being hurled against the rock.
Mary rems ined at the tiller, and well
did she perform her duty. Needless of
the drenching spray, she kept at her post.
steering the boat with dauntless courage.
while with keen. eager gaze she watched
for the struggling forms which had been
seen from shore clinging to planks.
! At last the boat was about hundred
fathoms from land.
I'VE are now far enough out to clear
the rocks. on our return. and make the
cove" said Mr.. Gray. The poor fellows
are lost. and we may as well 60 back"
No. no ; cried Mary. There now
l see some one throught that cloud of
spray. 1t is Tom! Quick for Gods sake.
pull aheadr'
The men piled oars vigorously.
Two sailors, each clinging to plank,
were hurled half-drowned. towards the
/ boat
"Help!" continued Mary. leaning over,
and with her left hand clutching the hair
of one of the sailors. as he was being
swept past the craft.
She held on until her father and another
man drew the half-senseless form into the
boat. This person proved to be Captain
Brown. so exhausted that, had he not been
taken from the sea Just then, he must have
been drowned.
The other castaway. who had been the
first mate of the schooner. was pulled out
of the water by one of the fishers forward
but no more of the schooner's crew, who
had numbered six in all, were seen.
Only these two were saved. and even
they would not have been rescued but for
the indomitable pluck of Massachusetts,
| girl. born and bred on the sea- coast.
With much difficulty the boat was GOT
back to the cove without swamping.
/ And then, for the first time, Mr.. GRAY
told Tom about the fortune his uncle had
sent him. and the young man realized how
much he would have lost had not his brave