The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-04-15

to tho tops with my glass, but every
time came down disappointed. The
captain was a. unquiet az myself
Something we expected to happen, but
of what it was to be we could form no
idea. The second officer, believe,
thought us both crazy; indeed, often
wondered myself at the state l was
in. Evening came and nothing turned
up. The night was bright and the
captain determined to carry on under
easy sail till morning.
Morning came, and with the first
gray dawn was on deck. It was bit
terly cold. Those only who have seen
them can form an idea of the delicate
tints of the morning sky in those north
ern seas. But l was in no humor to
appreciate the beauties of nature.
There was mist low down on the
horizon; I waited impatiently for it to
lift. 1t lifted soon, and l could not
be mistaken-beyond it l could see the
simmer of ice. l sent down to tell
the captain who came on deck direct
~.
"It's no use, Mr.. Brown he said,
you must put her about"
''Wait one moment: the mist is lift
ing more; it will be quite clear direct
ly:"
The mist was indeed lifting rapidly.
Far to the north and west we could see
the ice stretching away in one unbro-
ken field. was trying to see whether
there appeared any break in the ice
toward the west, when the captain
Selling my arm with one hand and
pointing straight ahead with the other,
exclaimed
Good heavens! there is ship there!'
The mist had risen like a curtain,
and there, sure enough, about three
miles ahead was ship seemingly firm
ly packed in ice. We stood looking at
it in silence. There was some mean.
ing after all in that mysterious warn
ing, was the first thought that suggest
ed itself to me.
''She's nipped bad SIR said old
Shiel, who, with the rest of the crew,
was anxiously watching our new dis.
covery. 1 was trying to make her out
with glass when the flash of a gun
quickly followed by the report proved
that she had seen us. Up went the
flag, union downward. We needed NJ
signal to know her distress. The cap.
tain ordered the second officer into the
boat. watched him as he made his
way over the ice with q few men to-
ward the ship. They soon returned
with eight of the ships crew. 1t was
dismal account they gave of theil
situation. They mi ht have sawed
their way out of the ice, but the ship
was so injured she could not have
tloated an hour. The largest of thei1
boats had been stove n; the other:
were hardly seaworthy. They were
preparing, however, to take them as {
last resource, when our welcome ar
rival put an end to their fears. An
other detachment was soon brought
oil, and the captain with the remainder
OF his crew, was to follow immediate
ly.
went down to my cabin and triec
to think over the singular fate which
had made us the preservers of this
ships crew. could not divest myself
of the idea that some supernatural
agency was connected with that paper
in the desk, and l trembled 1T thu
thought of what light have been thu
consequences if we had neglected thu
warning. The boat coming alongside
interrupted my revery. In few sec.
onds was on deck.
found the captain talking to fine
old sailor-like looking man, whom hi
introduced to me as Capt. Sguires
Capt. Squires shook hands with mt
and we remained talking some time.
could not keep my eyes off his face;
had conviction that had seen hin
somewhere, where l could not tell
Every now and then seemed to catcf
at some clew, which vanished as soor
| as touched. At last he turned rounC
to speak to some of his men. I coul(
not be mistaken-there was the long
white hair, the brown coat. He wa:
the man had seen writing in the cap
tain's cabin!
That evening the captain and 1 tolt
the story of the paper to Capt. Squires
who gravely and in silence listened tt
our conjectures. He was too thankful
for his escape out of such eminen
peril to question the means by which
it had been brought about. At tn,
captains request he wrote "steer N
w. We compared it with the origi
nal writing. There could b,
no doubt of it. 1t was the same odd
cramped hand.
Can any one solve the mystery!