News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-10-14
THE FOG SIGNAL.
clark, joel ~
BY EDWARD A RAND.

clark, Joer'
IOOt-t-t-t-i
''There it is, Joe! The fog signal i.
a-golng, and Is over in that directi on
As he spoke, Fred Clayton stretched
out his arm and pointed in the direction
of the Sound. His companion, Joe
Palmer, rested on his oar, aud both boy.
listened again for the hoarse scream
echoing over the black water. Only
water and fog about their boat!
Ioot-t-t IT,
'There it is again, Fredl Now let IL.
pull for it, said Joe Palmer. Il never
got bothered on the water this way
You might as well let blind man row
you. You don't know which way tc
pail. However, we are all right now.
Through the great, confusing cloud
of mist swathing the sea the boys wear
lily pulled their boat. At last q huge,
m.sshapen form began to break through
the fog. Was it some grim giant of the
old fairy days wading out from shore.
ready to lower the bag on his back, and
scoop up boys, boat and ala
''There is the lighthouser ex claimed
joe
Yes, Giant Bag-on-the Back was now
only peaceable mass of granite off IN
the sea, and the boys pulled round to
the other side There they saw door
high up in the wall of red tower ad-
joining the lighthouse of stone.
"What is this thing for, Fred2'' asked
Joe.
As if to answer for itself, deafening
"Toot Il t. tt" was sounded ''Oh,
this is the screamer itself2 The fog
signal must be here" replied Fred.
The vigorous blast died away, and
only the sound of the sea was heard as
it splashed the iron tower. Joe looked
anxiously up to the door from which
descended ladder secured to the tower
wall
Erred, Fred There he is Look up :"
said Joe to his companion, who, caught
In this bewildering mist and reaching
the lighthouse, now wondered what was
to be done next As Fred turned and
beaten face fringed with red wh1skers
"Could could we come up2" asked
Joe. eve got lost in the fog"
''Oh, yesl Tie your boat to that rope
you see down there, and then come up
this ladder said Jones Toby, the keeper
of the lighthouse at the North Reef.
Up the red ladder against the red
wall the boys excitedly climbed, con-
graduating themselves that they were
going where most boys never have been,
inside lighthouse.
"Wellr' exclaimed Jones, looking
down with a grin into Fred's brown
eyes and Joe's black ones.
''We are-landlubbers, exclaimed
Joe. "Came down to the beach, board
ing, and took a boat to row Off We
know all about boatIng on our river at
home, but this fog came up and we were
just lost, you may say. If it hadn't
been for you"
:" oot -t-t-t- appropriately
shrieked the fog signal
Isn't she loud :" said Fred
'"Bout as loud as they make 'em,"
remarked the keeper.
''But where is she?" asked Joe.
cup this way" said the keeper, turn
ing to the right and mounting q stair
way to the engine-room where the mys-
terious feminine was. A Young man
Abram Perkins, the keepers assistant,
was patiently watching the engine.
THAT is all there is to it." remarked
Jones. ''It is what you call hot air
engine, and that condenses the air in
that red tank, and when a valve up there
is opened, the air, which is all crowded
up, you know. just rushes ag'in reed
box IN that pipe a-goin' up, you see, and
makes -"
"Music," suggested Fred.
''That's the long and short of it, bows.
1t is the air a goin' through that reed
box which makes the music"
swell, why don't it scream all the
times" asked Joe.
''It is this wheel which regulates that
what you call cam wheel. The cam
Is that projection, as 1 call it, and it hits
ag'in the lever movin' the rod connected
with that valve, lettin' the air out of the
tank. The moment this projection part
or cam is passed, the lever drops and the
valve closes. A simple thing, when you
understand it. If you will step inside
tn light and go up to the lantern, and
want to look out, you can see what we
call the trumpets of the fog signal"
The boys were delighted to receive
this invitation, and trotted nimbly after
the obliging keeper. By a covered
passageway they crossed from the signal
tower to the lighthouse. From the
storeroom they passed up into the kitch-
en-.
''Isn't this cozy ~ exclaimed Fred, as
with wondering eyes he looked about
the little circular room containing a
cook stove, table, chairs, and closet
''Folks ginerally feel to hum here, !"
remarked the keeper, comPlacently.
why, that clock on the wall ticks
as naturally as ours on land" declared
Joe.
81 guess So" said the keeper. "When
it is a stormy night, and we come in
here for bit of comfort" here Jones
laid his hand, not on a bottle, but on
the teapot, occupying a corner of the
stove 81 don't know of a more cheer
fuller place anywhere. Now come up
stairs"
He next showed the boys his own
room above, then Abram Per kIns' room
each holding a comfortable bed,
closet for clothes, and a chair.
Now, boys, we will trot up to the
watch-room, and then into the lantern. {"
in the watch-room, simply furnished
with table and chairs, the boys heard
the sound of humming.
whats that, sir p inquired Joe.
That's the wind a-churnin' round
the lantern; and do you want to see the
lantern Up this wayr'
The visitors mounted to the lantern,
and looked with eager eyes upon the
lamp inclosed by large lens, and then
Joe exclaimed as he noticed that the
upper and larger half of the round Ian
tern wall was one big window divided
bv its sashes into large panes-''Just
like our barn lantern: wick in the CEN