The Osceola times., 1886-04-17


conclusion after awhile that sam was
playing mean tricks on him, and to get
square he went around blowing that the
Jeannette could outsail the Jennie in
amy kind of a breeze, and that he'd like
to bet one hundred dollars that his state
ment was founded OH fact. OF course
this was something that Sam couldn't
stand and so he planked down one hun
dred dollars, and it was agreed that the
race should be sailed the very first op-
Portunity that presented itself II came
the next day when big pile of lumber
was landed on the dock at Port Ryerse,
ont., for shipment to Buffalo. Josh and
sam started over and moored their ves-
sels alongside the dock, In twenty-four
hours both steamers had two-reef load
on Instead of starting right away it
was agreed to wait until midnight and
then cast off the second the hands of
thelr big silver watches pointed to
twelve. The cabins OF both vessels
were worked up to the highest pitch of
excitement, and instead of irving to get a
httle rest they went in body up to the
village and began drinking pale Cana
dian whisky.
ut was twelve o'clock before they
knew it, and wild rush was made for
the schooncrs. The hawsers were
thrown off quick as flash, and both
boats moved out into the lake and were
soon swallowed up in the night. The
salls were shaken out in jitfy, and
though the wind was light when they
started it soon gathered considerable
strength, and in less than thirty minutes
1t was blowing down the lake like a
thousand demons. The schooncrs We're
SO alike in every respect and the men
| who had charge of them were so equal
IN point of seamanship that they hugged
each other as close as twilight hugj
night. Once or twice they came near
colliding, but every danger that threat
ened them seemed to make the men
more reckless. Under ordinary cir
cumstances, much of the canvas that
the vessels carried would have been ta-
Ken in, because the wind would occas-
ltnally bowl them over so much that
there was danger of the whole deck
loads OF lumber sliding overheard. But
both Sam and Josh swore mighty
oath that not rope should be touch
ed, and the schooners kept tearing along
right on top of each other all the time
The wind kept steadily gather
ing In strength, and the
faster it sent the boats along the
greater the danger was. Now there is
neck of land near Quarry dock that
stretches out like finger of doom far
into the lake. 1t is known as Windmill
point and has been the death of more
good sailors than all those saltwater
iiends known as wreckers have ever
been. The water that covers it is so
shallow that even light wind will
whip it into foam, and when a gale is
blowing it is frequently laid bare, and
the sharp ragged rocks that compose it
are clearly shown. Josh was trihe
ahead of Sam when this point was
reached, and he laid himself out in
order to get around it first Sam didn't
intend to let him do anything of the
kind if he could help il and swung his
schooner around until pointed straight
between the point of the reef and his
rivals boat. This gave him a shorter
road to travel and he rapidly overhauled
JOSH BY the eternal jewhittaker, cried
the latter, I'll jam him clar up on the
rocks if he don't give way. But Sans
blood was up and he was willing to risk
every thing in order to pass the point
first. The schooners closed in on each
other, Sans boat slid along the point
almost scraping the edge of the rocks,
and when he thought all danger was
passed Josh seized his rudder and swung
it hard-a-starboard. His schooner came
around like rocket, the bow struck
Sans boat square amidships, and
crowded her, scraping and plunging, up
on the rocks. Josh's boat was forced
back by the collision, and by the time
the wrecked bowsprit was cleared away
she was some distance off the point.
Sam and his crew were in a bad plight.
The schooner had grounded hard and
fast and had kceled over so that two
thirds of the deck-load of lumber had
gone by the board.
1.-The men passed dreary night, but
by daylight the wind died away and in
tile while a boat pulled off from shore
and landed them all safe on the beach.
Sam gathered together gang of men
and started out with them to see what
could be done to release the schooner
and set her atloat once more. The men
were about clambering over the stern
when Sam suddenly sprang up with a
glad shout. Painted on the stern he
saw the name Jeannette. 1t didn't
take him long to understand this. In
the darkness of night and with their
brains muddled with whisky he had
taken Josh boat, and his property, the
Jennie, was then probably safe and
sonnd in port.
"Don't tech her, boys he shouted.
y hain't got no interest in her. Let her
go. and when we git ashore I'll give We
all the whisky We want, because it's to
whisky owe my salvation. That even
ing Sam landed in Buffalo. He found
his schooner safely moored, with
brand new bowsprit in place, and the
lumber nearly all off. Josh was sitting
on deck. smiling away and looking as
happy as clam.
''I would consider il obign' in yc.'
he said politely, jumping ON board, if
ye'd kindly skip often my schooner.
Yen find ther jeanette a needin' yer at
tention up yonder on the bar'' John
was struck all lin a heap, but he rushed to
the stern and crawling way over looked
down, and seeing the name Jennie re-
allied the horrible truth He cussed and
ripped and swore, but that was poor
satisfaction, and so he started off. The
next time Sam met him in Erie he
nailed him for the one hundred dollars,
and Josh acted like man and paid it.
Sam had been attending to the widow
all the time Josh had been busy getting