The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-13


more rowing, and they got ON but slowly for
the sea was little rougher and the light
was going. The captain still stool on the
Shasta's bridge watching the boat through
his binocular He saw Pierrspoint and tine
boy pulled in, and then he could only see
that the men seemed busy about something
in the bottom Of the boat; after that he sa v
Pierrepoint sitting AMI a brown bundle in
the fireman's arms He knew this was his
boy, rolled up in something but he could
not help questioning within himself whether
his boy was coming back to him alive or
dead.
Mrs. Pierrepoint was still beside Capt.
Hood, AMI felt that she knew what was
passing in his mind The boat was now
much nearer; they were both watching it
intently, but the light was failing. At the
moment they both saw Mr.. Pierrepoint
stand up and wave his right hand in a pc
culiar way.
THAT was a signal, MADAM; what does it
meanP ashed the captain.
wait moment till he repeats Yes, /
See 1t plainly this time. He says An well,'"
replied Mrs. Pierrepoint
These words were heard by some of the
ships officers and passengers who stood
near, and they raised cheer, which was
taken up all over the deck and passed across
the water to the boat, which was getting
near.
THANK Godl" said Capt. Hood. "We will
soon have them on board again" He then
left the bridge in charge of the first officer
and went aft, accompanied by Mrs.. Pierre
point, to the place where the gig would be
brought on board Here the quartermaster
mad g a clear space on the deck, and in the
center of the space stood the captain, Mrs
Plerrepoint and the stewardess To her
Mrs Pierrepoint said: "Order warm
bath for the child" and steward was sent
down to have this done.
The boat was now alongside under the
davits; the oars were unshipped, the hooks
of the lifting tackle were fixed in the rings
for raising the boat all the hands but two
climbed up the tackle ropes to tighten the
boat and then a number of willing hands
hauled away upon the tackle. The boat
left the water and mounted slowly high
into the air till it was above the level of the
ships bulwarks, the davits were swung
round, AMI the boat was gently lowered
upon the deck Then mighty cheer burst
out, hats and hanikerchiefs vera waved,
and cheer upon cheer rang over the water
Little Jack lookei out of his plaid with .
smile on his face, while Mickey handed his
precious bundle into Capt Hoods arms;
and in few minutes more Jack was having
a warm bath under the supsrintendence OF
his friends the stewar1ess, and a ittis
later he was in the saloon with dry clothes
on, as merry as il nothing whatever had
happened.
When Pierrepoint stepped on the deck he
took his wife's hand i'll his for a moment;
and then rush was made at him, and both
his hands were shaken till he thought hi.
arms would be pulled off; but the captain
came on deck at once and bore him off to
one of the bathrooms where a warm bath
awaited him. A steward brought him
supply of dry clothes, and in half an hour
he was in the saloon. and had another course
OF hand shaking.
The captain said all he had to say in a
very few words. and with haud-grasp
which said more than words
The stupid couple" were now the heroes
of the ship; and when the Shasta arrived in
New York harbor, John Pierepoint man
aged, by the captains help, to escape being
interviewed by the reporters. The reporters.
however, heard the story in all its details
from the passengers and officers, and the
Plerrepoints fcunl themselves famous.
Before the passengers separated such
number of invitations were offered to the
Pierrepoints that, hal they been able, they
might have spent a year or two in America
merely paying visits Some of these inyita-
tons they were able to accept
Capt Hood carried them off at once tn
his house on the Hudson, where little Jack
was the first to bring his mother an account
of the event of the voyage
The Perreponts returned to England for
Christmas without any ssa adventures but
before they had been two days in America
John PIerrep)int wrote to his father to tell
Of their safe arrival in America, and he ad-
dressed the letter: "Tne Earl OF Hurst
Hurstpierpoint, Sussex, England