Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-04-10
TOM.

always do your duty, Tom-no mat
ter how perilous or irksome it may be,
and, as general thing, you'll come out
all right and shipshape in the end"
Such was the parting advice of an old
sailor to Thomas Brown, boy of six
teen, who was about sailing away aboard
the ship Dolphin, bound from New York
to the East Indies.
Tom was deeply impressed by the
words of his adviser. He bore them in
mind, and, after the vessel sailed, was so
proapt and cheerful in obeying orders
5that be became favorite both with the
foremost hands and the officers.
Sometimes the lad, set to securing the
decks, polishing the ring bolts, or hoist
ing heavy casks out of the hold, would
feel as if ready to drop with fatigue, but
not murmur would escape his lips,
He was resolved to do his duty bravely,
even though it should kill him.
Fortunately, it had good effect upon
him, charging his lungs and chest, max
ing him broad in the shoulders, and
strong and muscular in the arms. Slen-
der, and rather delicate when he sailed,
he was fast becoming "all right and
shipshape," as his friend, the old sailor,
had expressed it.
One day, the vessel lay becalmed in
the Indian Ocean. The air was sitting
the men breathed with difficulty. Sud
denly the barometer began to fall with
alarming rapidity. In the distance. a
hollow, humming noise was heard. Far
away to windward was seen long,
broad patch of white water.
"Hands by the halliards! In with
royals and to'-gallant sails! Stand by
to clew up the fore and mizzen topsails
and double reef the main!" screamed the
captain, in voice that made every man
jump.
Ere the tars could obey, the storm,
roaring and bowling, driving the seas in
great, white walls of foaming water and
spray before it, came sweeping along
with terrific velocity not mile to wind
ward.
The active sailors clewed up and down
as fast as they could; then aloft they
went and laid out on the yards.
Scarcely were the fore and mizzen top
sails rolled up, when, with tremendous
fury, the gale struck the ship.
Down she went almost on her beam
ends, tearing through the water, in which
she was engulfed to her waist. The can
vass was jerked from under the men like
a fash. Whipping about a moment,
with the din of thunder, it was torn from
the jackstays and sent whirling in shreds
straight up into the black rack of the
tempest.
Meanwhile robes and sheets were Stat
ting about all over the ship. The whist
ling shrouds bellied far inward; the
cracking masts bent over like whalebones;
the huge anchors quivered and reeled on
the cat-heads.
Tom Brown, with another lad, was at
the wheel, assisted by the second mate.
The wheel was now like living monster.
It struggled to free itself from the grasp
of the three sailors, who held and con-
trolled it with difficulty.
Suddenly swapping sound, louder
than the other noises, was heard aloft.
The weather main-to' gallant sail sheet
had parted. The sail, Tapping about,
threatened to carry away the mast.
Sup there you go, Bill!" cried the cap
tain to the lad next to Brown; land cut
that sail clear of the jackstays"
Bill turned pale and trembled, but did
not move from the wheel.
"Oh, captain, nobody could go up
there and iver' he gasped. ''Don't make
me go sirr'
In fact the task of cutting clear that
Stating sail, with the mast Keeling and
jerking, threatening to give way every
moment, must prove perilous under
taking.
81 tell you TO gor' repeated the cap
tain.
81 can't! 1 can'tr' cried Bill, as white
as sheet Anything else I'll do, cap
tain, but don't send me to my death"
The skipper, glaring angrily at the
speaker an instant, looked at Tom Brown.
$50 up there, Tom, and cut the sal
clear"
Tom also turned pale, but his eyes
flashed, and his clear, ringing voice was
heard.
"Aye, aye, SIR
With difficulty he held to the shrouds
Several times his feet were jerked from
under him, but he drew them back and
kept bravely on.
he reached the top gallant mast. The
ship made terrific plunge. Then she
came up with tremenoo is jerk.
The boys feet again few from under
him. He was flung from the shrouds;
but he just saved himself from failng Dy
clutching the top gallant hailiards.
Wilder and more violently gatted the