Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-09-21

were interrupted by a step, and, turning
round, she found herself face to face with
the Captain.
why, Miss Smithers,' he said, "what
on earth are you doing here at this hour
making up romances'"
Yes" she answered, laughing, and
with perfect truth. The fact of the mat
ter is, could not sleep, so / came on deck;
and very pleasant it is!'
Yes said the Captain, "if you want
something to put into your stories you
won't find anything better than this. The
Kangaroo is showing her heels. isn't she,
Miss Smithers' That's the beauty of her,
she can sail as well as steam; and when
She has a strong wind like this abaft. it
would have TO be something very quick
that would catch her. / believe that we
have been running over seventeen knots
an hour ever since midnight. / hope 10
make kerguelen Island by seven o'clock
TO correct my chronometers."
"What is Kerguelcn Islaudy" asked Au-
gusta.
"Oh. ii is a desert place where nobody
goes, except now and then a whaler TO fl
up with water. ! believe that the astrou-
omerS sent an expedition there a few years
z TO observe the transit of Venus: but it
was a failure because the weather was SO
misty-it is nearly always misty there.
Well, | must be off, Miss Smithers. Good
night; or, rather, good-morning." Before
the words were well out Of his mouth there
was a Wild shout forward-"Ship dheddr'
Then came an awful yell from a dozen
voices-"Stdrboard! Hard d~-s:arboard,
for GOd'S sake"
With a wild leap, like the leap Of a man
suddenly shot, the Captain left her side
and rushed on to the bridge. At the same
instant the engine bell rang and the steer
ing chains began to rattle furiously on
the rollers at her feet as the steam steer
ing gear did its work. Then came another
yell
ITS u tchdlcr-n0 l~igttS!" and an III
black object that loomed ahead. Before
the echoes had died away, before the great
ship could even answer TO the helm, there
was a crash, such as Augusta had never
heard, and "A sickening shock, that threw
her on her hands and knees on TO the deck,
shaking the iron masts till they trembled
as though they were willow wands, and
making the huge sails flap and for an in
slant fly aback. The great vessel, rushing
along at her frightful speed Of seventeen
knots, had plunged into the ship ahead
with such hideous energy that she cut
her clean in wO-cut her in two and pass
ed over her as though she were a pleasure
boat!
Shrek upon shrek of despair came
piercing the gloomy night, and then, as
Augusta struggled TO her feet, she felt a
horrible succession of bumps, accompanied
by "A crushing, grinding noise. 1t was the
kangaroo driving right over the remains
of the whaler.
In a very few seconds it was done, and
looking astern, Augusta could just make
out something black that seemed 10 float
for Il second or two upon the water, and
then disappear into its depths. 1t was the
shattered hull of the whaler.
Then there arose a faint murmuring
sound, that grew first into a hum, her
into a roar, and then into "a clanor that
rent the skies, and up from every hatch
way and cabin in the great ship, human
beings-men, women, and children, came
rushing and tumbling with faces White
with terror-white as their night gear.
Some were absolutely naked, having
SAipBNu OAi tAlc night ottSS aia hdd lO
time TO put on anything else; some had
put on listers and great-coats, others had
blankets thrown round them or carried
their clothes in their hands. Up they
came, hundreds and hundreds of them,
for there were %atb0usand souls on board
the kangaroo,) pouring aft like terrified
spirits flying from the mouth Of Hell, and
from them arose such a hideous clamor as
few have lived to hear.
Augusta clung to the nettings TO let the
rush so by, trying 10 collect her scattered
senses and to prevent herself from catch
ing the dreadful contagion Of the panic.
Being a brave and cool headed woman,
she presently succeeded, and with her re-
turning clearness of vision she realized
that she and all on board were in great
peril. 1t was clear that so frightful a col
l.s!on could not nave taken place without
injury 10 their w vessel. Nothing short
OF an iron-clad ram could have stood such
a shock. Probably they would founder in
q few minutes, and all be drowned. In q
few minutes she might be dead! Her
heart stood still at the horror of the
thought, but once more she recovered her
self. Well, after all, life had not been
pleasant: and she had nothing to fear from
another world, she had done no wrong.
Then suddenly she began TO think of the
Where was Lady Holmhurst!
and where were the boy and the nurses
Acting upon an impulse she did not stay
TO realize, she ran TO the saloon hatchway.
IL was fairly clear now, for most OF the
people were on deck, and she found her
way so the child's cabin with but little
difficulty. There was a light in il. and the
first glance showed her that the nurse had
gone-gone, and deserted the child-for
there it lay, asleep, with a smile upon his
little round face. The shock had scarcely
wakened the boy, and, knowing nothing
of shipwrecks, he had just shut his eyes
and gone TO sleep again.
"Dick, Dickr' she said, shaking him.
He yawned and sat up. and thea threw
himself down again saying, dick sleepy
Eyes, but Dick must wake up, and
auntie'' Che called her ''auntie') Twill
take him up OIL deck to look for Mummy.
Won't it be nice to go on deck in the dark"
Eyes, said Dick, with confidence; and
Augusta took him on her knee and hur-
ried him into such Of his clothes as cam
handy, as quickly as she could. On the
cabin door was a warm little pea-jacket
which the child wore when ii was cold.
This she put on over his blouse and fan.
mel shirt, and then, by an ~after-thought,
took the two blankets off his bunk and
wrapped them round him. At the foot Of
the nurses bed was q box of biscuits and
.a,,. ,N.lr nu.. Isn...st,. L. a.-r..o IT,