Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24

tossed her angrily toward the shore
The men on land ran forward and helped the
surfmen get the boat back on the sand. And
they brought with her the form Of the captain.
his right arm powerless and blood streaming
from deep cash across his temple.
Henry Dane saw all this. He saw what the
broken wrist ment He saw the grounded ves-
sci giving way TO the pounding Of the waves
He saw that the lives upon her had 10 be saved
At any cost There in the stern he would be
at home-he whom the captain had Taught,
whom the boys had trusted. So intent were
his thoughts that he scarcely felt the clinging
OF the woman at his side-she who was more 20
him than all the world-scsrcely heard her
words imploring him not to 20.
I'VE need another man" hallooed Tom.
Henry looked ~ the trembling form OF
his wife and unclasped her hands from hi,
arm.
ITS my duty must" he said.
Then 60. she replied. "And may God keep
He sprang forward In an instant he w>s IN
the stern with the steering oar balanced for its
work There were no cheers no demonstra-
tons from the islanders II was Henry's place
TO go, and he went; that was all. And, more
over. most Of the folks were around the
holding him down
The surtmen and their new captain saw moth
ing, knew nothing, but the work ahead OF them
As Henry stood at his post the wilderness lef,
his face and all the old earnestness rushed bach
to warm his blood, to strengthen his muscle.
1t seemed like the old DAYS 70 the surfmen q
hear him sing out: STEADY now, boysl Herr
comes bully one. One. two. three, let her
gor'
She went Into the seething turbulence she
fell, and on the snowy crest she rose. Henry
held her true and straight He profited by the
captains failure; calculated for the diagona
waves. and with firm nerve and splendid
| strength guided her through the dangers of tn,
breakers. His loud voice rose above the
storm.
Strong there, Tom. There's . whopper
All together, boys That's past. Now wer,
all right"
The men never pulled more magnifcently
and the boat, obedient to the helmsman
| touch, leaped from wave to wave, carrying IN,
prayers of those on shore, the hopes of III,
freezing wretches on the wreck.
ana yet she seemed to go slowly-oh, ~
slowly! The captain, his left eye hid by tn,
rough cloths which were bound around hi
wound. arose and looked
God bless the boyi" he said.
And the people thought the boy needed il. fol
,ne boat was often hidden by the spray. and
looked as If she could not live through the trip
But when they saw Henry standing steadfasti,
at hls post, the men working the oars like ma
chimes, and the whole crew fighting the storm
inch by inch toward the vessel, they took hope
and believed that he would conquer. 1t was
that seemed whole day. but at the end Of i
the surf boat was nearer the vessels side.
Ihree times she tried to approach the wrecl
and.thre times the waves swept her away an,
| as failure followed failure the five men aud tn,
boy on the vessel seemed to give MP hope. Bul
not SO Henry. The fourth time success came
| and in minute the six csstaways jumpec
| aboard and nestled there in speeches. Joy.
All knew the perils of the trip ashore Pro
| gress was easier. but the dangers were greater
Henry was exuberant no longer. His face wa
| grim. not boyish, and the paleness came back
For awhile the boat cut swiftly through the sea
leaping from breaker to breaker with splendi,
speed But when she reached the cut-off chan
| mel that ran between the shore and the shoal
| the serious work began. The beach seemes
only few yards away, but between it and tn
boat more than one tragedy had ended tn
hopes of sailors in bygone years. Henry kne,
it well. just as the boat plunged into il
hidden current tried to pull her to her death
but he was quick, and the boat was brough
back to her course. A minute more and the,
were in the thick Of the eddies, and the thun
dering breakers hammered the boat witt
Titanic force. They were over more than hal
| the channel now. Afew more pulls meant Ian,
| and safety.
.'Pull. boys; pull for your livesr'
They did so, but there was a monster breake
chasing them like a wild beast after it's prey
With lips set the man in the stern concentrates,
svery muscle upon the work; but just as b
| seemed 70 be getting ready to beach the boa
| and clasp his wife in his arms, his hand relaxe,
| and he fell.
As Tom jumped to the oar the big breake
took the boat and tossed her near enough in 70
| the captain and the men. who were wast-deel
in the surf, to grab her side. There wac a tur
! bulence of ghirling water, of rapid movements
| of strange words, and axicus cries and the boa
and her crew and her passengers were safe Of
| the beach.
All safe save one. His unconscious forr
rested hstlessly on the boats bottom. The me-
bore 1t tenderly to place where the womel
, had spread their shawls. The big captain knel
il the snow and tried to'bring life from death
He must be taken home" said Tom. Wei
do it, captain. Your wrist is broken"
Wrist be ID and the rugged old fello,
lifted him in his big arms and carried hin
had asked God to keep him.