Los Angeles herald., 1891-03-25


played around their lower edges. The
skipper said it would not be a bad squall
The Clover would stand it under lib ani
mainsail. It came along in few min
utes. You could see it strike the water
over near the Connecticut shore. II
made the surface six shades darker. The
girls had their rubber goods on, but the
skipper said it would not rain. How
ever, they had heard shippers say that
before. The squall came bounding ovel
the sound.
Then, they never knew how it hap
pened, but the boom gave terrific jumI
right across the yacht. 1t hit the skip
per on the head and knocked him sense
less. The next moment he was halfway
!. over the lee rail with seven shriekine
women pulling at him. The yacht was
pretty nearly on her beam ends and the
sailor boy was paralyzed.
Then Collie Beattie walked up out o1
the cabin rubbing his eyes.
''Did some one screamg' he asked.
"Oh, look at that useless thing cried
Ethel, tugging at the leg of the skip
per's trousers.
Whereupon Collie woke up.
He brushed the women aside like sc
many flies and pulled the skipper intt
the cockpit. Then he let 20 the jill
sheet, and the yacht righted partly.
"Here, my lad," he called to the boy
"take the wheel" The boy obeyed, and
Collie pulled off his coat. There was Q
red spot in each of his cheeks.
whats he going to DOR inquired
Gertie, awestruck.
Lord knows I'm glad to see him dc
anything" said Ethel.
"Hard down upon your helm!'' ex
claimed Der A1te Chaperon. "Mrs
Bisbee, you and Miss Sybil please holt
the wheel there minute. Now, lad
main sheet; in with it'll"
Collie and the boy got the main boon
trimmed fat as the yacht came up int
the wind. The jib tapped madly.
Fright your helm!" cried Collie.
"The boy obeyed the order.
keep your head to it," was his mex
order
Then Collie sprang forward and slack
ed the jib halyards, unbent the sheet
slid out on the bowspfit, which wa,
plunging into the young seas like crazy
porpoise, reefed the jib, came back, BEN
on the sheet and hoisted away again
while the women huddled in the cockpit
like petrifed mummies.
CHOW let her blow" said Collie as h,
went aft, put on his coat and took th'
wheel Ats
"Get the captain below" said he t1
the boy, ''and give him good horn o
brandy. He's coming to-"
The boy dragged the skipper down
stairs, the women all following in silence
to see if they could do anything. Sybi
Vane asked the boy when they were be
low whether he hadn't better go up ant
sail the yacht.
"Guess not" said the boy. "Tha
feller don't need no help. I can see tina
without telenscup."
The boys Judgment appeared to b,
right. It was blowing great guns. Blu
the Glover was riding like canvasbacl
duck. Collie looked very composed a
the wheel. The girl stared up the com
panionway at him. He seemed to b.
enjoying it. The captain recovered hi
senses presently and hurried on deck.
"Go below and lie down, captain,
said Collie; 'syour head must be rafting
like locker of shot in a gale"
The captain looked surprised.
"Who reefed the jibg' he asked.
II did," said Collie, humoring hel
neatly with the helm.
The captain watched him do it. TheI
he went below and stretched himself
ON Collie's favorite locker.
"That mans the best amateur sailol
ever saw" he said.
The women looked at one another api
heaved long sighs of relief.
"That useless thing appears to be some
good after ALL" said Mrs. Bisbee tx
Ethel.
HUMP said Ethel.
Collie sailed the Clover back to hel
anchorage off the hotel after the squall
They all went ashore and he immediate
ly retired to his room and was seen M
more until the next day. About moor
he was discovered in the steamer chail
with am unusually formidable German
novel. They surrounded him and bega1
to thank him for bringing them in safe
ly. He didn't seem to pay much atten
ton to them. Just kept listening TO-
something down the road. Present.,
the hotel stage came rafting up from
the station.
"Here she isl said Mrs. Bisbee, beck
oning the girls. And they all deserted
their preserver to see the beautiful heir
ess. She was beautiful. There was NJ
mistaking that The girls groaned in
wardly. She came airily up the steps
her brown eyes afame with expectation
She caught sight Of Der Alte Chaperol
lying in his steamer chair. She raj
right to him, threw both arms about hi
neck and publicly kissed him on the lips
"Collie dear!' she said passionately
"But, dear old fellow, you look real don
up, and expected to find you so mucl
better"
Better? He must have been sick, then
when he came down.
"Wel, sweetheart" he replied, laugh
ing, II have been mending slowly bu
surely till yesterday, when bad to do
little work aboard boat and"
"Aboard boatl Now, dear, yo'
know the doctor said you were not t
exert yourself, and when you sail boa
Won a1wavs's--