The Portland daily press., 1891-01-06


Neither do l. | should think you'd
get little sunburn on you just from
shame"
Collie laughed. He seemed to be i'm.
mensely amused. He had funny way
OF being amused at things that didn't
amuse other people 1t was jolly fol
him, but it made the other people angry.
"If you're going to laugh at my con.
versation I'm going back to the-the
girls" exclaimed Sybil, springing up the
steps.
Collie laughed some more. Then he
stretched himself on the cabin locker and
laughed again. Next he closed his eyes
and smiled A minute later he was
sound asleep. All the women came down
and looked at him half an hour later.
He didn't seem much to look at. He had
deep lines under his eyes when he slept,
and worn appearance. Yet they all
looked at him and despised him. He just
slept on and didn't mind it. M
valuable person to have on yacht
ing excursion. isn't he?" whispered Ethel,
with a genuine growl in her pretty voice
'If had thing like that for husband
Pd-but I'd never have one"
Lets go on deck. | do believe it's
fallen dead calm" said Mrs. Bisbee.
So it had. The Clover's mast was
plumb perpendicular. So were her main.
sail and her jib. The water looked like
molasses. And it was seething hot. The
skipper said there was going to be a
squall, and sent the one sailor, boy,
aloft to furl the topsail. The skipper
was right. There was going to be a
squall. Big blue black clouds were pr
ing up in the northwest. Lightning
played around their lower edges. The
skipper said it would not be a bad squall.
The Glover would stand it under jib and
mainsail. 1t came along in few min
utes. You could see it strike the water
over near the Connecticut shore. 1t
made the surface six shades darker. The
girls had their rubber goods on, but the
skipper sail it would not rain. How
ever, they had heard shippers say that
before. The squat came bounding over
the sound.
Then, they never knew how it hap
pened, but the boom gave terrific jump
right across the yacht. It hit the skip
per on the head and knocked him sense
less The next moment he was halfway
over the lee rail with seven shrieking
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 of
the cabin rubbing his eyes.
Ibid some one screan?" he asked.
"Oh, look at that useless thingw cried
Ethel, -tugging at the leg of the skip
per's trousers.
Whereupon Collie woke up.
He brushed the women aside like 80
many flies and pulled the skipper into
the cockpit. Then he let go the jib
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
red spot in each of his cheeks
Whats he going to do?" inquired
Gertie, awestruck. ~ r
Lord knows I'm glad to see him do
anything" said Ethel.
'''Hard down upon your helmr' ex-
claimed Der Alte Chaperon. "Mrs.-
Bisbee, you and Miss Sybil please hold
the wheel there a minute. Now, lad.
main sheet; in with It'll"
Collie and the boy got the main boom
trimmed fat as the yacht came up into
the wind. The jib tapped madly. 81.
Right your helm" cried Collie.
THE boy obeyed the order.
Keep your head to it" was his next
order.
Then Collie sprang forward and slack
ed the jib halyards, unbent the sheet,
slid out on the bowsprit, which was
plunging into the young seas like crazy
porpoise, reefed the jib, came back, bent
on the sheet and hoisted away again,
while the women huddled in the cockpit
like petrifed mummies.
"Now let her blow" said Collie as he
went aft, put on his coat and took the
wheel " M
sect the captain below" said he to
the boy, land give him good horn of
brandy. He's coming to-" -.sa
The boy dragged the skipper down
stairs, the women all following in silence
to see if they could do anything. Sybil
Vane asked the boy when they were be-
low whether he hadn't better go up and
sail the yacht.
Guess not" said the boy. THAT
Teller don't need no help. can see that
without telenscup.' :.. ...
The boys judgment appeared to BE-
right. 1t was blowing great guns. But
the Clover was riding like canvasback
duck Collie looked very composed at
the wheel. The girl stared up the com
panionway at him lie seemed to be
enjoying it The captain recovered his
senses presently and hurried on deck.
$50 below and lie down, captain
said Collie; "your head must be rafting
like a locker Of Slot in Il gale"
The captain looked surprised.
"Who reefed the jib:'' he asked.
81 did said Collie humoring her
neatly with the helm
The captain watched him do it. Then
he went below AMI stretched himself
on Collie's favorite locker.
That mans the best amateur sailor
ever saw he said
The women looked at one another and
heaved long signs of relief
That useless thing appears to be some
good after all" said Mrs. Bisbee to
Ethel.
"Humr said Ethel.
Collie sailed the Clover back to her
anchorage off the hotel after the squall
They all went ashore and he immediate.
ly retired to his room and was seen no
more until the next day. About noon
he was discovered in the steamer chair
with an unusually formidable German
novel. They surrounded him and began
to thank him for bringing them in safe
ly. He didn't seem to pay much atten-
ton to them. Just kept listening for
something down the road. Presently
the hotel stage came rafting up from
the station.
"Here she is, said Mrs. Bisbee, beck
oning the girls. And they all deserted
their preserver to see the beautiful heir
ess. She was beautiful. There was no
mistaking that The girls groaned in
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