The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-07-01
a MARRIAGE AT SEA.
BY
w. CLARK RUSSELL.

TO him. and be Immediately said to me.
in voice that trembIed with agitation
Mr.. Barclay, good news. sir The
gales a-taking of.
claeped my hands, and could have
Rugged the dripping figure Of the man to
my breast,
Yes. sir, be continued, 1.-THE breeze
Is slackening. There's no mistake about
it. The horizons opening, too"
Heaven be praisedi And what OF the
leak, Caudel?"
"'Tain't worse than 1t was, sir; though
it's bad enough.
III the weather should moderate"
Well, then, II the leak don't gain we
may manage to carry her home. Thatli
have to be found out, sir. But, seeing
the yachts condition, ! shall be for.
transferring you and the lady to any
thing inwards bound that may happen to
come along. Us men II take the yacht to
port, providing she'll let u.s." He
paused, and then said, .There might be
no harm now, perhaps, In firing on that
there gun. II smack'nd show herself
shed be willing to stand by for the sake
of the salvage. Wen also send up q few
rockets. sir. But how about the young
lady, Mr.. Barclay
Everything must be done, i replied,
that Is likely to preserve our lives. +"
There was Some gunpowder aboard,
but where Caudei had slowed 1t ] did not
know. However, 1--WE minutes after be
had left me, and whilst was sitting by
my sweetheart, who still slept, the gun
was discharged. Ten or twelve times
was this little cannon discharged at In
teryals of Ave or ten minutes, and ]
could hear the occasional rush Of
/.
ing through the stormy uproar.
From time to time would creep up
into the companion, always in the hope
OF finding the lights of a ship close to;
but nothing came OF our rockets, whilst
doubt II the little blast the quarter
deck pop gun delivered was audible half
a mile, away to windward. At dawn IL
was blowing hard still, with an iron gray
freckled sea rolling hollow anu con-
fusedly, and near horizon thick with
mist.
There was nothing in sight. The yacht
looked deplorable sodden and wrecked
as she pitched and wallowed In the cold
desolate, ashen atmosphere OF that day
break.
called to Caudl He approached me
slowly as man might walk aftera swim
that has nearly spent him.
Here is another day. Caudel. What
is to be done2n
What can be done, sir, Z" answered
the poor fellow, with the irritation OF
exhaustion and Of anxiety but little
removed from despair s We must go
on pumping for our lives, and pray to
God that we may be picked up
Why not get sail upon the yacht, put
her before the wind, aud run for the
French constr"
If you like, sir, " he answer I'd lam
guidly bit 1t is d long stretch to the
French coast, and II the wind should
shiIt-" He paused and looked though
as WORRY had weakened his mind little
anu rendered him incapable of decidiug
swiftly and for TIE best.
The boy Bobby was pumping and
took notice Of the CLASSY clearance Of
the water as it gnshed out to strokes Of
the little brake. The others Of my small
crew s..erA croucaing under the lee Of the
weather bulwark.
Before returning to Grace looked at
our little boat,-she was just yachts
dinghy, and thought of the slender
chance Of saving our lives the tiny ark
would provide for US with,-seven
souls in boat fit to hold five. and then
only in smooth waterl
Grace was awake when / had gone on
deck at daybreak, though she had slept
for two or three hours very soundly,
never once moving when the cannon was
discharged, frequent as the report had
been. On my descending she begged me
to take her on deck.
/ was about to make some answer,
when heard aloud and, as it appeared
to me, a fearful cry on deck. Before
] could spring to my feet some one
heavily thumped the companion hatch,
hinging the sliding cover wide open an
instant after, and Caudel's voice roared
down.
Mr.. Barclay, Mr. Barclay there's a
big ship close aboard us She's rounding
to. Come on deck. for Gods sake, sir,
that we may larn your wishes"
Bidding Grace remain where she was,
/ sprang to the companion steps, and
the first thing saw on emerging was a
large full-rigged ship, with painted ports
under small canvass, and in the act Of
rounding to, with her main topsail yard
slowly swinging aback
Midway the height of our little mizzen
mast streamed the ensign, which Caudel
or another of the men had hoisted
the Union down; but our wrecked
mast and the fellow laboring at the
pump must have told our story to the
could gather but little emphasis
from the signal OF distress streaming
like square OF flame half mast high at
our stern.
The ship, noble structure, was well
within hail, rolling somewhat heavily,
hut with a majestical slow motion.
There was little knot Of people on the
poop. and man standing near them,
but alone; as ! watched him he took
what ] gathered to be speaking-trum-
pet from the hand of the seaman who
had run to him with it.
Now, Mr.. Barclay" Grid Caudel, in a
a voice vibrating with excitement,
there's yours and the lady's hopper
tunity, sir. But what's your instrue-
tions2 what's your wishes, sir?"
Ny wishes? How can you ask? We
must leave the Spitfire. She is already
half crowned. She will sink when you
stop pumping.
Right, sir" he exclaimed; and with
out another word he posted himself at
the rail IN posture Of attention, his
eyes upon the ship.