The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-25

and the wearisome beat of the piled brake
affected my imagination as though IT had
been the tolling OF a funeral bell. L
hardly required Caudel 20 tell me the
condition OF the yacht when some time
between eight and nine o'clock that night
he put his head into the hatch and mo-
toned me TO ascend.
Its my duty TO tell We. Mr.. Barclay"
he exclaimed, whispering hoarseiy into
my ear In the comparative shelter OF the
companion-cover, that Grace might not
overhear him, that the leak aga ming
upon us"
had guessed as much, yet this con-
flrmation OF my conjecture affected me
as violently as though l had had no pre-
vious suspicion of the state OF the yacht,
was thunder struck: l felt the blood
forsake my cheeks. and for some mo-
ments could not find my voice.
You do not mean 20 tell me, Caudel,
that the yacht is actually sinking?"
mo, sir. But the pumpll have 10 be
kept continually going II she's 10 remain
anoat. I'm afeered when the mast went
over the side that blow from IL started
a butt, and the leaks growing worse and
worse, consequent Of the working OF the
craft"
Is it still thck?"
"As mud, sir"
"Why not fire the gun at intervals9"
said l, referring TO the little brass cam
non that stood mounted upon the quar-
terdeck.
I'm afeered--" He paused. with a
melancholy shake OF bis head. "Of
course, Mr.. Barclay. he went on. ~ it's
your wish, sir-but it'll do no more,
allow, than frlghten the lady. 'Tis but
pea-shooter. sir, and the gales like
thunder"
1--WE arc in your hands, Caudcl," said
/, with a feeling OF despair ice.cold at my
heart, as / reflected upon the size or our
little craft, her crippled and sinking con-
dition, our distance from land, and l felt
the terrible weight and power Of the seas
which were tossing US, and as / thought
OF my sweetheart.
"Mr. Barclay" he answered, "if tho
weather do but moderate l shall have no
fear. Our case ain't hopeless yet by a
long way, sir. The waters to be kept
under my continuous pumping, and
there are hands enough and to spare for
that job. We're not in the middle OF the
Atlantic Ocean, but in the mouth of the
English Channel, with plenty Of shipping
knocking about. But the weather's got
to moderate. Firing that there gun 'ud
only be TO terrify the young lady and do
no good. II a ship came along, no boat
could live in this sea. In this hore black
ness she couldn't keep US company, and
! our rockets wouldn't be visible half a
mile off. No, sir, we've got to stick to
| the pump and pray for daylight and fine
weather" And, having no more TO say
TO me, or sudden emotion checking his
.utterance, he pulled his head out and
disappeared i'm the obscurity.
Grace asked me what Caudel had been
talking about, and / answered, with the
utmost composure | could muster, that
he had come to tell me the yacht was
making a noble fight of 1t and that there
was nothing to cause alarm. / had not
the heart respond otherwise nor
could the bare truth as / understood it
have served any other end than to de-
prive her Of her senses.
At one o'clock in the morning she fell
asleep, and l knelt by her sleeping form
and prayed for mercy and protection.
1t was much about this hour that Cau-
del's face again showed in the hatch.
i{rawled along tho deck and up the steps
to him. and he Immediately said to me.
in voice that trembled with agitation
Mr.. Barclay, good news, sir. The
gales a-taking off.
/ clasped my hands, and could have
hugged the dripping figure of the man to
my breast.
"Yes, SIR" he continued, 1.-The breeze
rs sIacKening. mere no misuaReaDouJ
It. The horizons opening, too
= Heaven be praised! And what OF the
leak. Caudel?"
"'Tain't worse than it was, sir; though
it's bad enough"
IF the weather should moderate"
"Well then, II the leak don't gain we
may manage to carry her home. Thatll
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 us" He
paused, and then said, There might be-
no harm now, perhaps, in firing off that
there gun. III n smack'ud show herself
she'd be willing to stand by for the sake
of the salvage. Well also send up few
rockets, sir. But how about the young
lady, Mr.. Barclay"
Everything must be done, l replied,
THAT is likely TO preserve our lives"
There was some gunpowder aboard,
but where Caudel had slowed il did not
know. However, Ave minutes after he
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
tervals of five or ten minutes, and /
could hear the occasional rush of
rocket like the sheeZe OF giant sound
ing through the stormy uproar.
From time to time | would creep up
into the companion, alwaysin in the hope
OF finding the lights of ship close to;
but nothing came OF our rockets, whilst
] doubt IL the little blast the quarter
deck pop gun delivered was audible half
a mile, away to windwa.d. At dawn il
was blowing hard still with an iron gray
freckled sea rolling hollow and con-
fusedly, and near horizon thick with
mist.
There was nothing in sight. The yacht
looked deplorabe sodden and wrecked
as she pitched and wallowed in the cold
desolate, ashen atmosphere of that day
break.
called TO Caudcl He approached me
slowly as man might walk aftera swim
that has nearly spent him.
Here is another day, Caudel. What
is TO be done? -"