The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-06-18
"Yes. Keep a sharp lookout, John

The captain modify paced the bridge
with his head down.
81 ought to have turned back to New
York." he said to himself.
Then he went down to his own room,
avoiding the passengers as much as he
could, and had the steward bring him
some beef tea. Even captain cannot
live on anxiety.
Steamer off the port bow, sir" rang
out the voice of the lookout at the prov.
The man had sharp eyes, for lands
man could have seen nothing.
Run and tell the captain" cried
johnson to the sailor at his elbow, but
as the sailor turned the captains head
appeared up the stairway. He seized
the glass and looked long at a single
point in the horizon.
lit must be the Vulcan" he said at
last
II think so, sir"
Turn your wheel few points to
port and bear down on her"
johnson gave the necessary order
and the great ship veered around.
"Hello.' cried Spinner, on deck.
"Heres steamer. found her. She's
mine"
Then there was a rush to the side of
the ship. "a steamer in sight," was
the cry, and all books and magazines
at once lost interest. Even the placid,
dignified Eng,ishman who was so un-
communicative rose from his chair and
sent his servant for his binoculars.
Children were held up and told to be
careful while they tried to see the dim
line of smoke so far ahead.
Talk about lane routes at sea" cried
young Spinner, the knowing. "Bosh, /
say. See! we're going directly for her.
Think what it might be in fog! Lane
routes! Pure luck, cali it."
Twill we signal to her, Mr.. SPIN
ner?" gently asked the young lady from
Boston.
.'Oh, certainly" answered young
Spinner ''See. there's our signal fly
ing from the masthead now. That
shows the IN what line we belong to-
Dear me. how interesting" said the
young lady. 'You have crossed many
times, suppose. Mr. Spinner"
.'Oh, l know my way about" an
swered the modest Spinner.
The captain kept the glasses glued
to his eyes. Suddenly he almost let
them drop.
MY God! Johnson" Re cried.
what is it, sir?"
"She's flying signal of distress, too"
The two steamers slowly approached
each other and when nearly alongside
and about a mile apart the bel, q the
Adamant rang to stop.
There, you see," said young Spin
ner to the Boston girl, ''she is flying
the same flag at her masthead that we
arc"
Then she belongs to the same line
as this boat?'
"Oh, certainly" answered Mr. Cock
Sure Spinner.
''Oh, look. look! lookr' cried the en-
thusiastic Indianapolis girl who was
going to take music in Germany.
Everyone looked aloft and saw run
| ming up to the masthead a long line OF
fluttering, many-colored flags. They
remained in place for few moments
and then fluttered down again, only to
give place to different string. The
same thing was going on on the other
steame-.
s'How just too intere sting for any
thing" said Mrs. Assistant. 81 am
| just dying to know what it all means.
/ have read of it SO often but never
saw it before. / wonder when the
captain will come down. What does ii
all mean?" she asked the deck steward
They are signaling to each other,
madam"
'Oh, l know that. But what are they
signaling?"
II don't know, madam"
.'Oh, seel seel" cried the 1ndianapo-
lis girl. clapping her hands with de.
| light 1.-THE other steamer is turning
round"
1t was indeed SO. The great ship
was thrashing the water with her
screw, and gradually the masts came
in line and then her prov faced the
east again. When this had been slow
ly accomplished the bell on the Ada
mant rang full speed ahead, and then
the captain came slowly down the lad
der that led from the bridge.
''Oh, captain, what does it all mean?'
us she going back, captain? Moth
ing wrong, hope"
"What ship is it, captain?"
"She belongs to our line, doesn't
she?"
why is she going back?"
"The ship" aid the captain, slowly,
| lis the Vulcan, of the Black Bowling
line, which left Queenstown shortly af
ter we left New York. She has met with
| an accident Ran into some wreck
age. it is thought, from the reccn,
storm. Anyhow there Is hole in her
and wheth err she sees Queenstown OF
not will depend great deal on what
weather we have and whether hei
bulk heads hold out. We will stand by
| her till we reach Queenstown"
Are there many on board, do you
| thin k, captain?'
| There are thirty-seven cabin pas
sengers and over eight hundred steer
age passengers" answered the cap