The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-20
HE WAS A REAL SAILOR.
From ne sreneA Of Renri Tester.

II was at Bourbon. the most distant Of
French harbors In the Indian ocean. Many
ships were anchored there one hoe day
when, with the suddenness which usually
marks the arrival Of East Indian cyclones,
the semaphore announced that tidal wave
was imminsnt. and the regulation boom of
the cannon emphasized the order for all
vessels 10 move out Instantly into the open
sea-
With oil possible haste che crews on the
different ships strsiHed at the ropes and
vessel except one had disappeared below the
riaon.
The one which fingered, deaf 30 the In
functions Of the sovereign authority, was
large brig upon whose deck NOS q soul wss
visible.
Presently the second CANNON doomed, re-
peating the command and seeming TO cry
OUT that there was not q second to be lost In
leaving the harbor.
At that moment the groups on shore saw
the brig turn slowly and drift away to-
ward the open without sail raised and
without q sign OF life sboardl
Then the cyclone burst in terrible furyl
An hour later IL was learned with anna re-
msnt that the briggs entire crew had been
kept ashore through some unexplained
bluLder and that when the order TO raise
anchor had been given there was not q man
on the vessel, no one except the cabin boy,
Is years old, and the captains dog.
It would seem that the little chap, IN or
der to obey the repeated comma nd OF the
semaphore. had filed the anchor chain and
cut the hawser which held the brig
But what thought those ashore, sick at
heart. could his feeble strength accomplish
in such a storms How could they hope
that he all alone would be able to manage
the heavy wheel and steer the great vessel
ia the face OF the cycloneI
Ii was madness TO think such q thing, and
great was the conservation among the
crew and officers, who could do nothing but
wait hopelessly.
"The brig Is lost" they said.
Days passed and the gloomy prophecies
seemed 20 have been realized
All the other ships which had left DO rt
had come back, but nothing was seen or
heard Of the brig.
Still, hoping against hope, and with q
stubbornness which rssembled madness. all
the shipmates Of the cabin boy, from the
captain down. passed weary days straining
their eyes toward the horizon.
Suddenly on the seventh day a naked
mast rose up sharp against the sky. Then a
second and a third mast became visible and
grew larger and larger The oross-trees and
yards gradually rose from the water and
presently the brig was seen with all its sails
furled, held in its course by the little stay
sail hoisted only part way and beating
against the cordage like a handkerchief.
great, almost q savage cry or Joy came
from twenty threats as the group Of loyal
sea dogs fixed their eyes on the vessel which
rose as IL were from the grave. Pellmell
and with the speed Of a storm they tumbled
into the marine office and begged that a tug
boat be sent off instantly. Twenty minutes
later they were steaming out to meet the
brig-the lost brig which had been found
again.
For there was no doubt about IL; 1t was
their own vessel, which the 13-year-old hero
had brought back to port after seven days
absence and such sufferings and struggle as
no words can tell
As the captain had thought. when the boy
heard the danger signal and saw that no
one came he had filed the anchor chain,
which his weak arms never could have
hoisted. had cut through the hawser, and
then springing to the wheel. had steered the
ship out to sea.
Afraid That boy afraid Not q bit Of
It; he had the real sailors stuff in him, and
instead Of crying he set about pluckily to
make the most Of q bad hnSine&z and. sAxa