The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-07-27

He thought of Nell Graves' parting scorGs.
The jackson Holland seemed to be in
for run of bad luck. Thirty-six hours
of cruising at sea had failed to bring a
single vessel. to the credit of the pilot
boat, and now she lay within the shelter
of of the great breakwater to await the
passing Of the dirty weather that the
afternoon had promised and the night
had brought. The harbor was dotted
in all directions with lights. barely visi-
BILE from the Hollands deck. The red
range light that shone from the top Of
a great sand hill south of Cape Henlopen
was dimmed by the driving rain and
sleet. And even the fashlight marking
the upper end of the breakwater was
obscured, though the Holland lay within
q quarter of mile of it.
The solitary Norwegian, standing BY
the mainmast. was bundled up to twice
his normal size by thickness after thick
ness Of cloth and flannel, and the hail
ratified viciously against his rubber coat
and sou'wester. Occasionally he stamped
his feet on the slippery deck to quicken
the tardy circulation and thanked his
lucky star that his duty required him to
gaze out only to the south and east. in
stead of into the northwest, whence the
storm came. He thought enviously of
the four pilots who lay in the hunks be-
low, fast asleep indeed, but ready to be
out at moments notice.
The Norwegian ceased his stamping
and shaded his eyes with both hands for
moment: then his heavy boots resound-
ed on the quarter deck as he ran and slid
toward the open hatchway. He did not
know much English. but frequent repe-
tition had made one phrase almost me-
chanical
Steamer burn blue light"
The sliding doors of the berths below
slammed back in an instant, and a sec
ond later the occupants were on the
floor, literally jumping into their clothes.
Maurice was the first one out. As it was
his ''first chance" he had been sleeping
half dressed, and in less than three min
utes he was warmly clothed and protect
ed from the weather by rubber coat and
fisherman's boots. Meanwhile Truxill
had opened the door leading into the
forecastle.
Tumble into your duds, bullies, and
over with that skiffv' he shouts, almost
needlessly, for the men are on deck be-
fore he is. The skiff lies bottom up to
protect it from the sleet. In moment
it is turned over. the tackle adjusted,
and the light boat is hoisted up and
dropped into the water alongside. Live
ly now, boys!" he cries. The little cabin
boy tumbles up the stairs with Aurand's
valise and hands it over to the Norwe-
gian. who is in the skiff, while the cook
at the same moment passes him lighted
lantern. Truxill, only half dressed, seizes
torch, which he lights and holds high
in air in answer to the steamers signal.
By it's glare he sees Maurice jump into
the skiff. It is cast loose in an instant
and is out of sight and hearing before the
torch has burned itself out.
The light skiff dashed through tho gap
between the breakwater and the ice
breaker into the open bay. They might
have had comparatively smooth water
for nearly mile below by keeping in
side, but the great pile of stone would
have cut off their view seaward. They
were barely outside when another blue
light hared out down between the capea.
'.Pun away, bullies!" cried Maurice to
the seamen; ''Tve got her bearings nowl"
He stood up and waved the lantern to
and fro in answer to the signal.
The waves grew higher and fercer Is
they sped seaward, covering them with
spray at every stroke. The sleet rattled
on their stiff rubbercoat and lashed the
faces Of the rowers whenever they ven
tured to look up. Wind and tide were
in their favor. The twoor three miles
that lay between their anchorage and the
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