Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-01-05
The Story of a Wreck.
rhrsriins and Romantic Account OF
Q Mutipy st Bee
sy W. CLARK RUSSELL
CHAPTER XVIII.


and then my arms fell to my side. and
l told the boatswain could pump no
more.
He sounded the well and made six
inches.
There's only two inches left thatwe
can get out Of her," said he; land
they'll do no harm"
On which we quilted the main-deck
and came into the cuddy.
"Mr. Royle," he said, seating him
self on the edge OF the table, I'VE shall
have 10 leave this ship II we aren't
taken off her. 1 reckon It. require
twelve feet o. water 10 sink her,
allowin' for there being deal o wood
in the cargo; and maybe she won't 90
down at that However, we'll say
twelve feet and supposin' We Jets her
be, she'll give us, II you like, eight or
nine hours afore settlin'. I'm not sny-
ing as we ought to leave her; but I'm
lookin' ut you, sir. and see that you re
VERY nigh knocked up; Cornish Is
about quarter o. tho man he was; an
us to the bloomin' steward, he's as
good as drowned, no better and no
worse. We shall take one spell too
many at them pumps and fall down
we had best do Is TO keep look all
around for vessels, get that there
quarter-boat ready for lowcrin'. and
stand by to leave the ship when the
sea Gains. You know how Bermuda
bears, don't you, sirP"
al can find out to night II Is too
late 10 get sights now.
III think" he returned, "thnt our
lao. 10 L. LnN
are on board this ship. an tribe
safer. I've been watching this vessel
good deal and my belief Is that wos
another gale TO strike her, she'd make
one o her long plungcs and go TO
pieces Ike q pack o cards, when she
got to the bottom o the valley o
water. OF course II this sea don
calm we must make shift to keep her
afloat until II do. You'll excuse me
for talkin' as though ! wos dictatin'.
I'm just giyin you the thoughts that
come into my head while we wos
pumpin'."
1quite agree with YOU" I rcpliedi
81 am only thinking of tho size Of the
quarter-boat whether she isn't too
small for five personsP'
"Not shell IN get bit Of mast
rugged up In her and it II go hard II we
don't get four mile an hour out Of her
somehows. How fur might. tho Bir-
muda Islands be OPP
answered, after rejecting some
moments, that they would PROBABLY b.
distant from the ship between two
hundred and fifty and three hundred
miles.
1--WE should get pretty near 'em in
three days" SAID he, ~ tho wind
blew chat way. VIII YOU 20 an tel
the young lady what we'ro thnkin q
doing. while / oycrhauis tho boat an
see what's wnntin' In her? One good
job Is, we shan't have TO put of,
through the ship sinkin, all OF q
heap.
There's long warning given us
and can't help thlnkn' that the
stormy weathers blown hissclf out,
for the sky looks to me to have II rogu-
la-set fair blue In 1t.
When | went ON deck found Miss
Robertson steering the ship wbiio Cor
nish lay extended ON tho deck, his
head plllowed ON II flag.
approached Miss Robertson and
asked her what was the matter with
Cornish. She said sho noticed him
Keeling at tho wheel and told him 10
lie down. She had been waiting to
SEQ me In order that | might procure
him some brandy.
went to him and found him In n
convulslon. | spoke TO him but he
paid no heed to my words. Believ-
ing him to be dying called the boat
swain.
lie camo and with his help | tried
TO put some brandy into his mouth.
His teeth were clenched and when We
pried them open with knife blade
aud introduced little Of tho liquid II
bubbled back. While wo were thus
engaged Cornish threw up his arms
and stiifoncd GU body. So strong
was his dying action that ho knocked
the glass OF brandy out OF my hand and
threw me backward some PAGES. The
pupils OF his eyes rolled down and II
film came over them; he uttered some
thing in hoarse whisper. and lay dead
ON the boatswain's knee.
glanced Of Mss Robertson. Her
lips were tightly compressed, other
wise tho heroic girl showed no emo
ton.
Tho boatswnin drow deep breath,
and let tho dead mans head fall gontly
ON the flag.
"For Miss Robertson's sake" |
whispered, "lot us carry him for
ward"
lie acqulcscod In silence, and We bore
the body oil the poop and lad 1t ON the
fore-hatch.
"rhero will DO no need to bury him,
said |.
"No need and no time, sir. trust
God'll be mcrciiul TO tho poor sailor
when hos called up. lilo was made
bad by them others, sir Ills heart
wasn't wrong" replied the boatswaln.
procured u blanket from the foro,
castle and covered the body with It, 0nJ
we then walked back to the poop slow.
ly and without speaking.
| felt tho death Of this man kcenlv
He had worked faithfully, and in MY
mind had fully atoned for wrong ht
had taken partin.
stopped n moment with the boat.
swain to look at tho steward befor,
joining Miss Robertson. To many.
believe, the spectacle OF idiocy wuull
have been moro affecting than Cor
nish's death. He was tracing figures
such rs circles and crosses, with hi
fortiingor on the deck. smiling vacant
ly meanwhile, and now and then look
ing around him with rolling, unmean
ing eyes.
l returned to the wheel. and said
'Miss Robertson, you need not renal
at the wheel. There is so little win,
now that the ship may bo left TO her
self. ;"