The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-09-12

We were running Ou' west AT ne me.
'Our plan was to run to the stral
ger, we flying right along the length
OF Norman's Woe. Before we was
TOO near we'd know if there was Il
chance of going close enough to take
him off and yet saving ourselves.
But when we went out yonder l saw
plain that we'd be within hundred
yards of the rock before we could
reach him.
eff we could snatch him off in
passing, we might get clear, but to
come into the wind then or slacken
at all looked like sure death-we'd be
pounding on the Woe before we
could get new move ON, and 1t
looked two chances to one we'd be
blown on the east end of the reef if
we even went near him.
awe can't do it, says l.
1--WE got to says Minnie, stamp
ing her foot And was | to be scairt
out where a gal didn't blench2
"'Say your prayers, sis, says l, and
in we went, flying half across the
trough.
Il could trust the boat agin cap
sizin. but her bows would fly wide
when she rose if a hand quick as
mine wasn't at the wheel One OF
us must stand by to throw the man
a rope. My sister could steer as well
as me, so gave her the wheel and
got a rope ready. l guess the clank
of that bell was sounding like doom
to that young fellow, but he kept
padding, steady and cool. His face
was set as a stone, and every wave
flung crests onto 1t.
when we were within so yards of
him, l saw there was mighty little
use throwing the rope. Most likely
he'd miss it. If he dropped his pad
die to grab it, the wind would throw
his bow right round and maybe roll
him over. If he did catch on, we'd
Jerk him overheard and lose time
trying to fetch him in, and be poundin
on the reef ourselves.
There was just one chance to get
him aboard, but to take it was deS-
perate. 1t was to go half round on
the wind, run close alongside him,
give him a chance to jump for our
rail- keep our speed right along,
wheel sharp and get back on our
course along shore. But there was
the Woe so close that l could hear
clearly a sort of rumbling like bowl
ders grinding in the waves-and was
we to point for that death2
mo, sir, didn't dare, and my sis
ter finched too. She kept the course,
and we was going to fly past his bow.
1t was shooting out so high it looked
most as if it would be aboard us if
we were in the trough when it next
came down. Well, sir, we wasn't
three lengths Of this boat from that
chap when he opened out with a
roar like foghorn:
"'You - can't-do-itl Thank -
you-for- trying. Tell-a-doctor-
INSTANTLY -Briar-island.
There's "a man - there - with
broken-legs. I-was-going-for-
a-doctor
do you see that2" cried Absalom,
SW LIS IL CC al LII, WILL a Sul NCN
elbow, out from his side and around
to his front horizontally. Before
the words were out Of his lips, that's
what this boat did. l thought my
sister'd gone clean crazy. She went
round on the wind. 1t was like max
ing a scoop at the canoe. The Min
ME ierked straight up on an even
keel for two seconds. l thought she
was going to jibe, but in them two
seconds our quarter had knocked up
against the canoe, and the young
chap reached for our rail.
II didn't even look to see what be-
came of him. My eyes were on Nor
mans Woe. We seemed right on it,
sure. Lord the trampling of them
breakers! jumped to my sisters
side. We jammed the wheel down
together. Thank God, it was a cat
boat under u.s. Back we were ON
our course again almost before the
young chap could pick himself up
from before our feet.
Don't tell me there amt no mira
cles these days. Saving him was one
getting clear of the Woe ourselves
was the other. Some might say the
wind slanted bit favorable just
then, being sort of eddied around
the Woe. But that's the way with
miracles. He works SOS you can be-
lieve nature just did it, or if youl
hearts simpler you can believe its
him.
Anyhow that sudden slant of the
, wind let us bear up as much as foul
or five points east and fetched us
barely clear of the Woe before we
had to fall off again. But then We
had plenty Of room to work up into
the bay.
THE young chap said mighty lit
/, tie but Thank you for my life His
name was George Bowles, a Boston
boy. But women is curious crea
! lures. My sister burst out crying
1 and left the wheel to me and Huna