The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-12-14
miscellaneous.
HIS RESCUER.

Richard, you are sure you know how
TO work all those ropes and thingsp" said
Mrs. Markheim. She was seated in the
we'll of the yacht Kestrel on yard rater),
and the yacht Kestrel bobbed up and
down on the waters of the harbor in a
manner which, experienced from the well,
was the reverse of reassuring to lady
whose years, like her waist, were on the
poetical side Of 40. The young man she
addressed was ct the tiller, about seven
feet from his aunt but SO intent upon
keeping the Kestrel's course that he paid
NO attention to the lady's anxious words
The yacht was going six knots close haul
ed to a freshening north wind, and Rich
ard, who had owned her for exactly one
week, felt mighty proud of her sailing
qualities. AS she neared the buoy which
marks the end Of the sunken brcakwat
the waves grew bigger, and Mrs. Mark
helms anxiety grew with them.
Richard, you're sure we shall be all
right Dolly" turning to her daughter.
who Was leaning meditatively over the
weather rail watching the foam as 1t raced
by, dolly, you're not safe there. Como
and sit by mo-"
MY uCHr uunb, btAlu IslCIhru
"unlcss you can be quiet I'll Just pile her
up ON this breakwater, and then there'll be
something worth talking about"
''Pilo her up was an expression which
Richard had como across in one of Clark
Russcll's novols-he reviewed novels, wrote
them as well, or at any rate stories-and
he used 1t with all the relish which a lit
erary man has for an Apostle quotation.
TIL, : I'll Iii, a.
tho moment.
Ile kcstrel had now passed the buoy
and WAS outside the harbor, and the cxult-
ant Eiclnrd, who had never before had sole
control of yacht, winked at his cousin
Dolly Il wink full of high spirits and self
confidence.
IL, comfy" he asked her. She smiled
q reply:
Judeing from his careless nautical at
tire ard especially tho knowing angle ut
which his peaked cap was tilted the mex
pcricnccd person might have taken Rich
ard for thorough sailor Graded upon the
deep and probably well acquainted with
all the complexities of tide and current
which give the southwest corner of the
Manx coast an unenviable fame among
yaehtsinenl and furnish the fishermen of
y
vious, uncertain course which the Kestrcl
shaped and the frequent flutter Of her bad
ly set mainsail told different story. In
deed the crew of an incoming lugger
which passed Richards craft discussed In
their mild, quiet Manx way tho chances
of an accident when the yacht got beyond
the shelter of Bradda head. Before Rich
ard could plume himself upon being ALSO
l-,to In, tho Mr- MnrE haiY
gave an involuntary shudder and endcav-
ered to sit bolt upright.
"Riehard, we must return"
Couldn't think of 1t now, aunt. We'Bo
just beginning to enjoy life"
II insist. I-feel-unwell." She put her
lips together tightly, and for once Dolly
Neither Of them was used to 9x raters in
choppy sea.
ooh, very well, then," Richard grum-
bled. II must put the yacht about, and
we'll run in ON the other tack
He used these sea terms with considera-
BILE fluency, for he had been studying the
subject practically during the last week,
but when 1t actually came to putting tho
Kestrel about his confidence began to de-
sert him. His fisherman tutor had told
a boat like the Kestrel, and Richard, with
the omniscient assurance of a man accus-
toned to patronize the universe in the
editorial notes of an evening paper, had
replied, "Oh, yes, easily" He found the
task rather exciting, however. Should the
jib sheet or the foresheet be loosed flrsts
He decided on the foresheet, which was
wrong, and yet he could have gone
through the drill without hitch-cn pa
per. The foresail was now shaking, and
he called Dolly to hold the helm down
hard while he attended to things general
ly. OF course the yacht hung dead in the
wind, the mainsail Tapping in a style
which caused Mrs. Markheim to pray for
dry land.
"Ab, missed stays" calculated the cap
tain Of the Kestrel, with an attempt at
calmness. We'll try again." Not with
out difficulty he got the yacht under way
once more. A second time Dolly was in
structed to hold the helm down hard, and
a second time the obstinate little vessel
stuck In the wind.
HIN! Funny" said Richard.
At this instant Mrs Markheim stood
up and the boom Immediately carried
away her bonnet and part of her hair.
She screamed, and following the flying
CONNECTION with her eyes she was brought
face to face with the fact that the yacht
vas quickly drifting toward the rocks OF
the Bradda. She screamed anew, this
time in earnest
Orchard, see! We're on the rocks!'
Richard looked and at once realized
that the tide was sweeping them on the
headland in spite of the wind. He lost his
head then and began pulling aimlessly at
ropes, muttering the while: You're all
right; you're all right. Don't get alarm
ed"
There's some one in boat there hail
ing you said Dolly, pale with excite
ment and pointing to light tockleshell
Of dingy with lug sail which was ap-
preaching on tho lee bow. Richard lis
tened.
You'll be ashore II you don't mind"
came a thin, faYoff shout.
There, there. told you, Mrs. Mark
helm almost sobbed.
Richard called back some unintelligible
reply.
"Help, helpl" shouted his aunt, with
more sense. The little boat rapidly ap-
preached them, dancing lightly over tho
waves like an animated cork. Its occu-
pant proved to be girl She was dressed
in blue serge, with Tam O'Shanter hat.
Skillfully steering her dingy alongside
the Kestrol, she lowered the sail with
run, threw Richard a line and was on
board in twinkling. Richard raised his
hat, feeling exquisitely foolish, and STAN
mercd that the yacht would persist In
hanging in tho wind. They were not 20
yards from the rocks now.
"Oh, do something" gasped Mrs.
Markheim. You seem to know-sr-
about these things"
The girl put up the helm and sharply
told Richard to keep it there. He said to
himself that he would sooner have gone
down with all on board" than be rescued
in this way by girl. And on his own
yacht too! Now she took the helm from
him, and Richard saw that in some mirao-
ulous way the Kestrel was moving again,
the sails all drawing, and the dingy tow
ing astern. They were saved.