The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-22

ward the lights that marked the dimly
looming hulk.
Great Scottr' cried the captain of
the stranded steamer as he caught sight
of the schooner's sails. Here's reef
wrecker alongside already. I believe
these fellows live at sea, and can smell
a wreck hundred miles"
Hello therer he Shouted few min
utes later as the schooner drew near.
Take a line but don't you dare come
aboard. I'm not in a humor to give up
nv ship to you pirates yet So stay
where you are and III come to you"
Don't you want your cargo light
ened, sir, or an anchor carried?" in
quired Grit anxiously as the captain
slid down a rope and stood on the
'Poly's' deck.
NO. I'm not in a hurry to break cut
my hold and I want to try something
else before hedging" answered the cap
tain. who is captain of this craft?'
81 am, sir"
Your cried the other, regarding the
lad inoredulously- well, then, where is
| the crew."
well I am blessedr' gasped the cap
tain. "A boy and girl. Even the babes
in arms turn wrecllers on this coast!
However" he added, perhaps you'll
do as well as an older. Can you dive?"
"Of course I can, sir" answered Grit
promptly.
81 should say not" was the contemp-
tuous answer.
well, my men are, and I can't even
swim, much less dive" continued the
captain, but l want a diver to go
down and tell me just how my ship
| lies. ! have plan that am anxious
TO try if things are as l think If you
will help me carry it out, I'll give you
$500 for an hours work, provided We
get the ship off within that time. Is it
bargain?'
Put it in writing and have it wit
messed, cap'n," replied cautious Grit,
land I'll sign the paper. 1t only holds
for one hour, though. Then, If you're
not afloat we'll make a new bargain
and if she's TO be heightened I'm to be
wreckmaster and take charge, cause
mine is the first schooner here. Is that
right?'
Eyes, that's right" smiled the cap
| tain grimly. Il reckon you've taken
part in wrecks before?"
"A few laughed Grit.
BY the time the paper was made out,
and handed to Matey for safe keeping,
/ Grit was ready to perform his share of
the bargain. He dove from the bows
of the schooner and was gone nearly a
minute. Then ne came up for breath,
/
| He repeated this operation four times
without telling what he had discovered.
Meanwhile the passengers and crew of
the steamer crowded her rail and, lean
ing far over, watched his operations
with breathless interest.
! Finally the young diver clambered
aboard and related to the captain that
his ship had struck. well forward. on
! a narrow ledge with deep water on both
sides, and that she was afloat, with the
exception of a space about ten feet long
] near her brows.
That is just about what I gathered
from soundings," replied the captain
/ Now l want you to go down again,
taking lead line with you and locate
some good sized hole or crevice as near
the bottom of the ledge as you can get.
Leave the lead behind to mark the spot
where you come up.
( Grit wondered at this strange order,
but did as directed, and after several
descents into the clear waters, finally
| located a deep assure nearly twenty
feet beneath the surface.
Is the hole large enough to hold
young wrecker again came on board
the schooner. AS he spoke the former
held out square tin canister to which
was attached a reel of slender copper
wire.
Yes sir" replied the boy. Its big
enough to hold me-"
Very good. Now # you will go down
once more, taking This can with you,
and thrust it as far as possible into
that hole, l will not ask you to go into
the water again
tain's face to see if he could detect