The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-30

last
II think so, SIR"
! Turn your wheel few points tc
port and bear down on her."
johnson gave the necessary order and
the great ship veered around.
"4ellCm cried Spinner, ON deck
Here's u steamer. found her. She's
mine"
Then there was rush TO the side OF
the ship. " a. steamer In sight !" was
the cry, and all books and magazines
at once lost interest. Even the placid,
dignifed Englishman who was SO un-
communicative rose from his chair and
sent his servant for his binOcular.
Children were held up and told to be
careful, while they tried to see the
dim line of smoke so far ahead.
Talk about the lane ,Outes at sea,
cried young Spinner, the knowing
Bosh, l say. See! we're going
directly for her. Think what 1t might
call it,"
"Will we signal to her, Mr.. Spin
ner?" gently asked the young lady
from Boston.
"Oh, certainly" answered young
Spinner. See, there's our signal
flying from the masthead now. That
shows them what line we belong to-"
Dear me, how Interesting" said
the young lady. You have crossed
many times, suppose, Mr.. Spinner"
oh, | know my way about"
answered the modest Spinner.
The captain kept the glasses glued
to his eyes. Suddenly he almost let
them drop.
johnson, he cried.
"What is it, sirW
| hShats nyinlr a OF nf iof
tool"
The two steamers slowly approached
each other and, when nearly along
side and about mile apart, the boil
OF the "Adamant rang to stop.
| There, you see," said young Spin
ner to the Boston girl, "she is lying
| the same flag at her masthead that we
| are"
"Then she belongs to the same line
as this boat 2"
"Oh, certainly answered Mr..
Cocksure Spinner.
"Oh, look look look !" cri I'd the
enthusiastic indianapolis girl who was
going to take music In Germany.
EveryOnv looked aloft and saw run
ming up to the masthead long line
OF tluttering, many -colored flags. They
remained in place for q few moments
and then huttcred down again, only to
give place to Il different string. The
same thing was going on on the other
steamer.
"Oh, his is too interesting for
anything" said Mrs. Assistant. II
am just dying to know what it all
means. i have read of it so often but
mover saw 1t before. wonder when
the captain will come down. What
does it all mean ?" she asked the deck
steward.
They are signalling to each other,
"Oh, | know that But what are
they signaling?
VI don't know, madam"
"Oh, see see - cried the Indiana
polls girl, clapping her hands with de-
light. The other steamer il turning
round"
1T was indeed so. The great ship
was thrashing the water with her
screw, and gradually the masts came
In line and then her prov faced the
east again. When this had been
slowly accomplished tho bell on the
and then the captain came slowly
down the ladder that led from the
bridge.
"Oh, captain, what does it all
mean p"
"fs she going back, captain?
Nothing wrong, hope"
What ship IL 1t, captain ?"
She belongs to our liue, doesn't
she ?"
"Why is she going back ?"
The ship" said the captain slowly,
lis the 'Vulcan,' of the Black Bow
ling Line, that left Queenstown shortly
after we left New York. She has met
with an accident. Ran into some
wreckage, it is thought, from the
recent storm. Anyhow there is
hole in her, and whether she sees
Queenstown or not will depend great
deal on what weather wo have and
whether her bulheads hold out. We
will stand by her till we reach Queens.
town."
care there many on board, do you
think, captain ?"
"rhere are thirty-scven in the
cabin and over eight hundred storage
passengers" answered the captain.
why don't you take them ON board,
out OF danger, captain 7"
"Ah, madam, there is no need to
do that. 1t would delay us, and time
is everything in q case like this.
Besides, they will have ample warn
ing If she is going down, and they will
have time TO get everybody In the
boats. We will stand by them, you
know"
"Oh, the poor creatures" cried the
81 Jmpathetic Mrs. Second Ad jutant.
"Think of their awful position. May
he cngulfed at any moment. [ sup
pose they are all on their knees In the
cabin. How thankful they must have
been to see the 'Adamant.'"
On all sides there was the pro-
f0undest sympathy for the unfortunate
passengers OF the Vulcan" Checks
paled at the very thought of the catas-
trOphe that might tako place at any
moment within sight OF the sister
ship. 1t was q realistic object lesson
, on the ever present dangers OF the
sea. While those ON deck looked with
new interest at the steamship plung-
ing along within n mile of them, the
captain slipped away to his room. AS
he sat there, there was tap ut his
door
"Come in" shouted the captain.
| The silent Englishman slowly en-
| tered.
whats wrong, captain ?" he ask ed.
"Oh, the Vulcan has had hole
stove in her and signalled-"
"Yes, | know,,all that, of course,
but what's wrong with us ?''
With us?" ochued the captain
blankly.
| ava ,gitb tha hlan,o,ty NNIhn a