The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-23
HIS RESCUER.

"Richard you are sure you know how
to work all those ropes and things?" said
Mrs. Markheim She was seated in the
well of the yacht Kestrel (2I yard rater),
and the yacht Kestrel bobbed up and
down on the waters of the harbor in
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 at 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 freshening north wind, and Rich
ard. who had owned her for exactly one
week. felt mighty proud of her sall1ng
qualities. As she neared the buoy which
marks the end of the sunken breakwater
the waves grew bigger, and Mrs. Mark
helms anxiety grew with them.
Orchard, 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 it raced
by. ODDLY, you're not safe there. Come
and sit by me-"
my dear aunt" said Richard rudely,
''unless you can be quiet I'll just pile her
up on this breakwater, and then there'll be
something worth talking about"
"Pile her up'' was an expression which
Richard had come across in one of Clark
Russell's novels-he reviewed novels, wrote
them as we'll, or at any rate stories-and
he used it with all the relish which lit
erary man has for an Apostle quotation.
Certainly it silenced Mrs. Markheim fol-
the moment.
The Kestrel had now passed the buoy
and was outside the harbor, and the exult
ant Richard who had never before had sole
control of yacht, winked at his cousin
Dolly wink full of high spirits and sell
confidence.
Feel comfy?'' he asked her. She smiled
a reply.
Judging from his careless nautical at
tire and especially the knowing angle al
which his peaked cap was tilted, the mex
perienced 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
yachtsmen and furnish the fishermen OF
Port Erin innumerable yarns, but the de-
vious, uncertain course which the Kestrel
shaped and the frequent f1utter of her bad
~ set mainsail told different story. In
deed the crew of an incoming lugge1
which passed Richards craft discussed in
their mild, quiet Manx way the chances
of an accident when the yacht got beyond
the shelter of Bradda head. Before Rich
ard could plume himself upon being abso-
lutely in the open sea Mrs. Markham
gave an Involuntary shuddec and endeav-
ored to sit bolt upright.
Richard, we must return"
Couldn't think of it now, aunt. We're
just beginning to enjoy life. -
s'Iinsist. 1-fee1-unwell." She put hel
lips together tightly, and for once Dolly
was glad to note her mothers frmness.
Neither of them was used to az raters in
a choppy sea.
s.Oh, very WE'LL then,'' Richard grum-
bled 81 must put the yacht about, and
we'll run in on the other tack"
He used these sea terms with considera-
BILE auency, for he had been studying the
subject practically during the last week,
but when it actually came to putting the
Kestrel about his confidence began to de-
sert him. His fisherman tutor had told
him that one person could easily manage
a boat like tine Kestrel and Richard, with
the omniscient assurance of man accus-
toned to patronize the universe in the
editorial notes of an evening paper, had
replied, ''0hs yes, easily" He found the
task rathsr exciting. however. Should the
lib sheet OF the foresheet be loosed first?
He decided ON the foreshest, which was
wrong, and yet he could have gone
through the drill without a hitch-on 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 mainsal tapping in a style
which caused Mrs. Markheim to pray for
dry land.
'sAh, missed stays, calculated the cap
tain of the Kestrel, with an attempt at
calmness. "We'n try again" Not with
out difficulty he got the yacht undsr 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.
Him! Funny" said Richard
At this instant Mrs Markheim stood
up, and the boom Immediately carried
away her bonnet and part of her hair.
Sno screamed, anu following 6ne Tying
CONNECTION with her eyes she was brought
face to face with the fact that the yacht
was quickly drifting toward the rocks Of
the Bradda. She screamed anew, this
time in earnest.
Richard, 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
3D."
"There's some one in boat there hail
ing you," said Dolly, pale with excite
ment and pointing to light cockleshell
of dingy with lug sail which was ap-
preaching on the lee bow. Richard lis
tened.
You'll be ashore If you don't mind"
came thin, faroff shout.
There, there. told you, Mrs Mark
helm almost sobbed.
Richard called back some unintelligible
reply.
"Help, help!" shouted his aunt with
,,,oro canca bo 1itt1a boat rapid1v an