Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-06-04

meet again. 1eJ IL Was 1ateu uldV d
meeting should come, and, that. too. at
an early date.
II.
Again the Mary Peck was blowing
the waves of the Atlantic. Favoring
breezes on the Pacific, fierce but short
lived storm off the Horn, then half
gale which drove her at top speed along
that toughest of ocean highways-such
was the story of the beginning of her
homeward voyage. But now the cape
had been rounded and the ship was
pressing northward toward warmer
attitudes and less tempestuous seas.
Everybody aft was in the best OF spir-
it's, as well remember.
1t was evening. Mrs. Peck and were
reading in the cabin when the captain
left the deck and joined us. The hang
ing lamp showed drops of spray glisten-
ing on his cap and heavy jacket, and no
wonder, for a strong, keen wind was
sweeping up out of the southwest, and,
though the ship was running before it,
one could guess that her deck was far
from dry,
"You two ore looking CHEEKY and
homelil<e down here" said the skipper.
II tell you, warm cabins no bad place
on night like this. There's an edge to
this breeze that, even if we miss half
the force of it, cuts to the bone. How'd
you like to be standing watch, doctor?"
This is better, thank you," said 1;
"better for the present, at least. dare
say it won't be long before the deck
will have the preference"
mot if our luck holds. Do you be-
lieve in luck, doctor?"
Eyes, most firmly" said I. The ques-
ton recalled most unpleasantly the trib-
ulations of life on shore, which, for Il
little, had shaken off, but to which
return was inevitable.
"And SO do l." said the skipper. "Stil|,
with Mary with us we can't meet any
great misfortune. Old Ocean wouldn't
be malicious enough to build up her
health only to make her fate ship
wreck"
His eyes met his wife's for an instant;
the look on the faces of the two re-
vealed that, Notwithstanding their we'd
ding day was far behind them, they
were still lovers.
"Take off those wet things, DEAR"
she said. Surely you can spare us
half hour. You're not needed on deck
all the time"
"I'll be with you In two minutes" he
answered, cheerily. His hand was on
the latch of his stateroom door, when
there came shock which almost
knocked him from his feet. A tremor
ran through the fabric of the vessel.
Then there were shouts from above
and the noise of men running along the
deck.
Mrs. Peck started from her seat, her
hands clasped and her lips moving,
though no sound came from them. l
had sprung after the captain toward
the companion way, but he turned upon
me fiercely.
Look after my wife!" he cried.
Don't leave her, man! Back with
you'll"
And back I went, though it was little
in my power to comfort her. Yet |
strove to reassure her, as if frightened
woman could be cheered by an equally
frightened man. Neither of us knew
what had happened. In our Ignorance
we could only dread horrors none the
less terrifying for the indefiniteness of
them. So for many minutes we sat,
,o1a Nd of Of
dangers we knew not what. But the
motion of the ship and the tell-tale
compass showed that she was still
speeding on her course, and after time
the fact began to revive our courage.
At laSt-how long the interval seemed
there is no need of relating-Capt Peck
rejoined us.
what was it, Abner?" gasped his
wife. what was itP"
Here, here, that won't do" he an
swered. Don't worry. We're still
afoat, and likely to keep afioat, which
is more to the point"
"Then what has happened?" broke
in.
1--WE struck something. just what,
we don't know, but something quite
awash, for nobody saw anything of it.
Whatever it was, we must have sent il
to the bottom. None of the men caught
even glimpse of the thing as we went
over it,"
"A derelictT"
"Perhaps. However, we're not badly
damaged, so far as can be discovered.
There's no danger"
With great sigh of relief, his wife
sank back in her seat. Her husband
bent over her and kissed her.
Don't let her get down-hearted, doc
tor" said he "She's brave little wom-
an if she has only chance. Remember,
both of you, we're not sinking, but
afloat in as sound a ship as ever
was sent off the ways. And now I've
got to 60 on deck again."
In spite of the confidence he felt, or
assumed, there was little rest for us
that night. Morning, to be sure, showed
the vessel apparently uninjured, at least
to unskilled eyes, though one could not
help noticing that the faces of the
mates were unusually grave, and that
the men talked earnestly among them
selves. The pumps had been going dur
ing the night, as knew, and now, at in
tervals, the clank of them penetrated
the cabin. Nevertheless the captain
ngain and again declared that there was
no danger, until by force of repetition
he succeeded in allaying the fears of his
wife.
We held the breeze for three days.
Then followed gale of 20 hours dura-
ton, which left behind it an ugly sea.