Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-01-28
A FRIEND INDEED.

"A T. hlENU lNULEU.
The Nautawket Yacht club was all
excitement on account of the race which
was to be sailed the following day. The
regular races for the season were finish
cd and the prizes had been awarded,
but a special race, in which the two
fastest boats Of the club were to COM
pete for cash prize Of $1,000, was ar
ranged for the morrow. Both yachts had
won in many regattas. and their good
qualities had been largely discussed, yet
they had never raced against each other.
Each captain boasted much of the su-
perior speed Of his own yacht, and final
ly to settle the question special race
was arranged. The yachts were beauti-
full little 46 foot sloops, and SO much
alike that none but an experienced eye
could have detected that the Phebe, be-
longing to Captain James Warbone, had
slightly larger sail, which made it
necessary that she should give the Pill
grim, Captain Burt's boat, small time
allowance. Both boats had many friends,
and the excitement was running high.
Everything on board the Phebe was
taut and trim, and Captain Warbone
had finished his supper and was putting
away at his cigar The new moon was
setting beyond the hills, and the chirp-
ing Of the crickets and the sharp graf
ing of the katydids from the shore could
be distinctly heard OH board the yacht.
"Well, Charlie, don't see why we
can't beat the Pilgrim in good shape, do
you?" said the captain.
"Well, cap'n, we'll have to work
hard to beat her, but think we can do
it if we have plenty of wind We must
put some other rigging Oh that jib than
them sister hooks. They can't never be
depended on, and we don't want no
break down tomorrow.
"All right, Charlie. We will do that
in the morning. You, call me as soon as
you get the decks scrubbed down. Good
night. I'm going to turn in. =
"Good night, cap'n," returned Char
lie, as he went forward to keep anchor
watch. Charles, as you doubtless have
surmised, was the right hand man on
the Phebe.
On board the Pilgrim everything was
different. The captain, Franklin Burt
was holding low conversation with a
rough looking man of the longshore
type. Every few minutes he would push
bottle across the table SO that Dan, as
he called him, could fill his glass.
"You are sure you can do it, Dan? 1t
won't do to have any breaks made and
the trick discovered, you know" +"
II can stay under water for minute
and half, and that ought to do the
business, cap'n, cause I can drive two
nails in that time if I take seam,
sure.
"Well," said Burt suddenly, after a
silence, "stop drink and go ashore.
When you get the job done, come back
and report. +"
"Aye, aye, sir. I'll do it. So saying
Dan pushed off in the dingey, and with
strong, noiseless strokes rowed the boat
down the river with the current to
where the Phebe was anchored. He then
beached his boat, and going into the
bushes, soon brought back a life pre-
server, hammer, nails and an empty
flour bag. He carefully put the last
mentioned articles OH tie life preseryer,
and, after divesting himself Of his
clothes, started to swim to the Phebe,
pushing the life preserver before him.
Swimming around under the stern he
tied the preserver to the rudder post and
taking the bag, hammer and nails dove
down under the keel and nailed the bag
to the bottom Of the sloop. The noise
aroused Charlie, for the slightest sound
Of anything rubbing against boat sug-
gests danger and puts seaman OH the
alert.
Dan had risen to the top Of the water
for breath, and hanging to the rudder
post remained quiet for some time Aft
er looking around Charlie thought the
noise must have been caused by log or
piece Of driftwood striking the bobstay,
and seeing nothing amiss he went below
and slept till daybreak.
Dan pushed off and slowly guided the
life preserver to the shore Then, put
ting it in the dingy, he rowed to the
Pilgrim, where Burt was waiting for
him. He climbed on board, and after
another vigorous attack on the bottle
turned in for nap.
When the day broke, both crews were
hard at work washing decks, and plenty
of water soon made everything as neat
as whistle. All the ropes were coiled
down and in their proper places. War
bone was the first captain to make his
appearance on deck, and it was signal
lied by the hosting Of the mainsail.
The big club topsail was the next to go
up. The sails shone white and dazzling
through the morning mist, which was
rising in small clouds from the water.
Captain Burt was soon on deck, and
then his mainsail and topsails were
hoisted. The sun rose over the long
sandy point on the Nautawket side Of
the river, and everything began to warn
and dry in its rays. On the Phebe the
sister hooks were soon changed for
strong shackle which satisfied even the
extremely particular Charlie.
The race was set for 10 O'Clock, and
every necessary thing was done long be-
fore that time. At about 8 o'clock the
Pilgrim slipped her moorings and went
for short spin up the river. Captain
Warbone, however, was contented to
wait until nearly time for the first gun
before he slipped moorines.
The course was ten miles long, out Of