Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-01

their worst fears, the steamer took a heavy
sea clean over her forecastle head, and
above the din of the water a. it came cas-
cading down into the lower deck there
arose wild cries OF: She's sinking." Her
bottom S blown out,'' she's settling by
the head,"
Yelling these tidings, the men scamper-
ed back to the bridge deck, where, saving
for the few driven off to set the mizzen
topsafl, all the rest of the steamers com
plement were collected.
shes settling by the head! It's max
ing clean breach over her this minute,
She'll be down with US If we don't look
quickr'
Then another voice cried: LET the foul
old tramp go to hell by herself! She
shan't drown me, for one, while she's got
boat that'll swim. Come along, boys. {"
whereupon n mixed half dozen Of deck
hands and firemen made rush for the
foot of the upper bridge ladder.
At the head of that ladder stood Cap
tain Kettle, grinning like a tortured fiend
The crew were acting precisely as it had
been planned that they should act. They
were doing what laboriously formed plot
had compelled them to do. But at that
moment the captains weakness for battle
nearly got the better of him and was with;
in an ace of making him attempt to upset
the entire apple cart. The idea of his men,
the despised all nation rabble whom he
had browbeaten into subsection all across
the broad Atlantic, taking the initiative
into their own hands now, was too much
for him to swallow in a single dose. Soon
er than submit he would have ruined every.
thing ten times over. Consequently he
h., H.,
the ladder, and his eyes lit up with the
steady passionless glare of slaughter.
The fellow was brave enough, desperate,
too. as man could be, but upon certain
death ho hesitated to advance Indeed
when Kettle, coming down the ladder him
self, thrust him furiously back he retreat
ed to the bridge deck, as did those who
were with him.
But the ether men of that worthy crew
had no mind to he tyrannized over any
longer when the steamer was momentariiy
settling down under their feet and drown p.
ing was an Immediate question. BY the
funnel stays and by enc another's backs
they swarlned on to the top of the fiddle
and thence gaining the boat platforms set
about cutting adrift the grimy awnings
with their knives and clearing away the
tackles and falls. They shipped rudders
ana lifted the plugs, and one or two with
more forethought than their frightened
fellows sEouldCred the boats water break
ers and took them aft To where the con
denser tap gave upon the lower deck
Kettle did not interfere. He had held
the bridge deck ladders against all corners
and III some cranky way felt that his hon
or was unsmirched But he gave no help
no hint, no further order, ard surveyed
the scene with folded arms and n sour
thin smile. Patrick Cambel being moved
by different set of feelings acted more
humanely.
Take time. men," he sung out coolly.
'if you will be towards and leave the shin
! don't think shell sink-at any rate not
vet"
The men had knocked away the checks
hoisted the boats and swung the dayits
cupboard.
keep your heads, yor trembling idiots.
Pass painter forward before you begin
to lower ana don't lower till YOU We vic
tualcd the boats You've at least $50
mile run before you can make Charlotte
IIarbor, which is your best port with this
wind blowing. and rs like as not you IL
miss your road when you get inshoro
among the Keys and reefs and be week
getting there
A few of the men, seeing the force of
this, ran below and raided the galley and
the stewards stoieroom of what they
could lay hands upon. But they only
brought up one load of tins. They were
frightened lest the Others should in their
terror go off without them. So they bun
died their eleanings pellmell onto the
floor gratings, and with a dozen men in
each the boats began to lower away. When
they touched the water, the falls were let
go, to overhaul as they chose, and then
unlocked. The boats rode by their paiut.
ers, sweeping on ono sea up to the level
OF tho bridge deck, diving 20 feet down in
the next trough and lying in great dan.
ger of being stove to pieces
A man in each was standing bv the
painter Others were getting cut the oars.
Where's the dorEeyman:'' cried some
one
And Mr.. Cnmbcl''
And the skipper"
''Oh. in the other hoat'
Then cast off. We've got all. and We
must be clear of the old ship before she
founders. or she'll take US down too
The painters were slipped, and from
either beam the steamer ; lifeboats diverr.
ed under the backing impulse of their oars.
Out OF sight of one another they dropped
astern, and each picking favorable
chance they Slowed round in a bother OF
spray. Then they stepped their masts,
and then, one under a iib and the Other
under close reefed lug, they drove away
before the wind, leaving the setting of a
course for after consideration.
steamer sailors are not used to small
boat sailing in heavy sea, and it take:
them some time to wear down the novelty
OF 1t. BY providence there was the sec
ond mate in one, an old North sea smacks
man, to take the tiller, and an able sea.
man from the Same school in the otbe,
boat who also was Competent to MANAGE
her. The boats were built for the weather
bat they required handling, and exceotiuo
these two men there We're none otfsr mr.
to the task. The rest trimmed shin. SONS
OF them bailing, some too frightened II
do anything but cling on to athwart. these
last from the fireholds mostly. and with
their compliments in this danger and dis.
rider the Port Edes' two lifeboats drove
away into the night and the north north.
east.
Three men on the steamer from inside
the chart wa 81