Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-02


below, and then when the steamer gave n
heavy scend and the more solid wash from
below smote him heavily upon the thighs
he loosed his grip and dived like q stone
through the trimming shaftway of the
hatch
Seconds passed, n minute, two minutes,
and still lie did not reappear. Three min
utes. Then tho rounded outlines of some
thing black rolled to the surface and surg
ed about Imply with the swill Of the
water
For awhile it staid so; then, swung by
q heavier pitch of the steamer, was washed
to the back of n stanchion, where it hung
The stopping water beneath cbbed steadi-
ly. The valve in the steamers bottom
had been closed.
During a whole hour Patrick Cambel
lodged behind that iron pillar, mere
homeless mass of flesh and clothes, and
then the pains of life came into him again
with sbivers and shuddcrings. The thin
gray light of the dawn was filtcring down
through the jagged opening above when
first the trembling lids slid from his eye
balls, but for still another so minutes he
was thing Of no wit, breathing, truly,
but caring naught for all the world con-
tanned.
Then a sucking, sobbing noise from the
depths Of the hold far beneath broke
upon his ear, and the languid brain began
to work. With an effort he sat up, .tiizzily
holding to the pillar, trying to think
where he was and how ran recent history,
and by degrees the details strolled back to
him. Before, however, he had gathered
all his SENSES or a working quantum OF
strength he had visitor i'm the shape OF
the donkeyman, who clattered up over the
decks with plate shod boots and crouched
at the top OF the gap above on knees and
hands
Have ye been getting hurt now:'' in
quired the newcomer.
About nine tcnths drowned, I fancy,
IL that counts. Blu: I'm about all right
again now
''lc don't look it,, replied the donkey.
man candidly. Barring the tan ye'd he
blue and lard color about the face this
minute. But feared therc was something
gone wrong through not seeing ye on the
bridge, so 1 nipped into tie chartroom
and pocketed whisky bottle that was
lying convenient in case Pull at the
small end, sor.''
The bottle was handed down, and Cam
bel lifted it, his teeth chattering against
the nozzle like castanets, but the spirit
drove up color into his face and set the
sluggish blood once more on its appointed
journey through his hands and trunk
What has occurred since l left your
he asked
We'll, first, sor, the captain and my
self had little friendly discussion about
what's been happening and came to bit
of financial agreement. But / will say
that / figured me new terms very low when
1 understood it was thrifle OF a conspira
cy that ye wanted me to stand in at. And
then, sOr. we went below to the engine
room and turned steam into the bilge
pumps to heave this nasty slop of water
overheard, after which, as chief, / SET
about making thrilling repair to the low
pressure engine Ye see when that ex.
plosion took place bit of casting jump
ed into the crank pit and got jammed
there hard before they could stop her I've
had fair do at elbow work cutting it out
cold, but it's clear now, and she runs a
sweetly as she did the day she left the
shops. But oh, Mr.. Cambel, l wish YOU
could see the old man! The sight of that
little chap shoveling Goals and swearing
and tumbling and burning himself II
enough TO make the ghosts of some dead
firemen l know about grin and dances and
jiRs in their graves"
The donkeyman was inclined to be gar
rulous and evidently lusted for n consider
able chat, but with returning strength
Cambelfs anxiety grew on him again. and
he climbed out on deck keen to be once
moro in action. His knees were lottery
and the donkeyman gave him an arm
aft. But when he had climbed up the lad
der and gained the bridge deck he stood