The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-03
.THEIOOEuUT. M

pies Ike the twisted strands Of a rope.
"My eyesl It's stormy night, mates, and
Ishouldn't wonder II We should be brought
up all Of q sudden before long ag'in some
Of them big RATS Of ias,thAt we saw to lee.
ward few hours aeeR Tom Cummings,
dyou see, Is on the lookout. and there nov.
| er was lazier dog chan he is."
"Old Bungs will see to him, Jack, an.
swered one Of 4 the sshipmates. Hes
walked forward already no less than half
dozen times Tin order to see that he's
keepin q sharp eye about him"
AYE aye, ",fcffedS jack "but If Bungs
had gone little clussr.to him Wouldn't
be afraid to wager considerable that he'd
find Cummingsasittin on his knees, with
his head upon his breast and fast asleep.
In fact, feel So sartin of this that shall
60 forard at once and wake him up"
So saying, he3hastened along the lev
gangway, and Oh. gaining the knightheads
he discovered that his surmise was correct
The lookout man was leaning against
the bowsprit snorting Inelodiously. :.
Jack woke him up with a rough shake
and the startled seaman sprapg to his feet.
You'd better keep your eyes open
lad" said the old tar. sit isn't honorable
it isn't doin your duty or actin right
by any Of US to 60 to sleep on SIGH night
as this Besides, you're liable to freeze
to death, and
"Aye, aye, interrupted Tom "You are
right, Jack, and for the life O. me I can't
imagine how my eyes came to close. III
keep 'em open the rest OF the lookout, /,
promise you"
eth be best for you TO do so, answered
Jack, land I hope you'll keep your word !"
So saying, he started to go aft, when a
dark figure suddenly bounded before him,
and crouching at his feet laid his great
shaggy head against the palm of the old
seaman's outstretched hand.
AYE, aye, you're a noble dog, Nep.
tune, said Jack as. he caressed the ami,
NAL "and we've all learned to look upon
you In the light of q shipmate."
Neptune shook his tail and uttered an
amiable growl of satisfaction.
Then he rose upon his hind feet and
pressed his fore paws upon the sailors
breast.
cts cold night, Neptune, isn't its"
Gum, up, uni" answered the dog.
"And there's some danger of us running
a-foul of the icebergs, mater"
The dog nodded and whined then sprane
to the Ice bulwarks, and thrusting his nose
over the rail peered earnestly through the
gloom.
''Do you see anything, my ladf"
The animal shook his head in the mega,
tive, and with gleeful bark returned to
the side Of the old tar
Neptune" continued Jack In low
voice, at the same time pointing forward,
"pd like to have you jump on the knight
heads and keep lookout. The man we've
got there, dye see, lad, is liable at any
moment to go to sleep"
Neptune barked Indignantly; then jump
ing upon the knightheads he,sseated him.
self by the side of Tom CT innings, with
his head and ears erect.
Hes jolly lad, that Newfoundlander, "
muttered Jack as he moved toward the
quarter deck, land he'll stay where he /.
and do his duty like an honest tar, bless
his eyes!'
A thick fog bank, which for many hours
had rested on the western horizon, was
now spreading over the sea.
The moon, which had occasionally
emerged from the clouds that scattered
like snowdrifts from the sky, was now
obscured, and the darkness closed around
the ship like a pail.
Keep sharp lookout there forward
shouted the first mate from the quarter
deck
"Aye, aye" answered Tom Cummings
but the next moment his head dropped up
on his BOSOM and he fell into deep slum
ber
The mate continued his walk pausing
occasionally near the pinnacle to look at
compass or to listen to the yarns of the
watch some of which were very amusing
81 think We'll pass the ice foe on this
tack, he remarked at length to the man
at the wheel. 81 thought SO in the first
place although the captain was of u differ.
emit way Of thinkin."
"Aye, aye, SIR" replied the helmsman,
who was an old sailor 81 hope you are
right, but sometimes bodygets mistaken
in these ATTITUDES, where the current runs
80 strong. When | was in the
"Hark !" suddenly interrupted the mate.
81 thought heard the man on the look.
out calm to us.
at is Neptune" cried old Jack. "He
is barkin as | never heard him bark be.
fore He's got sharp eyes, that dog, and
wouldn't be afraid to bet that he's sighted
somethin."
So saying, the old tar hurried forward,
but he had scarcely gained the knightheads
when his deep voice was heard mingling
with the barking of the dog.
Cup with the helm A big ice noun
tain right ahead Look sharp, there, ut
the wheel! Look sharp!'
Such, indeed, was the fact.
The lookout man had fallen asleep, but
Neptune had kept faithful watch, and on
seeing the rugged ice pyramid had given
notice of it in the manner described.
The wheel was Immediately raised, and
the gallant ship went booming past the
lofty berg, just grazing its side with her
weather yardarms.
Had the movement been delayed mo-
ment longer the destruction of the ship,
with the loss Of the greater part of the
crew, If not of all hands, would have been
| the result
The old mate, a blunt good natured fel
low, was so affected by the faithful, noble
behavior Of the shaggy sentinel that he
| threw both arms around the animals neck
and Rugged him to his breast, bestowing
upon him all the cndearing nautical cpl
thcts he could think of and swearing that
he should have all the fresh meat he want
cd when the vessel returned TO the Sand
witch Islands
As to Tom Cummings, he swore by his
honor as sailor and u man that it should
never again be said that u dog was obliged
10 perform the duty that he (Tom) neglect
ed. New York News.