The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1897-10-05
FORTUNES RDRlFw.
By CUTCLIFFE HYNE.
Copyright, 1897, by CutcIiHe Hyne.)

\ mist Of neat shut the sea into a
narrow ring. Overhead was a heaN! puI-
DIE darkness, inpenetrable as d ce14.e
If brick The only light that crept IL
came from the mysterious unseen pla-H
Of the horizon. From every point Oh lie
compass uneasy thunder gave Iorln LON
and then a stifed below; ana lHousn
the lightning splashes never sho"ed;
sudden Trimmings Of the gloom Wou4d
hint al their neaTnes~. Inc alr slim
mared and danced with the baking neat
and though lurid grays and plnhs pre-
dominated. the glow which filled II was
constantly changing i'm hue.
The scene was terrifying, but hettle
regarded it with a satisfied smile. Inc
| one commercial pray OF the shlpHldS-
ter is to meet with a passenger Steamer
at sea. broken down. and requiring q
tow: and here was one Of the pluHs OF
the ocean ready TO his hand and ANXIOUS
10 he plucked. The worse the weather
the greater would be the salvage ana
Can't. Kettle could have Rugged himself
with Joy when he thought OF the tfop-
cal hurricanes nearness. lie had
changed the Saloons course the instant
he came on the bridge. and had pulled
the svron-string and hooted cheerfully
into the throbbing air TO his
coming. The spectral teamer grew
every moment more clear. and presently
| a string Of barbaric cOlorS Jerked up
to the wire span between her masts.
There was no breath Of wind to make
the flags blow out. They hung IN de-
iected cowls; but to Kettle they read
like the page Of an open book.
"P. b. O." he cried, and clapped the
binoculars back in the box, and snapped
down the lid. "P. b. O." Mr.. Cortolvin.
- l--s+ 80, f.,gyD h0vJnr soon "
Have broken my machinery that means
L want immediate aSSiStance.'"
You seem to know it by heart" said
Cortclyin.
There's not a steamboat officer on all
the seas that doesn't. When things are
very down with us, we take out the sig
nal book, and hunt up =. 3. Q. and tell
ourselves that some day we may come
across a Cunarder in a broken tail
shaft, and be able TO give up the sea
and be living politely IN 600 a year well
invested, within a fortnight. It's the
teamboat officers dream sir, but there
ew of us it ever comes true for"
Skipper" said COrtolvin, Il needn't
tell you how pleased III be if you come
into a competence over this business.
In the meanwhile, if there is anything |
can do, from coal trimming upward, I'm
your most obedient servant"
II thank you, SIR" said Kettle. "And
if you'd go and carry the news to the
chief I'll be obliged. l know he'll say
his engines can't hold out. Tell hin
they must Tell him to use NJ anything
he has sooner than get another break
down. Tell him to rip up his soul fol
struts and backstays. If he thinks i'll
keep them running. It's the one chance
of my life. Mr.. COrtolyin, and the ont
chance of his, and he's got to know it
and see we aren't robbed of what is pu
before us. Show him where the slllc1
comes in, sir, and then stand ny an'
QUIZ see McTodd work Miracles
CortoIvin went below. and kettl
turned to the old mate. Mr.. Mure 4
troyd.' said he, get Il dozen hands t
rouse up that new manila Out ef t.
store. | AXE YOU from the foredeck an
give you the aftcrdeck TO yourself. II
: have to bargain with that fellow Owe
/ here before we do anything. and thereI
be little enough time left after we'y'
liked upon prices. SO have eyerythlnt