The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-04

With gray ringlets hanging about his tenn
plcs nike the twisted strands Of o rope.
"Aiy eyesl It's n stormy night, mates, and
I shoultln' Z wonder II we should be brought
up oil Of sudden before long ag'in some
Of them big RATS Of Ice that we saw to lee
ward few hours ago. Tom Cummings,
d'you see, is on the lookout, and there new
er was lazier dog than 10 is."
"Old Bungs will SOC to him, Jack, - an
swered one Of the shipmates. Hes
walked forward already no less than half
. dozen times In order TO see that he's
kecpin n sharp eye about him."
"Ayc, aye" cried Jack, "but II Bungs
had gone n little closer 10 him wouldn't
be afraid to wager considerable that he'd
ind Cummings sittin On his knees, with
his head upon his breast and fast asleep
In fact, feel 80 sartin Of this that i shall
go for'ard at once and wake him up.''
So saying, he hastened along the lee
gangway, and on gaining the knightheads
he discovered that his surmise was correct
The lookout man was leaning against
the bowsprit snorting melodiously.
Jack woke him up with IA rough shake,
and the startled seaman Sprang to his feet
You'd better keep your eyes open,
lad" said the old tar. "It isn't honorable
it isn't doin your duty or actin right
by any of us to go to sleep on sich night
as this Besides, you're liable to freez
to death, and"-
"Aye, aye, interrupted Tom. "You are
right, Jack, and for the life o. me / can't
imagine how my eyes came to close. III
keep 'em open the rest of the lookout,
promise you."
It'll be best for you 20 do so, answered
Jack, "and / hope you'll keep your word. "
So saying, ne started to go aft, when
dark figure suddenly bounded before him,
and crouching at his feet laid his great
shaggy head against tho palm of the old
seaman's outstretched hand.
"Aye, aye, you're q 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 ne rose upon his. hind feet and
pressed his fore paws upon the sailor's
breast.
"It's cold night, Neptune, isn't it9"
sum, up, uni" answered the dog.
"And there's some danger Of us running
a-foul of the ioebergs, mater"
The dog nodded and whined, then sprang
to the Ice bulwarks, and thrusting his nose
over the rail peered earnestly through the
gloom.
"Do you see anything, my ladp"
The animal shook his head in the mega
tive, and with glecful bark returned to
the side of the old tar.
Neptune, continued Jack In low
voice, at the same time pointing forward,
"I'd like to have you Jump on the knight.
heads and keep lookout. The man we've
got there, dye see, Lad, is liable ut any
moment to go to sleep"
Neptune barked Indignantly; then jump
ing upon tho knightheads he seated him
self by the side Of Tom Cummings, with
his head and cars erect.
"He'sa jolly lad, that Newfoundlander, "
muttered Jnk as he moved toward the
quarter dcca, "and he'll stay where he is
and do his duty like an honest tar, bless
his eyes"
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 tho sky, was now
the ship like pail.
"Keep n 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
a. ho Tn M
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 ut length to the man
at the wheel. II thought 30 in the first
ent way of thinkin."
who was an old sailor. II hope you aro
right, but sometimes body gets mistaken
In these latitudes, where the current runs
SO strong. When / was In the'-
"Hark" suddenly interrupted the mate.
out callin to us"
"It is Neptunel" cried old Jack. "He
ID barkin as I never heard him bark be-
fore He's got aharp eyes, that dog, and l
wouldn't be afraid TO bet that he's sighted
bOnleuulu.
So saying, the old tar hurried forward,
but he had scarcely gained the knightheada
when his deep voice was heard mingling
with the barking of the dog.
"Up with tho helml A big ice noun.
tain right aheadl Look sharp, there, at
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 leo 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 yartlarms.
Had the movement been delayed mo
ment longer the destruction Of the ship,
with tho loss Of the greater part OF the
crew, II not Of all hands, would have been
the result.
The old mate, blunt, good natured fel
low, was 80 affected by the faithful, noble
behavior of tho shaggy sentinel that he
threw both arms around the animals neck
and hugged him to his breast, bestOwiDg
upon him all the endearing nautical cpl.