St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-06-11
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it was decided to draw the fires in
one boiler while the fremen did their
best to raise enough steam from the
remaining one to keep the ship head
at sea.
Mind, Mack, if she falls off in this
sea it's all up. Be quick" said the
captain, to which the chief answered
briefly:
II haze been in hot furnace afore,
an can gang again-there'll be no
time lost"
So the rest of the day and all night
we lay to, every man at his post,
while, with ventilators torn up,
hatch covers ripped off, and water
gurggling about deep in the holds,
the Corona swung to the heavy At
lantic sea in imminent peril.
Next morning steady clang and
clattter foated up through the
stoke-hold gratings, and fireman,
wipipg the sweat from his sooty face,
came up to say that the chief wanted
me below to see how repairs were
done at sea. The chief engineer
looked gaunter and grimmer than
ever, was swathing himself in sacks
opposite the front of the port boiler,
which, although the fires had been
drawn. was still almost at blue heat.
His third was trying to persuade him
not to enter the fue himself, but the
chief shook him off.
An acrid smell of charring wood
foated out of the three-feet fues, and
then, while we held our breath, the
chief slowly crawled down the hot
furnace and disappeared into the
dark boiler, while fireman followed
him along the wing f1ue.
For some minutes there was clat-
tering of hammers, and then a nerve
trying silence. We listened with
hearts in our mouths but only heard
the hammering of the runaway en-.
gines and the vibrating of the plates
as heavy sea struck the ship. Then
a smothered cry came from the fue:
"For Gods sake get me out!" and
leaning forward, two fremen dragged
the engineer forth, blackened and
burned, after which he promptly
collapsed into dead faint, while
fireman went into the other fue at
the risk of his life, and making fast
rope, his comrade was hauled out.
Presently the chief gasped and sat
up, holding out hand on which the
flesh was peeling from the bones in
rags. II can do nae mair," he said;
'it's a boiler. makers job. An we
Gamma drive the ither boiler at that
rate any longer-it's no safe the moo.
She'll fall off in the trough of the sea
when the engine slows-an' roll over.
Lord have mercy on us!"
Just then dilapidated greaser
came in from the engine room, and
recognized the man who was work
ing his passage. you should have
sent for me BEFORE" he said. "Give
me the TOOLS"
what dae we ken ABBOTT calking ?"
asked the chief roughly.
~ was the best boilermaker in Har-
tlepool before took to drink" was
the quiet reply.
"Give him the tools-it's neck or
nothing the noo," said the chief.
The stranger carefully wrapped his
hands in the sacks, and then, with
hammer slung round his neck, crawled
into the black mouth of the hue,
pushing a fiat engine lamp before
him.
The red glare of the boiler lamps
fell on anxious faces, dripping with
sweat and smeared with SCOT, all
turned toward the yawning mouth
of the flue, and as 1 watched I could
plainly feel a tiny artery pulsing as if
it would burst beneath my ear. Then
the tap of the hammer ceased; there
was a clatter as of something drop.
ping in the combustion chamber, and
with low hiss, as of water on hot
metal, the dim light went out.
Hes dropped his lamp. Get in,
some of you, and bring him out"
said the third engineer. And while
tour fremen struggled to be first to
undertake the dangerous work, the
chief staggered across the stoke-hole,
and turning wheel, the sharp clang
OF the brass rams pumping up the half
empty boiler rang out across the ST.
lence.
The second dragged slowly past in