The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-08-18

hours at stretch, with blue toes and
fingers, and whistle for the breakfast
that never comes?"
Hanson smiled, but made no answer.
The sun was just appearing above the
horizon, and he was anxiously looking
to see what promise of day it gave.
Its going TO blow harder than ever
he said.
Then I'd exchange this spot for the
bridge of tramp of the meanest Glass;
replied Harridance. Il must fortify
myself by another pull at the flask.
Here's an acrobatic feat for YOU"
lie straddled out his legs and re-
leased his hold of the rail to which he
was clinging.
BE careful" shouted Hanson, warn
ingly. at wouldn't need much of a
lurch to send you off a slippery deck like
this"
Here's to you and No. co." Har-
ridance retorted, jauntily! "Alone and
on one leg l do it, and to make it more
effective and poetic, close my eyes. l
drinks towards you, us the villain in the
melodrama says"
| AS the morning came the gale grew
fiercer, but the boat held her own with
unfiinching purpose, and still the men
with hearts of iron in the blazing hold
fed the hungry fires and tended the
frantic engines.
At last mighty sea came roaring on,
Il hnf xuni oh
seemed as if no human work could
stand. Hanson and the junior watched
it with grim fascination. No. 90 dashed
dauntlessfy into the rearing mass. She
rose to ii as far as she could, rose until
f, it seemed as if she would be thrown
over bodily and go round like the spoke
of a wheel, then with noise like thun-
der the sea broke over her, and when
No. 90 at last rose she was at the mercy
of wind and wave. The sea had swept
and shorn her deck; il had carried the
funnel and put out the engine fires; it
had smashed in the after-skylight, and
flooded the wardroom. The steam from
the extinguished fires rose in kissing
white clouds, and the scalded men from
the engine-room crawled one by one on
deck, having nothing more to do In the
place where they were already stand
| ing waist-deep in coal-black water.
Hanson looked about him. The
devastation was complete.
As he looked upon it he could not re-
press CHASTITY smile. He scanned the
horizon slowly. His practiced eye told
| him that the worst of the gale had
passed; and the hope arose within him
that after all things might so well. and
he would be spared to take the battered
carcass into port.
The captains survey finished when
he looked ahead. He gazed long AMI
hard, rubbed his eyes. rested them for
a moment. and looked again. Still hop
ing that what ne saw might be fancy.
he shut them second time. Having
done that. and looked once more, he
turned to Harridanee, and, pointing
ahead, asked, simply: what do you
make of that?"
Harridance, too. had been looking
closely. He answered. briefly: water
spout"
"And coming this way?"
The junior nodded.
"Its growing as 1t comes"
Again the junior acquiesced.
"We've got no chance against IT II II
strikes us?"
Harridance shook bis head.
"Then the Lord have mercy on us"
"Amen." replied the junior, fersently.
He was very serious now.
Both gazed in silence for moment.
eoch wondering what the end would
be.
Suddenly Hanson exclaimed; mere
.dereIicf ut the base OF the column
sand what OF that. asked Hnrri-
dance. III only makes destruction
certain for US