The Somerset reporter., 1898-09-22

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man whose name is called will take his
place in the boat Any man that starts
for the boat before | tell him | shoot.
understand alp
There was a low murmur from the
men, and the skipper continued:
Mr. Smith will take charge of the
boat E"
The mate, with look at the skipper
climbed into the boat as she hung in
the davlts- The skipper then called the
names of the crew he proposed to send
in her, sending first the sailors, so that
the mate might place each in his proper
station in the boat, before the firemen,
ETC., who would be of no use in the
critical maneuvers of getting her away
from the ships side, crowded her up.
But these seme fremen did not under
stand his reason and thought he was
showing undue preference to his own
men, and, heavier sea than usual
striking the steamer, there was a cry
of, she's going down, and he's send
ing the sailors first p and rush for the
boat.
"Stand back ~ cried the skipper.
Crack, and the leading fireman spread
out his hands and pitched on to his
face, rolling in limp bundle down ON
to the lee rail. The rest of the men
stopped. They might as we'll be drown
ed as shot, they thought, and they hud-
died together, looking with Mortified
chances at their dead comrade The
skipper paused, lowered his revolver
and then called the next name. They
had learned their lesson and went quiet
ly to the boat, which was got safely
away and drifted out of sight in the
mist of the gale.
The other boat was filled without any
mishap, and the skipper, the only man
left on the deck, lowered her. She also
got clear away and drifted out to the
full length of her painter The skipper
walked aft to wait for them to haul up
again He had to pass the body of the
dead man, and he did not look at it.
The boat was hauling up on the painter
and was getting close. The skipper got
on the rail ready to jump. At that mo-
lAClit u AACllloI bllO DlOlHCl VI biC III AZ
he had shot, reached over the boat 8
bow, and with cry of "Blast you,
stop and drown with BillP' cut the
painter.
The distance between the ship and
the boat began to widen instantly, and
in spite of the frantic efforts of the sail
ors at the oars the deeply laden boat
-,
mist. The skipper got down from the
rails and made his way back to the
bridge deck He had just ten minutes
to live. Ten minutes to prepare for the
next world after 40 years at sea
He climbed up on the bridge again
and sat on the canvas wind screen to
think His wife and children, who
would look after them now His wages
were GIG per month. On that he had
had but small chance to save. Well, he
supposed the Shipmasters' society would
do something for her, but she would
have to give up her little house at For
est Gate and drop from the position of
captains wife to letting lodgings.
Perhaps one of the children could be
got into an orphanage. If not, well, it
meant starvation or the workhouse. He
thought Of his own life, of his hard, i'll
used boyhood, cabin boy in Quebec
timber ship; of his manhood, spent in
unremitting toll in all parts of the
world; of the various ships he had COM
manded in each of which he had been
expected to use less coal less paint,
fewer provisions and to go with smaller
crews than in the last. He thought of
the blackguards he had had to command
as crews. and the trouble he had had
with them and the old sailor proverb
rose to his lips, ITO live hard, work
hard die hard and go to hell after all
would be too id hard. " Well,
he'd not had much fun out of life, and
now he was going to find out what it
all meant Anyway he had always done
his best for his ship.
His eyes fell on the dead body of the
fireman. That tool If the man should
indict him at the bar of the last judg-
ment, he would answer there as he
would have answered to an earthly
court, I'm my judgment it was neces-
sary for the safety of the men i'll my
charge. " A sudden culver warned him
she was nearly gone, and he rose to his
feet for one last look to windward AS
be looked into the binding spray, he
saw large wave come out of the mist,
and knew it would swamp her He
gripped the rail with both hands, and
his lips moved in a half forgotten pray
er "Our Father, which art = and the
wave swept on. But the Saraband had
gone. The skipper had gone to meet his
fireman where there shall be no more
sea. o-Temple Bar