The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-07-09
ADRIFT IN
MID OCEAN.
BY NJ. QUAD.
BY M. QUAD.


smooth and the wind was light, but the
sky was overcast, and there was low lying
haze which narrowed the horizon down TO
a circle half mile in diameter. The water
over the ships side looked black and oily
and here and there, when lazy crett
reflected the beams of one Of the vessel $
lights the glitter of it was lurid and bale
full. On deck all was silent save for the
occasional i'll tempered comments OF the
first mate, who was on watch, ard had
sailors disposition toward thick weather.
"What in Africa is that Stating about so
on the main top-sai yard! Here, you,
tumble up, and see what's adrft.
His words were addressed to a tall
muscular boy who had been leaning against
the rail and staring thoughtfully into the
sea- Ferris James had been in a dark
revere. He was not happy boy, for
everything seemed to him to have gone
wrong. His father, once man of means,
had died bankrupt leaving him absolutely
pennies. Ferriss was then glad to secure
ship Glendower, outward bound for Bonn
bay. 1t was while he was meditating on
his changed circumstances that he received
the curt order of the mate and responded
with the instructive 'Ay, ay, sir"
The boy, strong and active, with the
alert snews of seventeen years, danced up
the ratlines like 1.-the cat, and was soon
out upon the yard, which had the swing of
hall foot by foot till he found himself on
the extreme end of the yardarm. A mo-
ment later-he never knew how it hap
pened-the yard seemed to slip from under
him, and he shot downward with sudden
plunge into the sea. He barely had time
to utter startled cry before the waters
closed over him.
When he came to the surface he saw
something round and white floating near
him. He grasped at it, and found it was
lille, buoy which had been thrown from the
ship. The vessel herself was fast slipping
into the impenetrable gloom. He knew
that a boat would be lowered, but he
doubted that IL would find him on such
thick night After time he began to
emit at intervals the sailors far feachlhg
"Aho.o-o-y!' There was no response out
out Ct the pitch-like blackness, and when
Ferris, with strange feeling Of inditfer-
ence, stopped shouting.
A feeling Of irresistible lassitude stole
over the boy. and weird numbness crept
through his limbs. He felt as if he were
overpowered by sleep, and twisting his
arms in the life line Of the buoy, which he
had managed to get over his head and
down under his arms, he allowed his head
ness. He made no resistance, for he felt
that such life as his was not worth strug-
CLING for. He remembered dimly afterwa
that his last thought was, 81 wonder where
I'll wake up"
Very much to his own surprise, he awo g
in the same place-adrift in the North
Atlantic, with only a circle Of cork and
canvas between him and the great circle OF
eternity. For fe" moments he rested
languidly, scar ely moving even his hands.
Then spark VI hope fired him with a
desire to scan the sea. He raised his head
and slowly swept a gaze around his narrow
horizon. He smiled at his own lack of
enthusiasm when he alphabetically dis
covered a barque not more than a mile
away.
The barque looked miserable. Her spars
were all away, and her rigging was full of
slack lines. She steered an cratic course,
under scant cahvas, and altogether showed
evidence OF utter decentralization.
"There must be sick or mutinous crew
aboard there" muttered Ferris. 81 won
der which %
Presently the vessel was not more than
800 yards away, and the boy raised his
voice in far cry, "Barque aho-o,o-y"
Out OF the tangle Of wreckage forward
was raised face which even at that dis
tance looked pale and haggard. Its owner
peered moment over the waters and then
waved his hand. The next instant two or
three other forms appeared on the barque s
forecastle, and she shifted her helm.
Ferris saw that ali her boats, save a
small dingy at the port quarer davits, were
stove in, and presently he saw four seaman
slowly and laboriously lowering away the
dingy. AS they came alongside the bow
they gazed at him with dull curiosity in
their lack-lustre eyes, and one Of them
said:
"What are you dom there?'
''Don't you think you'd better save me
first, and ask me questions afterwards 81
asked the boy.
81 s'pose So" said the man in a dull
way.
Then he helped the boy to climb int,
the boat and pullel the Glendower's life