The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-11-04

| first confused and frightened. 1t took
him some time to regain his senses. Then
he rcalized that he was in great danger.
The wind had sprung up, the sen was
rolling badly and Skip WIS. plungtng
about in the most undigniie1 and threat
ening manner. Herbert caught the sheet
ments brought the boat up before tie
wind 30 she did not ship water.
Then he tried to study out his position.
He was astonished to-. find that the shore
lights were barely visible In the distance.
Had they, gone out for the night, or had
he drifted away from them? - :
The wind was blowing strongly from
not make much Roadway against it. The
sea, too, was rising every moment and
the waves grew appallingly large. For
| the first time Herbert felt thoroughly
frightened.
Clouds were scurrying across the sky,
obscuring the moon and bright stars. A
storm was brewing and before morning It
In half an hour the wind was so power
full that Skip plunged and labored heavily
under it. Then she began to shin water
| every time n gust careened her over
Herbert lowered the sail and took in two
reefs with the greatest difficulty. For a
time she tthfeted the waves and wind
successfully, but the wind was increas-
ing SO rapidly that in another half hour
the boy was in sore straits again.
| For the first time in his life he found
Skip unable to carry her sail, and he
was compelled to haul it down entirely,
He knew the danger of drifting sideways
before the wind in such sea, and he
sail around it, and, after attaching the
cable to it, he threw it overheard. In
this way the bow of the boat was kept
up in the wind, and she rode the heavy
pillows with comparative ease.
| When dawn broke in the east Herbert
glanced eagerly around the horizon, but
not q sign of land or boat was visible.
His heart thumped loudly in his bosom as
ne realized the hopelessness of his posi-
ton. The dreary waste of water was
capped with spray and foam, and every
minute the sea and wind seemed to in
crease in fury.
Skip proved her seaworthiness in COM
mendable manner that day, and more than
once she righted herself in the very face
of waves that would have overwhelmed a
boat any less stanch. She shipped water
| every few minutes, and Herbert was kept
busy bailing her out. How far he had
drifted he had no means of ascertaining.
All that day he fought nobly to keep the
boat from filling, but when night came
age began to forsake him. He dropped
his bucket and covered his eyes with his
hands. He realized that he would soon
reach the limit of his strength. He could
not bail out the waters all night, and the
weather showed no signs of clearing.
day when. Hamblin, Henry and Willis,
his three college chums, were to sail for
Europe. The thought of where he might
have been made him shudder.
They may be on their way to Europe
now, not far from me-" he muttered
| aloud.
Then, as if almost expecting to find the
and glanced around the rapidly darkening
| water. He gave a little start, and, as
Skip rose On the crest of a wave, he shout
ed:
There's boat!'
In his eagerness he nearly tumbled over
board, but moment later he added, less
enthusiastically:
It's onlysa derelict!"
Rising and falling heavily with the
waves, not. hundred yards away, was
the dismantled wreck of an old schooner.
She had evidently been long abandoned,
and her deck was nearly awash with the
water. Nevertheless, she held out a ray
of hope and comfort to the stranded boy
that made his heart beat with courage
again.
i've heard of derelicts floating around
for weeks" he reasoned with himself,
"and if | can get on board of her l will
be safe for time.'
Using all his strength, he. gradually
worked Skip toward the floating wreck
sweeps, but Herbert felt that it was q
matter of life or death with him.
When within a few feet of the derelict
he threw a rope across her deck, and then
at a favorable moment, jumped from the
deck of Skip to that of the schooner. Hi
landed on all fours, and slid along the
watery deck for several feet before he
could recover himself.
The old schooner was bad wreck, anG
there was not much chance of her carry
ing him into port. But for the present
she was safe place of refuge, although
some of the larger waves swept clear
across her. To prevent any accident Her
bert tied himself to the broken stump Of
a mast and tried to make himself as com
Portable as possible.
He was so worn out and exhausted with
his days work that he slept in spite of his
fears. 1t seemed only few moments be
fore he opened his eyes, but it was in
reality two hours.
The first thing that caught his eyes was
series of lights across the water. Al
first he gazed at them dreamily. Where
have drifted near the coast, or was a yes
sci approaching him?
In an instant he was fully awake. The
lights were from q steamer bearing di
rectly upon him. He thought he coul6
almost hear the rumble of the machinery
and the splash of the screws.
Hello! Hellov' he shouted at the to1
of his voice.
Then, realizing the folly of trying to at
tract attention in the darkness with hi.
voice, he tore off his jacket, and striking
a match in the fitful gale, he made far
ing torch of his coat. This he held owe,
his head and shouted at the top of hi,
| voice.
There was response from the steamer
A hoarse whistle announced that hi.
signal had been seen. Then the course OF
the lights was changed. But it was none
too soon. The great black hulk of tn.
steamer rushed out of the darkness. ant
barely grazed the nose of the derelict n.
she swept WEI" around a lin; in f sharp r. curve:
stop her Roadway, but boat put Out
from her side, and Herbert was soon re-
leased from his critical position.
"Where is the rest of the crew." asked
the captain of the big liner, as Herber,
landed on the deck. weak and exhausted
II don't know" Herbert gasped. ITS
l
voice back of him.
Herbert! Why, it's Herbertv' chimed
in two other voices.
The next moment Herbert was nearly
snffocated by three pairs of arms which
tried to hug him at the same time. l,
took some time for him to grasp the sit.
uation.
"Why didn't you come to see us off:
Tried to get to Europe ahead of us, after
all: You'll have to 60 with us now"
| =, These and similar remarks from his
three college chums greeted his ears as
| they picked him up in their arms and car
rled him to their stateroom.
| When he told his story in detail there
was much interest and concern manifest.
ed by the captain and the passengers, and
the former said, quietly:
! so it was. a derelict we were running
down? Well, that would have been dan.
gerous for us; III tell the company all
about it., l think they'll give you a free
passage home again, and"
| Capt. Somers was a man Of few words,
but he knew when and how to act. When
I