The Jamesburg record., 1898-04-02
ADRIFT.

6mOOCn anu Cn5 Wluu Was llBuG, DuG Gn0
sky was overcast and there was low
living haze which narrowed the horizon
down to a circle half mile in diane
ter. The water over the ships side
looked black and oily, and here and
there when a lazy crest reflected the
beams of one of the vessels lights the
glitter Of it was lurid and baleful. On
deck all was silent save for the occa-
sional i'll tempered comments of the first
mate, who was on watch and had
sailors disposition toward thick wealth
er.
"What in Africa is that Stating
about so on the main topsail yard?
Here you, tumble up and see what's
adrift. -
His words were addressed to tall,
muscular boy who had been leaning
against the rail and staring thoughtful
" into the sea. Ferris James had been
in dark reyerie. He was not happy
boy, for everything seemed to him to
have gone wrong. His father, once a
man of means, had died bankrupt, leav-
ing him absolutely penniless. Ferris
was then glad to secure berth as an
ordinary seaman aboard the ship Glen
dover, outward bound for Bombay 1t
was while he was meditating on his
changed circumstances that he received
the curt order of the mate and respond
ed with the instructive "Aye, aye, sir. %
The boy. strong and active, with the
alert sinews of II years, danced up the
ratlines like 1.-the cat and was soon
out upon the yard, which had the swing
of gigantic seesaw. Ferris examined
one-half foot by foot till he found him
self on the extreme end of the yardarm
A moment later-he never knew how
it happened-the yard seemed to slip
from under him, and he shot downward
with a 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
that it was life buoy which had been
thrown from the ship. The vessel her
self was fast slipping into the impene-
trable gloom. He knew that a boat
would be lowered, but he doubted that
itwould find him on such thick night
After a time he began to emit at intervals
the sailors farreaching "Aho-o-o-y"
There was no response out Of the pitch
like blackness, and when quarters
of an hour had passed Ferris, with
strange feeling of indifference, 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 twist
ing his arms in the life line of the buoy,
which he had managed to get over his
head and down under his arms he al
lowed his head to fall on one side, and
he lost consciousness He made no re-
sistance, for he felt that such a life as
his was not worth struggling for. He
remembered dimly afterward that his
last thought was, 81 wonder where I'll
wake up?"
Very much to his own surprise, he
awoke 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 few mo-
ments he rested languidly, scarcely
moving even his hands. Then spark
OF hope fired him with desire to scan
the sea- He raised his head and slowly
swept gaze around his narrow hor1-
zon. He smiled at his own lack OF en-
thusiasm when he alphabetically discov-
cred bark not more than mile away.
The bark looked miserable. Her spars
were all awry, and her rigging was
full of slack lines. She steered an er-
ratio course, under scant canvas, and
altogether showed evidence of utter de-
moralization.
There must be sick or mutinous
crew aboard there muttered Ferris.
Il wonder which?"
The thought that vessel might pass
near him in his desperate plight gave
MIN sudden desire to live, or at least
not to perish SO miserably. He began to
think how he could make some signal
mat might be seen aboard the bark
when she erratically changed her course
directly toward him and came splashing
cumbrously across the dun gray sea like
great wounded bird.
Presently the vessel was not more
tnan 300 yards away, and the boy raised
MS voice in far cry, Bark aho-o-o-yF
Out OF the tangle of wreckage for
ward was raised face, which even at
that distance looked pale and haggard
1es owner peered moment over the wa
ters and then waved his hand The next
instant two or three other forms ap-
peared on the bark's forecastle, and she
snlfted her helm Ferris saw that all