The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-10-06

POWDER CO. NEW WORK.
as the light increased, Ransom made
out dark spot about half a mile
away. 1t was the keel of the Wal
knre, end on.
Pull away, there" he ordered,
dropping to his thwart Pull; benC!
Your back he shouted at Ackland, as
he found his great strength was turn
ing the boat from straight line Ack-
land labored silently, beginning to feel
that this adventure held little credit
for him. In short time they ware
up TO the submerged hull, barely
showing, the keel above water.
Way enough; in with your oar,
shouted Ransom, now in frenzy with
excitement. He sprang to the stern
with his Car and guided the boat up
to the quarter of the wreck Close to
the rudder showed dorsal fin.
| There's shark, exclaimed Ack-
land.
Don't be larmed,' said Ransom,
kicking OF Iii, boots: he .oa'r climb
IN. You're to keep tins BOAT close to
the qnartar' He whirl-d his oar aloft
| and brought 1t down over the dorsal
| Tin, which disappeared, showing an
instant later fifty feet away. Crowd
ing his knife firmly into his sheath, he
tossed his cap down, peered moment
into the blue depths, then drawing in
deep breath, dived overheard Ack
land sat OF the thwart, pale with al
ternating and conflicting hopes-the
hope that Ransom would reappear
with Jessie, and the hope that the
shark, which mad darted farther away
at the instant of the splash, and was
now returning III curvlng zig zags,
would be able to dispose of Ransom.
Bat his desire for justification did not
lmpel him to emulate his feat
Ransom in few downward strokes,
reach the submerged taft rail, under
w lch he darted; two strokes more
! h2a'l9ht him to the companionway in
the port corner of the cabin. Into 1t
and upward he swan, until his head
struck the cabin floor, without his
feeling aught, but the pressure of
water in his nostrIls Forward he
went in the inky darkness, meeting
stools and chairs, which he pushed
aside, and finding by touch, the for
ward bulkhead of the cabin. Above
him now, he knew. was the hatch
leading into the hold. His head seem
ed ready to burst, and his lungs ached
with throbbing pain as he reached up
for the hatch, which he had reasoned
should be opon. He felt a smooth
surface-the cabin table damned,
legs upward, in the hatch, it resisted
his efforts to dislodge it. Pulling
himself around it, he found that one
edge sagged down with his weight,
and he forced his body between it and
the floor. The pain in his lungs WAS
Undesirable agony, but he dared not
eXpel the air, to replace it with water
which would xii him. He felt the
edge of the hatch on the back of his
neck-the space was too small to ad,
NIT his body Then be drew up his
knees, and III his extremity of physi
cal and mental torture-bls thoughts
of Jessie dying this death-put forth
his strength. The legs of the table
creaked, crashed loose with a noise
that seemed deafening, and the OBJ
struction sank down. Catching the
edge Of the hatch above him, he pull
ed his body through and shot upward
1t was but few feet to the surface,
but to this man, 1t was span of miles,
and years of time, before he reached
it, and felt air on his face, and knew
that be could breathe.
He emptied his lungs with a great
groan of relief, and drew in a breath
which thoEgh foul with the scent of
| the b:iges, contained blessed, life
giving oxygen, Clinging to the stan
chion, he breathed, in and out of his
tortured lungs, the welcome air, until
his blood, that had nearly ceased
moving, and his heart, that had nearly
ceased beating, resumed their func
tons. Then. while brain and breast
was still racked with the terrible
agony, he called hoarsely;
| Jessie
A wailing scream answered-close
to him. 'Help-help NE. Who is it?'
1t was worth that dive to Ransom
to hear it.
It's me, Jessie; it's Ransom
Where are you? Can you come to
me?', Ned, Ned; help me. Save me-
Yes, I'll come. Where are your He
reached out in the direction of hel
voice and felt her hair-wet and
draggled. She was clinging to the
next stanchion, and he drew her in tn
him.
oh, Ned; take me ont. I've beer
here so long-so long. And it is dark
and so cold,'' she moaned as she cluns
to him.
Yes Jessie; will. Don't talk now
Let me get my breath"
She was silent, and after a little ht
placed her hands on the stanchion anc
said, gently: Hold yourself, Jessie
| must kick the table away from tn,
hatch"
''Dou't leave me, Ned. DON'T sh,
screamed
Just a minute, Jessie" He sail
down, found the hatch clear and re
turned to her With his arm around
her he supported the benumbed anc
exhausted girl until he thought him
self recovered sufficiently to make the
return. Then he said to her: "WheI
count three, take good, long breath
and catch hold of my belt. We mus