The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-04

.~ihnre's some sort of vessel on hfe,
sir to loo'ard, about five miles off.
The shipmaster glanced UP at the tell
tale compass above his head. Officer
of the watch has changed the course, /
see. We're heading for IT, eh!'
Yes sir The second mate told me
to say so. a
carpenter, and tell him to get port and
starboarl lEeboats ready for lowering
i'm case they're wanted. III be ON the
bridge i'm n minute
Ave. aye SIR" said the quartermas-
ter and withdrew into the darkness
outside.
Kettle soon emerged attired III nigh
rnlJ6er thigh boots and leather-bound
black oilskins.
The night was black and thick with
drizzle of rain, and a heavy breeze
snored through the IFanningos scanty
rigging. The first mate and the third
had already turned out and We're ON the
boatskids helping the carpenter. On
That part Of the horizon against which
the tlmIingo's bows sawed with great
sWooIiing dives. was Il streaky, 1licker-
ing yellow glow.
Kettle went Oh to am end Of the bridge
and peered ahead through the bridge
binoculars. "A steamer, he comment
ed. 'and a big one. too, and she's 1lnely
ablaze Not much help we shall he able
to give. 1T will be Il case of taking off
the crew, if they aren't already cooked
before we get there" He looked over
the Side AT the eddy Of water that CHUNG
to the ships flank Il see you're Shoy-
ing her along" he said to the second
matte.
IL 10 hn
to give her all they knew the moment
we raised the glow. thought you
wouldn't grudge the coal, sir"
NO; quite right Hope there aren't
too many of them to he picked off, or
we Shall make a tight tit on board here
Dummy we should be carrying the
biggest cargo the Old boat ever had
packed into her. They won't mlnd
much where they stow rs long as they re
picked up out of the wet. Ber7l'h.' shiv-
cred the second mate; Il shouldn't
much fancy open-boat cruising in the
Western ocean this weather"
Can't. Kettle stared on through the
shiny brass binoculars. Call all hands,
he said, quietly. That's Il big snip
ahead of us. God send she's only an ola
tramp. At those lifcboats there he
shouted Saving the dayits outboard,
and pass your painters forward hump
yourselves. now
"There's a lot of ice here, sir, came
a gr1mbling voice out of the darkness.
land the boats are frozen on to the
checks. We've got to hammer it away
before they'll hoist"
"You call Yourself mate and hold a
masters ticket, and want to get ship
of your own''-Kettle vaulted over the
Al .Nrrt 1n
made for his second i'll command
Here. my man, if your delicate fingers
can't do this bit of job, give me that
marlinsPike. BY James! DO YOU hear
me-! Give me the mmrlimspike Did you
never see boat iced IIp before! Now
then, CARPENTER. Are YOU worth your
salt? Or ann to clear both ends in this
boat by myself!'
So. by example and tongue Capt.
Kettle got his boats swung cupboard,
and the Flamingo with her engines
working at an unusual strain, surged
rapidly nearer and nearer to the blaze
Wind, cold and breakdoIwns of ma
chinery the sailor accepts with dull IN
difference: yshipWrecks, STANDINGS and
disease he looks forward to as part of
an inevitable fate, hut fire goes nearer
to cowing him than all other disasters
warmest sympathy AND the full of his
resourcefulncss.
But meanwhile as the Flamingo made
her way up-wind against the changing
seas, a fear was beginning to grip the
little shipmaster that was deep enough
to cause him Il physical nausea. The
burning steamer was on fire forward
and she lay almost head-on towards
them. keeping hen stern To the seas, so
that the wind could not have help in
driving the flames aft AS her size be
came more apparent, some ONE guessed
her as Il big cargo tramp from New
Orleans( with cotton that had over
heated and fired, and Kettle took com
fort from the suggestion and tried TO
believe that it might come true.
But rs they closed with her, and
came within earsh0t OF her syren, which
was sending frightened useless blares
across the chufning waters, there was
mo being blind to the true facts amy
longer. This was 40 cargo boat, but
a passenger line outward bound, too,
and populous And as they came stin
nearer, they SAW her after decks black
and wriggling with people, and Kettle
got Il glimpse OF her structure and recog-
nized the vessel herself.
'FIhe CroSser Carl he muttered,
tout of Hamburg for New York. Next
TO first class, and she cuts rates for
third AND gets the bulk OF the German
emigrant traffic. Shell have 600 on her
this minute. and 100 of Il crew. And
there's hell waiting for them over yon-
der, and getting worse every minute.
o great James, ! wonder whats going
to be done | couldn't pack 20 OF them
on the old Flam here if i filled her to
busting"
He clapped the binoculars to his eyes
again, and stared dill gently round the
rim of the night. If only he could
catch a glimpse of some other liner hur-
ryng along her route, then these people
could he saved easily. He could drop
his boats To take them till the other pas
senser boats came up. But the Flam-
lingo and the Cr0Sser Carl had the stage
severely TO themselves. and between
they had the making of an intolerable
weight OF destiny.
The second mate broke in up0n his
commanders hrooling: Shall / be GET
ting derricks rugged and the hatch covers