Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1899-06-29
lead at the request of the anxious cap.
tain, sound hoarse and resonant as he
4 (.

ASeN az VIZ ASdoOoV VI WIG dhAlOuS
tain, sound hoarse and resonant as he
called out, "No bottom
Captain Tucker wished, not for
chart, but that he knew that shore bet
ter and, not caring to call the mate,
took his stand at the weather bow,
footing the fog horn and straining sight
and hearing into the wet blanket ahead.
The wind was off the land at an angle
which just allowed Bill Tubbs at the
wheel to lay his course.
In his bunk in the forecastle was
Starboard Jack, making the best he
could of his watch below, and beneath
him, be it remembered, was the confis-
Gated rooster Either his conscience or
his empty stomach or the fog horn
above kept Starboard Jack awake, and
he rolled out to enjoy the usual sailors
relief from insomnia-he lighted his
pipe.
1t was not daylight, nor time for it,
and the occupant of the fore peak had
no legitimate right or reason to think
so, but, he was, no doubt, rather upset
by the nights adventure and his pow
ers OF discernment unequal to the task
of distinguishing between daylight and
the flicker Of lighted match showing
through the chinks in the forecastle
floor. Or it may be that he understood
and merely expressed approval of the
light shed on his darkness. He gave
vent to hearty, long drawn crow,
which, reaching the ears of Captain
Tom on the weather bow, muffled and
indistinct, seemed to him to come from
the lee side, where there should be moth
ing but open water.
"Great snakes, where are WEI" he
shouted Clear that, Dunkirk? Did
you hear it? Light up the jib sheets
Hard-a-lee. There's land over there"
Around went the little vessel. Star
board Jack heard with dismay the
sounds beneath and above and started
up to forestall any further mischief by
honest confession, but the sight of Dun
kirk Sans round face, shaking with
silent, unholy glee as he peered down
the hatch during the transit from jib
sheet to jib sheet, sent him back Dun
kirk Sam returned to the lead, while
Captain Tom footed the horn from the
weather bow, now. of course, the other
side. When a lonely rooster begins to
crow, it is hard to guess when he will
stop. The schooner had been skimming
along straight for the shore for five
minutes, and Dunkirk Sam had Just
called out, mark co. hard bottom, "
when Captain Tom distinctly heard an
Of or No
leaving that astern. This one was on
the lee bow, as before but in another
direction.
sob, my good Lord" he groaned,
"where in Sam Hill are we-barnyards
all round-we're goin up some river.
Hard up Bill, !" he yelled. "Hard up.
Slack off the main sheet an get her fore
the wind. -
He ran aft to look at the compass
and call the mate if necessary, waving
his long arms and shouting. Dunkirk
Sam jerked the lead inboard and sped
to the forecastle hatch.
''Starboardp' he called in hoarse
whisper, ''you awaken"
"What?"
Wiring his neck; the old mans goin
daft. He near beached her.
Dunkirk Sans sense Of humor had
left him when his lead reached bottom.
Captain Tom nteadied his vessel due
southeast and had partially recovered
his wits, when from straight ahead he
heard another rooster. The misguided
fowl in the fore peak had proclaimed
his third defiance just as Starboard
Jack raised the trapdoor to descend
upon him. Loud and clear came the
clarion note to the ears of the perplexed
skipper, to whom it seemed not three
lengths ahead.
"Hard down. he snarled to the
grinning Bill; "hard down, man; down