The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-09-16

TO face with impending disaster that low
cred and, after fashion, slowed the jib.
The more / worked the more l felt the
necessity, and, though / was on fire to re-
turn to the cabin, held away and turned
my attention to the great mainsail which
was hurting to and fro, the subdued thun-
der OF it's thrashng bunt and quick patter
OF its reefing points playing out OF the mys.
FERROUS darkness overhead like the sounds
OF a distant storm Alone / double reefed
that canvas, though / remember very little
OF II, the only thing coming to my mind be-
ing the horrible smooth inkiness Of the
water beneath me when / crawled out on the
boom TO pass the earring and haul taut.
Though my hands worked on deck, my Seart
was below, and it was with deep breath
Of satisfaction that / saw the last Of more
than an hours hard labor. Casting off the
main sheet, that / might not be taken un.
aware, | gave a glance at the light on the
Sprite, still lying on our quarter, and then
went below, filled with a mixture of hope
and dread.
McCary was sitting by the side OF the girl
as l entered He looked up before was
fairly off the steps, and said in a surly
voice:
Eye had best be no niggard with the
whisky; pass it outl"
What do you find?' / asked.
Shock" he answered shortly.
"And naught elseg"
"Be not so d-n quick" he replied.
There may be enough else inside, / know
not Outside there's a nasty bit of blow on
the mob and fractured clavcle. There's
the shock to nurse, but If alPs well within
she'll mend in few days. 1t was a narrow
escape she has hadi How came she here?"
" It's a long story, and one with mighty
little to flatter your side of the fight, my
friend" / answered Let that pass. If
you can save both these children, and will
settle down ashore and swear by congress,
I'll see that your fortunes made as a doctor.
You will be rare hnndl"
"Tll see We and yer congress id frsti"
he returned with an ugly scowl. "What
lay hand on, be it rebel or loyal, do me
best with. III do it here. ! have little
against the like of Gertrude King. She is
true lass"
That's WELL" answered as l went to the
locker for the whisky. but Gertrude is
flying like myself from Clinton; her loyalty
is to her country, and not, as you think, to
George III. The title of rebel is one TO be
proud Of" And with this l handed him
the bottle which he took with a logged air,
pouring therefrom dram which would have
been more than respectable for n man. |
watched him closely as he put it TO the
girls lips. lie held it there until small
quantity had disappeared, then. as though
no longer able 70 restrain himself, he lifted
the remainder TO his own and drank it in
a single gulp.
l was about TO jump on him, when down
the open companion way there came faint
foll Al H. hat inf
shrek appalling in its intensity. 1t was the
first howl Of the great tempest of rs, and,
turning, | made for the companion. Ere
l was halfway to the deck we were laid over
TO larboard in a manner that for moment
prevented my further progress. A mighty
gush of damp wind struck my face as /
hung on TO the rail, and befoEe | could grip
my way hand over hand up the ladder the
schooner righted and hung on an even keel,
trembling like suddenly aifrighted animal.
In an instant | was at the wheel. As
quickly as the squall came il passed, but
knew the weight that must be behind it.
Well it was that | had reduced sail and let
go the sheet, for in such sudden blast we
would have been thrown so low that the
cargo would have shifted and the end come
in the twinkling Of an eye.
As near az | could guess the first rush Of
air had been from out the southeast, but the
whole gale that followed struck us fairly on
the bow, and, in spite Of my tanning the
helm hard over. ] think for a space the
schooner made direct sternway. Without a
sail drawing, the din of the thrashing canvas
drowned all other noises, and in this fashion
we hung in irons until it appeared that the
mainmast would be shaken out of the YES
sci. i could not man the wheel and staysail
sheet together, and the former | dared not
leave; but the wind settled my dilemma, for
after a time, and when | was getting des
perate, it whipped point to larboard and
in the half glimmer that now came from the
sea, which looked like dish Of froth, i saw
the foot of the staysail streaming over the
starboaFd bow.
How dashed the wheel with the helm up
and got forward, hardly know. remcm-
Der it was like dragging against stone wall
to get the sheet half way in, but did it, and
ran back again before we were fairly paid
of. Now | lashed the helm down aud put
my weight on the main sheet, but twas past
my power to move II foot. As | had no
wish to lose time by running toward South
America, bawled TO the doctor TO come up.
He did so in a hurry, but demurred when
told him to lay hold Of the line and haul
The sudden tongue lashing | gave him and a
sight Of my face in the light which poured
from the cabin made him think better Of his
manner for he grpped the sheet and fell
back with it like a born sailor. Ii was an
almighty tug as best, but grew easier as we
hauled into the wind, and when the line was
Delayed commanded him to take the wheel
while | sheeted home the staysail.
The veriest duifcr cannot follow the sea
for year in and out without learning some
thing OF the handling Of ships, and, though
McCary had probably never laid hand on a
spoke from necessity, he may have done so
for pleasure, as he seemed to know how to
hold the Phantom somewhere near the
winds eye There was no difficulty, then,
in getting a proper trim TO the head cloth,
and by the time the sheet was Delayed and
we stood of on the starboard tack the
schooner was well under way, her bows smit.
ing the seas. which had risen like magic, in
a way that threw a curtain Of solid water
into the air, which, catching the wind, blew
in and came aboard a dcluge. ! was wet TO
the skin before, but it was dry wet as com
pared TO the way the water shot through my
clothing, the drops singing my face like a
I;erb,rva 80 e,,,ll ahnt Evnn updor eco .