Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-07-27
CHAPTER XIV.
A RESPITE.

L
much tragedy crowded into my life for the
past few days that this quick and probably
painless passing Of human soul made in my
state but little impression. | looked for the
doctor, but saw the doors Of the foroeastle
fast closed, ana afteward found that the
force OF the water had slammed them on
him, knocking him from the ladder TO the
deck below A pity it was that there and
then it had not been he instead Of my
pucky enemy who had first planted foot to
come aft. Better for my subsequent happi-
ness would it have been il. instead Of the
sailor, that red-faeed drunkard had choked
in the element he so despised
The heayng into the wind and the drown
ing of the seaman were the only events
which reused my blood to he at which make
the details stand out in memory, | might
tell Of the suiferings Of Ames and Gertrude
King, and OF their utter indifference and
total abandonment to what appeared GER
tain destruction, but it would be useless.
The greatest agony of either sprang from
seasickness and its attendingmiseres. There
was not one of us who thought Of food,
which was probably fortunate, as our stock
brought on board was brne-soaked and ru,
ined Even my toughened SELF and the
tougher sailors lost heart and stomach in
the deadcning nausea that gradually seized
Us and kept its hold, The DOCTOR impris-
oned forward by the seas, and too cowardly
to show his head after his one attempt 10
come aft, might have been in another world
for all we heard or saw of him, The last
drop of stimuiant had gone, and with il had
gone the last Of even fictitious spirits. An
unshakable apathy clutched our company,
and, save that one lurch OF the vessel was
Of greater violence than another, nothing
marked the events of hours. Fear had
passed; anxiety was dead; day and night
were meaningless terms. Wewere only wait
ing the final stroke, a wrench, an open seam,
and then the blessed end
Mechanically | placed rain soaked cloths
or the wounded ribs Of my friend and on
the gashed head Of his sister, and offered to
them rain water squeezed from square
cloth OF canvas. 1t was not because my in
terest in either ran high; friendship for one
and love for the other had fallen with my
nerve force into latent state, and bare
III responded to their needs-to my own |
responded not at ALL Mechanically went
to the deck, only to meet the same lead
overhead and the same towering majesty
Of water, neither of which impressed me
tfor | was far past being impreSsed) more
than have since been by tkt calm. The
ptiless rain in my face and eyes would
rouse in me a dull sense Of discomfort, just
MS a sleeping child unconscously resents dis
turbance. but that was all. | would go be-
low, meeting the lack-luster eyes OF the sail
ors who had also sought shelter in the
cabin, and the deathlike forms OF the two
on the floor. and feel that we were all sink
ing into the languor of starvation and pro
longed strain.
BY the end Of the third day the Phan.
tom was practically floating wreck, though
for an could see not line had parted, nor
n spar, other than the topmast, been dis
placed But there was no longer a buoyant
lift to her bows, and the seas ran danger.
ously near the level Of the deck-a fact that
plainly spoke Of water in the hold, it hav-
ing drained from above or leaked between
her strained planks. There had been no at,
tempt at pumping, for no man could have
stood at the brakes in the deluge that came
aboard and now we were settling, helped
nightly by the nature of our cargo. But
the knowledge Of it gave me no trouble, nor
was there a comment made on the fact,
though to three of us at least the eondi-
tions were clearly apparent.
On the night Of August II went below,
fully expecting that but few hours would
c!apse ere we went to the bottom. Once
in awhile my vitality would assert itself,
and a quick apprehension, living sensiAl-
ty, would shoot through me like a running
flash Of driving sparks in burned-out tin
der, but without enough heat or force to
rout me to action. | slept heavily, as one
sleeps in the fumes of burning charcoal,
dead to harm or happiness, and was walked
from a dream Of feasting by the sound of a
report like that made BY bursting sail,
Half conscious / crawed to the deck to
see what had happensl The dawn was
well forward, strip of bright sky of pearly
clearness heralding the sun which was all
ready scattering the clouds aloft. Patches
Of the deepest blue, flecked with fine vapor
like clOtted cream sailing far above the rap
idly dissolvng storm wrack, foretold fine
weather. The wind had sunk to almost a
calm, and was blowing a soft warm breath
from the west. The sea was vast series
of hills and valleys, their crests no longer
like teeth, and 50 rhythmieal was their run
that the half-submerged vessel swung with
lllt regularity VI a IcItiuitHls OilIN ~ lllHts
a swollen surge trimming over the bows,
sending a cascade to the deck. just Wis
ible to the north was a clear, dark indigo
colored lift Of land which | instantly knew
to be Mentauk point, and even my dull
senses responded to the knowledge of the
wonderful drift we had made.
| noted these details with a slow, dreamy
satisfaction, but on turning my gaze south.
ward, | became fully alive to the fact that
the awakening day had put period to our
misery There on our larboard quarter, two
cable lengths away, lay a schooner twice the
size Of the Phantom her sides pierced for
guns, and forward Of her foremost the brine
furnished brass of her pivoted rifle stood
out against the horizon. She had luffed
into the gentle breeze, and Ill her sails were
shivering and swinging as she bowed to the
swes From her main peak blew out the
flag of the United Colonies. and over her
taifrail was drifting the tawny smoke of the
shot that had aroused nc
For space | stood like a man Of stone,
my look fixed on the ensign SO long stranger
70 me rs | gazed at the gorgeous bunting
my heart rose in my throat, the tears welled
from my eyes, the frost which had long
bound me suddenly thawed, and, putting all
my remaining power to my voice, gave vent
TO a Wild shout, threw both arms above my
head, and staggered below.
That night, under her own remaining can
vas, the Phantom sailed into the harbor of
Holmes Hole and dropped her spare anchor.
We had been rescued by the American pri-
vateer Jenny, Of New London, out Of that
port bound home with prisoners and booty
after four months cruise
With my story told, there had been
enough help offered to equip me for voy-
age to the Indies, but asked for only pro.
visions, water, fuel. and couple Of hands,
determined to gather to myself the glory
which had well-nigh slipped my grasp. We
were freed from the load of water taken
in during the storm, the Jenny standing
by and lending men to the work until the
pumps sucked, and then, promising not to
lose sight Of us until we entered Vineyard
sound, stood for her home port.
Not word did / say about the two sail
ors whom l had captured, and who had
served me well. The doctor had found half
dead from frigbf tho affao+s of IL. i .1,o,,.L