Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-03-17
THAT he should meet with an adven.


Saugus Inlet.
There was still some sea running, as
the result of the recent gale; but Sid
was used TO the ocean and its ways.
Born in his present home, on one of the
small islands of the upper New England
coast, the wash" OF the waves had been
in his ears since his earliest recollec-
ton.
Must have been fire in the woods al
Cataract Point" was his thought, as he
took the tiler and drew in the sheet OF
the sail for the long tack that was to
take him beyond the headland. prob
ably tree burning"
There had been red light in the
southern sky at daybreak, and now he
could dimly discern filmy trace OF
smoke. There were no houses on Cata-
ract Point, or in that direction, 1t was
lonely spot. visited only in summer by
camping and fishing parties.
Sid Holly did not think of burning
ship; but when he had beat well out
through the choppy waves that were
running off the headland, he saw big,
square rugged vessel, rolling heavily,
with smoke rising In thin cloud from
point forward.
Sid Immediately altered his course
and stood away for the unfortunate
ship. AS he passed under her stern, he
read the name "Java, Boston, Mass
She was down almost to the main
chains, ard threatened to go to the bot
ton at any moment. Sid kept well off,
not caring to be near the whirlpool that
would be produced II she should go
down with sudden lurch.
While studying the smoke, queer
chatterng noise caused him 10 glance
aloft, and he saw a small hairy body
crouched on the mizzen cross-trees. 1t
was q monkey, looking down at him
with what seemed 10 be an appealing
expression.
The monkeys pitifu condition
touched Sids heart.
Poor little fellow!" he muttered.
They forgot you, did they, when they
abandoned the ship?"
Then he called to it:
"Come, Jock, Come. Jock! Come
down, Jock!"
The monkey moved uneasily. glanced
toward the forward deck as if it saw or
heard something there Of which il was
afraid, and refused to descend.
Sid shifted the tiller, to pass back
under the stern, and threw over the
boom as the boat came around
"Come, Jock!" he urged, as he again
drew near.
The moneky uttered nervous chatters
and moved restlessly on its perch, but
would not come down.
Sid sent the boat on round the Java,
at respectful distance. The fire was
evidently in the forecastle, but it
seemed TO be making no progress. The
worst thing was the vessels sinking
condition. Sid studied her closely.
"Shc may stay afoat half hour, or
even half day." was his conclusion.
Again he looked at the monkey. Pity
for it, combined with thought that
there might be something on the vessel
which he could take in his boat 10 rec
ompense him for the risk, finally over
came his fears. He put the boat along
side the ships starboard, where he
fastened it by line; then climbed to
the deserted deck AS the monkey APP
peared to be on the point of descending
the shrouds, Sid, feeling that what he
did be must do quickly, climbed up to
meet it.
II was in no wise afrtid of him, but
pleased, rather, and grateful. II had
been the pet of some sailor, he was sure,
perhaps of the captain. Sid took it
into his arms and looked into its grave
brown eyes.
Suddenly it gave chatter of fear,
leaped from his arms to his shoulder,
and seemed on the point Of springing to
the shroudsand racing back to its form
er position.
Wondering what had frightened it,
Sid turned TO the deck. What he saw
gave him such a start that he almost
let 90 his hold. A big tiger had emerged
from the forward companionway and
stood looking up at him, its eyes blazing
and It's tail waving snaky threat. An
exclamation Of surprise and alarm came
from Sid Holly's lips, and the monkey
again chartered in fear. This was an
swered by deep growl from the tigers
cavernous throat, and by an advance TO
starboard which brought It between
Sid and his boat.
The appearance Of the tiger on the
deck was so strange and apparently so
inexplicable that Sid Holly might read-
" have been excused for thinking this
the improbable experience of dream.
Later, he knew that the Java had
brought the tiger and several other wild
beasts in cages from an Indian port,
consigned to a circus finn in Bridge
port. The storm had blown the Java
out Of her course and to the northward.
He learned, too, that when the boats
were ready to pull away from the
doomed ship some tender-hearted mem
Der Of the crew had slipped the oars OF
The cages, with the result that most o.
the released animals, frightened by the
fire, had Immediately leaped into the
sea and had been drowned As for the
monkey, it had been abandoned simply
because it obstinately remained in the
rigging, perhaps through fright, and
refused to be caught.
Sid Holly's hands shook on the rat
lines and his heart chilled Us he saw the
tiger cross the deck in that threatening
manner; and when he thought of the
vessels sinking state, and glanced from
the smoking forecastle into the sea, h'a
brain fairly reeled.
With the ship surely settling under
him, held In The rigging by that tierS9'
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