The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-11-11
The Crew Of Yawl Three
I By W. Bert Foster.
oA1AOn0A0A1ANA
THRoUGH the fog which lay dead

Oh great SAIL grew Slowly. Inc loS
made it loom into fairly gigantic pro-
portions, for there. was little wind stir
ring, and it crept up in ghostly fashion.
Suddenly the blocks ratified, the boom
creaked and groaned as itswung about.
For moment the craft hung in the
winds eye. There was clatter of feet;
a yawl towing astern was pulled up
under the rail, and three men in yellow
oilskins and vanished sea boots tum-
bled into her.
''Good day to We, lads! Drop down
with the tide tonight and we'll pick
We up off the hook, r Whereabouts"
Mitchell, the pilot in charge of the
yawl, sat squarely in the sternsheets, a
tiller rope in each hand. ''Give way,
you fellows" he said, ''if you want to
get to Gurnett time enough to have
yarn with that girl"
'How in blazes can we know where
Gurnett is in this fog?" growled one of
them, bending his back to the ash.
The bow oar laughed. "Terry's sui
KY" he said, keeping stroke while he
talked. Nina didn't care mooch to see
him last time he was thereof, Terry?"
''That's lie" declared stroke, rough
ly. "She was just as glad to see me as
you"
''Shut up, Carl! Don't tease the fell
low" admonished Mitchell. Sand you
needn't be SO touchy, Terry"
"You'd be touchy, MITCHELL" declared
stroke, swelling with his wrongs. Those
two-he and Mina-jabber away in their
own COMPOUNDED lingo, and l can't I'M
derstand half they say. And knew her
long before he ever came nosin' round"
he added, ruefully.
Carl from the bow seat chuckled, and
showed broad, laughing face to the
pilot. sShe'll be nooch obliged for
that" he said. ''Then she not have to-
what you call-ship you herself, eh?"
The others eyes blazed with passion,
and he dropped his oar, and, with an
oath, swung about to get at the Swede;
but the steersman's voice recalled him.
''What dye mean-you swab!' he
shouted. "Want to swamp the yawl?
Grab that oar-quick!"
With shamed face the recreant
stroke plunged his oar again deeply.
1t must have been by the sense of
smell that Mitchell found the long pier
at Gurnett. He steered the yawl almost
directly in to the steps, although they
couldn't see the piles 90 feet away.
snow we haven't more than an hour
to waste here" said Mitchell, settling
his hat more firmly upon his head. IF
you go to see that girl, Terry, don't We
forget. Be back here in an hour. I'll
go along up street and buy the pro-
visions we was sent for"
Terry turned into one of the little
shops where big Swede stood behind
the counter. After greetings had passed
between them, Terry looked around as
though he missed something or some
body out of the shop.
you lookin' for Nina, eh?" said the
Swede. 'She vas joost gone to de
kitchen. She back will be in a min
ute.'
Nina did not come. The sailor paced
the floor with anxious strides, his
thoughts growing the more bitter as he
waited. She knew he was there and
yet did not come; his hours leave was
fast slipping away. Finally the shop
keepers wife stuck her head into the
shop and saw him.
''Vell, vell!" she exclaimed, with a
laugh, Kiss it you? Wy didn't you say
so? Go ridt into de kitchen IL you want
to see Nina"
The sailor followed her directions, but
as he approached the kitchen door his
heart failed him. He could hear voices
within-Mina's and mans. They were
talking in the girls own tongue, and
Terry's suspicious were instantly
aroused.
He strobe forward and threw open the
door. Nina, her face full of laughter,
sat upon bench beside and her hand
was held by-Carl Jansen!
For a single instant Terry stood with
out motion or speech, then he turned
swiftly and was out of the house be-
fore either Carl or Nina regained their
breath.
When Mitchell came down to the Die r
to which yawl No. 3 of the Halcyon, Of
ficially known as pilot boat s. was tied.
he found Terry there before him. The
sailor stood like statue on the string
piece of the wharf, looking off into
the fog. Mitchell had to speak to him |
twice before he could arouse him.
Then the provisions came down on q |
truck, they put them aboard, distrib-
uting them so that the yawl rode even
ly, and then Carl appeared. Terry took |
his oar with set, white face and wait |
ed for the pilots word to give way
We've got nasty job before U.S. said |
Mitchell, gloomily casting off. IL hear
there's lot of loose ice coming down
the bay. Tend right to business, boys.
and don't have any such skylarking as |
you did coming over. Are you ready ?"
The tide had turned and was runninu