Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14

the water was getting deeper under their
feet and that the vessel rode more slug
gishly. p.
So far the well had not been sounded. It
was no use getting alarming statistics to
discourage oneself unnecessarily. But after
night had fallen, and it was impossible to
see to work in the gloomy hold any longer
without lamps, Capt. Kettle took the
sounding rod and found eight feet.
He mentioned this when he took down
the lamps into the hold, but he did not
think it necessary to add that as the sound
| ing had been taken with the well on the
slant 1t was therefore considerably under
the truth. Still he sent Dayton-Philipps
and the trimmer on deck to take a spell at
the pumps. and himself resumed his shovel
work alongside the others.
StraightaWay on through the night the
six men stuck to their savage toll the
blood from their blistered hands reddening
the shafts of the shOvels. Every now and
again one another of them ch0ked wit
| the dust and went to get draught of luke
warm water from the scuttle butt But no
one stayed overlOng on these excursions
The breeze had blown up into gale. The
night overhead was Starless and moouless
but every minute the black heaven was
| split by bursts of lightning, which showed
the laboring. dsheveled ship set amongst
great mountains of breaking seas
| The sight would have been bad from a
well-manned. powerful steamboat; from the
| deck of the derelict it approached the ter
rife The men with the shovels worked
u.
/ the cosed-n box of the hold
There were four on board the ship during
| that terrible night who openly owned to
| being cowed and freely bewailed their in
| sanity in ever being lured away from the
| Mposo. Dayton-Phiipps had sufficient
| sef-control to keep his feelings whatever
| they were. unstated; but Kettle faced all
| diftculties with indomitabe courage and a
| smiling face.
Il believe" said ayton-PhiIipps to him
| once when they were taking a spell to-
! gether at the cIanking pumps you really
glory in finding yourself in this beaStly
mess"
| We shall pull through, l tell YOU
We'll, said Dayton-Philipps, Il suppose
you are man that's always met with sue
| cess. I'm not. I've got laundering ba luck
| all along; and if there's a hole available
get into it,
| Capt. Kettle laughed aloud into the storm
| Me! he said, me in luck! There's not
| been man more dashed and kicked by
/ luck between here ard twenty years back
| | suppose God thought ii good for me- and
| He's kept me down to my bearings in bad
luck ever since l first got my captain s
| ticket. But He's not cruel Mr. PhilinDs
| and he doesn't push a man beyond the end
| OF his patience. Ny times come at last
Hes given me something to make up for
all the weary waiting; He's sent me this
! derelict: and He only expects me to do nv
| human best, and then He'll let me get her
! safely home"
| Good heavens. skipper. what are you
visions
| some hing?'
I'm a man, Mr.. Philips that's always
| said my prayers regular all through my
| life I've asked for things, big things,
many of them, and I'll not deny they've
| been mostly denied me. I seemed to know
! they'd be denied. But in the last week or
| so there's been a change. I've asked on.
! just as earnestly as l knew how, and l
i seemed to hear Him answer. 1t was hard
| iy a voice, and yet it was like voice. 1t
| appeared to come out of millions of miles
| of distance. And heard it say: Captain,
| l do not forget the sparrows, and 1 have
| not forgotten you. 1 have tried you long
enough Presently thou shalt meet with
| thy reward
Dayton-Philipps stared. Was the man
| going mad?
! "And that's what it is, sir, that makes
me sure shall bring this vessel into some
| port safely. and pocket the salvage
| Look here. skipper" said Dayton-Phil-
| ipps, you are just tagged to DEATH and
| l m the same. We've been working till our
| hands are raw as butchers meat, and were
| clean tired out. and We must go below and
! get bit OF sleep. If the ship swims, SO
much the better If she sinks, We can't
| help 1t. Anyway, were both of us too beat
to work any more. / shall be seeing
! things myself next"
Mr.. Philips said the little sailor.
thing wrong, i take no offense But I'm
| n man convinced; I've heard the message
| l told you with my own understanding
! and 1t isn't likely anything you can say
| will persuade me out of it. can see you
| are tired out, as you say, so go you below
| I've got another twenty hours wakefuI-
! ness in me vet, II needs be. This chance
| has mercifully been sent in my way as
I've said, but naturally it's expected Of me