The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1900-10-04


osl 10 ,hs ios 10 soms losely bar OF inls
aud loot hef They you'd strip oat 81
her brass uork: take her long hswsers
: bet bells. whistle. slesm and water cages
oil cnps, csnvmes aud tools. 10 then
greed iot brass aud copper, and every
ibins poiisbls that could be exchanged
for q icw dollars vt iank shop, they
! would aeiscs her wooiwork, wreck her tr
! sine., and ihen turn het sd,i't.
Ralph loySl the Rogers. To him The
Q s.sreb, trim crsi, seemed to have person
sliiy. and ai the thought OF tue violence
che would suffer si the hands OF the gaps,
be could hardly repress bis desire TO
shou, Tor help. Bot his good sense told
him thst il was best to keep silent spd
wait Tor q possible chance to ssve the bost
Tso men dragged Ralph forssrd along
the deck, and third opened door 10
the deck house that gave access 10 the
broad. asbes,os.covered back OF the big
boiler. They thrus. him in there and
slammed the door on him, leaving him 10
hot air. heavy With steam and the smell
OF the bilge oi the lubriosting oil.
Shut 10 and left alone, Ralph became
active. Ga his knees and elbows be work
ed himself slowly up the curving surface
OF the boiler and cronchsd down on top
besii 10 the steam dome. The boiler jack
el under him was too hot to be pleasant.
aud the dofkness OF midnight envolped
him, but 10 this central location be could
hear oil that was going on round bin.
The vessel was already cast loose from
the wharf, and be could feel her rocking
in the hsrbor swell ss she driitsd ont
with The tide. Some one diyed down the
FIRE room ladder and shut The fire door.
The sound OF breakins glass told the boy
that the thieves were forcing their way in
TO the wheel house, then the tiller chains
ratified and scrsped as the helm WAS put
bard over.
Hurying footsteps passed along the
deck on either side OF him, aud be caught
word or two OF q hasty debate ss to
whether the thieves should tow their small
boat astern or Try to get it aboard, Then
the engines started with n clsnking jerk |
that betrayed an inexperienced or reck
less person 10 control, and the Rogers
steamed quietly away into the inky canopy
OF fog,
But she carried With her one loyal heart.
Crouched on the boiler 10 the melting
heat. with the Kissing OF steam and the
steady "ris-sig, ris.gig," Of the hurrying
engines filing his ears, Ralph, after some
deliberatioD, proceeded to put hiS knowl
edge OF the Rogers To use.
Directly over his uncomfortable perch
on the boilers back was q big wheel valve
controlling the passage in the pipe through
which the steam was rushing to the steam
chest This valve was for use only in case
OF an emergency, such as the bursting Of
the steam pipe or an accident to the regn
lar controlling valve 10 the engine room.
ln spite Of his bonds, Ralph was able to
close this valve, thus securely locking
up the steam in the boiler. The engines
stopped promptly. +,
He waited further developments with
bsted breath. The Rogers was drifting s
with the tide. Tugs, ferry boats and
''short line" steamers we're oil around, feel
their way through the fog and wbistling ,
steadily to warn esch other. Ralph ress
oned that the Rogers could not drift long
Without attracting attention by ber strange Q
u
He heard some one hurrying oft from :
he wheel houee, and soon there was o ,
,oisy council 10 the engine room. BE q
heard them working the reversing lever Q
pack and forth and experimenting in other
Ways. II there was genuine engineer |
'mong them. Ralph knew that the cause b
Il the stop would soon bs discovered. As d
be moments clipped by without their d
eeming to have any idea OF the cause OF b
be trouble, his confidence grew. 2
All this time the Rogers. borne 90 by &
he ebbing tide, was making ber own k
curse, and before long she was rubbing h
oses with big liner, anchored 10 the u
over bay. waiting until the fog should IL
lear away that che might make her dock
, safety. A hall dozen sailors on her g
eek jeered down at the Rogers. An sng 6
, third officer shook his fist and called sl
er q drifting mud scow and her crew II
u OF landlubbers. "
Rslph heard the humping and scrsping ly
the two vessels, the bssty exit OF the 10
niiAns 10 engine room aud the voices
om the deck OF the liner almost over his b
esl. Then be rolled down the sido OF re
he boiler sgsiust the door, flung it open tt
nd bopped on. on deck Just as the bar A
or thieves. hastily embsrkins 10 their W
wn boat. we're seized by the hsrbor po 80
ce, whose pstrolling tug bad been attract VI
! by the com motion. A! the same time
70 bic sesmen swung ont from the u
esnship snd lowed themselves by rope NJ
the deck Of the Rogers. to
Hall "a hour later the Rogers, 10 charge liz
Ralph and two Of the hsrbor police, 10
ided up TO the b. 4 5, wharf. 40 exeit or
sronp Of men was on hand, with Cap OF
10 King. TO welcome her. sit
Rslph's reward for saving the bost was cs
ct snch % be bim sell would have chosen. sil
be neI, day the Rogers left for Backs
let to wait ou Lossn's team Of mud dig on
ne, and Rslph King vent home With re-
ders to pack bis kit snd report for duty vi
the 1Itra GO an thai tha sfduons name M