The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-01-17

on near me. Oct dOlc1l of ma brid1cp'
ed himself, though when the moment |
of trial came and his thews and ener-
gies were wanted for the saving Of hui
man life he quickly showed that this |
Capua had in no way Slapped his eff
cheney.
The steamer had, as has been said, |
carried foul weather with her all the |
way across the Atlantic from the river
Platte, as though it were curse in
ficted for the cruelty of her steve
dores. The crew forgot what it was
like to wear dry clothes. The after
guard lived in state of bone weari- !
ness. A harder captain would have
still contrived to keep them up to the
mark, but the man who was in SUI
preme command was feeble and unde-
cided, and there is no doubt that Wig
lance was dangerously slackened.
A fog, too, which came down to cover
the sea, stopped out all view of the
sun and compelled them for three days
to depend on dead reckoning, and after
the event it was said a strong current
set the steamer unduly to the west
ward.
Anyway, be the cause what it may,
Kettle was pitched violently out of his
bunk in the deep of one night, just aft
er two bells, and from the symptoms
which loudly advertised themselves it
required no expert knowledge to tell
that the vessel was beating her bottom
out on rocks to the accompaniment Of
a murderously heavy sea. The engines
stopped steam began to blow off nos-
lily from the escapes and what with
that and the cries of men and the
clashing of seas and the beating of
iron and the beast cries from the cattle
decks the din was almost enough to
split the ear. And then the steam siren
burst out into one vast below of pain,
which drowned all the other noises as
though they had been children's whis-
pers.
Kettle slid on coat and trousers over
his pyjamas and went and thumped at
, door at the other side of the alley
way.
"Miss Carnegie%
Eyes"
"Dress quickly"
AN NlScSlAS' NdpNh4h.
"Get finished with it and then wait.
I'll come for you when it's time"
1t is all very well to be cool on these
occasions. but sometimes the race is to
+ the prompt Captain Kettle made his
q way up on deck against a great ava
. lanche of water which was cascading
+ down the companionway. No shore
= was in sight. The ship had backed off
) after she had'struck and was now roll
6 ing heavily in a deep trough. She was
o low in the water. and every second
wave swept over her.
+ No one seemed to be in command. A
J. dim light showed Kettle one lifeboat
J. wrecked in davits and disorderly
:. mob of men trying to lower the other
|. But some one let go the stern fall sc
n that the boat shot down perpendicular
/ ly, and the next wave smashed the
It lower half of it into splinters. The
l. frenzied crowd left it to try tie por
S quarter boat, and Kettle raced then
e across the streaming decks and got jus
is to the davits. He plucked a greenhear
Delaying pin from the rail and lait
n about him yiciously.
It Back, you scum he shouted. see
l, back or I'll smash in every face anon;
l. you'll Good Lord, isn't there a mate o
n a man left on this sinking farmyard
;; Am l to keep off all this two legge,
ir cattle by myself?"
e They fought on, the black waite
g swirling waist deep among them wit
d every roll, the siren believing for he'll
i. overhead and the ship sinking unde
d their feet, and gradually, with tn
II frenzy of despair, the men drove Kettl
D. back against the rail, while others o
d. them cast off the falls of the quartz
~ boats tackles preparatory to lettin
ID her drop. But, then, out of the dark
S, ness, up came McTodd and the steam
IS er's mate, both shrewd hitters and me
y not afraid to use their skill, and one
Sc more the tables were turned.
IS, The other quarter boat had been low
y cred and swamped; this boat was tn
to only one remaining.
OF "Now, Mac" said Kettle, "help til
p. mate take charge and murder ever
~ one that interferes. Get the boat i
er the water and fend off. I'll be off be
is low and fetch up Miss Carnegie w
OF must put some hurry in it. The oil
lg box hasn't much longer to swim. Tax
S, the lady ashore and see she comes t
S, no harm"
~ "Oh. aye" said McTodd, "and We
h keep seat for yersep, skipper"
you needn't bother" said Kettle. 8
bit take no mans place in this sort of tie
Id party" He splashed off across tn
p streaming decks and found the cattle
* boats captain sheltering under the lie
fy of. the companion wringing his hand
as "Out, you blitherer," he shouted, IAN
he save your NANCY life Your ship
e. gone now. You can't play hash wit
Of her any more" After which pleasar
e. speech he worked his way below, ha