The times., 1901-06-09


there's lift in the fog, an 1 can Just
see the piers. Wen do 1t on our heads
there's six feet o water on the bar
now if there's an inch. Come, my lads,
lively. Now then, Jack. be ready
when L say 60 let her fly
Jack stood to his levers. When the
anchor was clear of the ground the
skipper rOarad "Gol" and the Fearless
was swept round toward the piers. be-
tween which enormous rollers were
sursing. The steamboat rose on the top
of one Of these, the paddles beat furi-
/ ously, and the old craft, held for the
haTbOr mouth by the skipper, was
/ swept onward like an empty cask.
The skipper did not speak and the
crew held on in silence as the steam
boat was picked up by the sea and cast
I toward the shore She was thrown up
by an immense wave which was roar
ing in. and broke in surf around her,
/ as she jumped the bar that was made
by the silt of sand between the two
piers at the mouth of the harbor Her
keel touched the sandy ridge, the hull
| shivered, the paddles thrashed the bro
ken water alongside, and it seemed for
/ a moment as if the craft would be
| swept clear into the harbOr and drop
4 ped there. But although the engineer
tried his hardest and the skipper did
/ his best, and although the sea hurled
the Fearless on until her bow threaten
/ ed to work mischief in the solid mason
ry beneath the lighthouses, the jump
| did not succeed.
The broken roller roared on and left
/ the Fearless resting on the bar, with
! other rollers sweeping in and threaten
/ ing to smash her into fragments.
! Bob tumbled from the bridge to the
! deck. Il must rouse 'em up ashore"
| be shouted. They're near enough to
heave line and hand us in They
| can't see us, or they'd he hailin'. I'll
give EN- signal; then they'll know"
What are you goin' to do?" asked
| Bill.
Send up a gun rocket" answered
Bob. If there's anybody in sound
there1l be an answer; if there isn't.
well, we've got 10. take our luck, an
| that isn't very promisin'."
The skipper went below, and from a
locker took gun rocket, which was
charged with dynamite. and was there
| fore. destructive article. Returning
to the deck. he ordered the crew to
stand clear as soon as he had fixed the
stick on the steamers rail. They have
way" he said, of goin' Oft when you
don't expect 'em, an l shouldn't like to
be a party to the damage of any one Of
you
What about youTself?" asked Bill.
Never mind me-" replied the skipper.
Il can look after No. /. Besides. il
anything went wrong, there'd be some
club money. Now, then. is all clear?
Here goes"
He struck a match and lit the fuse.
Having done so, he hurried away and
croUched behind the cabin hatchway.
There was spluttering noise and a
fierce hiss.
Keep clear" shouted the skipper,
warningly.
1t isn't risin'," cried Bill. in alarmed
tones.
The skipper darted up from his shell
ter. Not risin'?" he roared why,
We shall ali be blown to bitsl Keep
where you are, all of you. Leave the
thing to me- He sprang toward the
rocket, clenching his fist as he ad-
vanced.
Lie down" cried Bill. 'FIat-it's go
in to bust"
Not If I krow it," said Bob. 81 don't
want the deck blowin' in.''
Lie down-it'll kill you," roared Bill.
It'll"
He did not end his sentence. He saw
the skipper with his fist strike the stick
so that the Kissing missile would fall
into the sea. Then he heard a crash,
and saw that the rocket had exploded
in the shippers face. When the sound
had finished and the blaze had died |
away Bill rushed from his refuge and
bent over the body Of his chief, who !
was lying on the deck with blackened. /
bleeding face
Are yer dead?" enquired Bill, in |
scared tones. holding lamp near the |
skipper.
By way of answer Bob gave a deep
groan.
Hes goin'-it's done for 'im." ex-
claimed Bill in horror Ere. Jack. |
you're used to patchin' the machinery
come and see wOt you can do"
The engineer unWillingly advanced. |
He knelt by his superior and demanded !
that Bill should wave the lamp before /
the skipper's eyes. IF there's such a |
thing as feather" he said. authorita-
lively, bring it. If he don't move |
when the lantern dances in his face; If |
e don't jump when 'e's tickled by a
feather we shall have 10 try a dose O.
turps an treacle. If that don't cure i'm |
then l give i'm up"
The engineer raised Bob's head; Bill |
waved the lantern energeucally, and
the rest of the crew stood by, staring
helplessly.
For moment nothing was heard but
the roar of the breakers on the beach;
then there was a dull grind and a ter
rifle heave forward of the Fearless.
Two of the smacksmen were jerked /
down TO the deck, the rest were hurled
against each other.
The injured man was thrown into a
sitting posture. His senses and his
speech returned at the same instant.
What the blaZes are yer dancin
about Ike this fOr?" he asked Cant
yer see she's bumped off the bar an is
foatin? Get yer to her iujuns, Jack.
an plug her up the river as far as she'll
90. She's done the jump, after all.
knew she would"
The skipper staggered TO his feet.
Jack bounded to his levers, and Bill
tumbled up on the bridge and gripped
the wheel.
Ard overt" roared the skipper.
"'Ard over!" came the beloved an
swer from the helmsman
Full speed ahead" added Bob.
1T is So" cried Jack, in answer.
The jetty or the Scaur in a jiffy."
cried the skipper. "Shove er in be-
tween the piers, lads-steady-now she
does it, Grip for your life. Bill"
I'm grippin'," answered Bill, grimly.
The skipper. daZed, deafened, clung to
the hatch near him, ana wondered
vaguely how it would end. He himself
would have dashed to the wheel and
steered the Fearless in, except that the
power Of acting sanely seemed to have
left him. He could only hang on and
shout an order, in the fun belief that it
would be obeyed.
The trawler swung round to the
East Pier then swerved to the West
Pier. and for a moment looked as if she
would crash into the massive stone
work and sink beside the bar. Then
NIL If.Y-ip1 COO D