Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-26

of steam vvidly. Yet the passengers did
not lose interest In the spectacle. They
crowded to the quarter and peered astern.
The lengthening shaft OF light quivered as
if some one was adjusting the protector.
Then strangely enough the gigantic shadow
of a mans hand was outlined momentarIly
on the white steam Some one on the liner
had moved in front of the lens. Finally
the shaft of light turned rapidly away to
the Notifications on Sandy Hook. AS 1t
swept around it lighted up the dumping
Scow for an instant.
Good heavens! Did you see that?" ejac-
What, the shadow of the hand? Oh,
that's a common phenomenon" said Bax-
ter.
mo! No! The scowi Listenv
From the direction of the bumper came
strange, weird, discordant noise. It's
volume kept pace with the varying strength
! of the land breeze. Sometimes it was
| faint; sometimes it came over the water
! in heavy roars. Out Of its vortex came
words:
Star spangled 49,. Banner
.. :. Land The Freeze
Ho-ome The Brave.
Far in the distance. the siren call Of the
Patrol caught up the last note Of the re-
frain and hurled 1t high into a fearful
shrek, which seemed to tap the very pin
nacles of the heavens with reproach, and
! which, when 1t could go no higher, fell
again, to the lowest depths.
why, it's the quartet" cried Baxter
| with the glasses to his eyes. and all the
rest Of them, too But how did they get
on the bumper? Patrick did not say any
thing of that?"
There was scow tied up at the lower
wharf at the island" said the superin-
| tendent in a suppressed tone "Peterman
| must have taken that, too"
yes continued Baxter. "there they
| are. There's the mathematical genius and
| 'Dockey'-it is 'Dockey,' sure enough-and
| Central Park and East River and the
| Tandem. There's the Tandem. lockstep
| and all, just as though they were in the
| hydrocephalic nodding in the stern. And
| there's Eddie Apple leaning over the bow.
| What is he doing, l wonder? Here. Swain
| ley, take a look!'
| Swainley took the glasses and looked
In the bow Of the bumper stood an enor-
| nous boy. He was not over five feet tall,
but his girth was so great that he had
been dubbed Eddie Apple" He must
pathologically an idiot; he belonged in the
| feeble-mnded class. He was looking to-
| ward the Refuge. from which the steam
] had cleared. A smoke-begrmed man stood
| in the stern Of the steamer gesticulating
wildly with one hand. Eddie gazed stupid
| ly at him across the rift of waters on
| which the rope-connected vessels rolled
helplessly.
Curious" muttered swainley, there's
Petey in the stern of the tug. His left
arm seems to be injured He evidently
wants Eddie to do something. He's prom
| Using to take Eddie to the circus. There!
Hear that. That is Eddie's great hold-the
circus" Suddenly he yelled. Good God!
l have 1t! In with her. captain Work her
| In, for Gods sake. He's trying to make
| Eddie dump the scow. That's a patent
bumper. Eddie's got his hand on the
| lever, and IL he pulls 1t the bottom'll go
| out of her and the whole crowd will be
dropped into the sea. For Gods sake,
| hurry"
They worked her back and forth with the
| starting. bar in a fierce endeavor to get
close without trimming the scow, while
every one who could spare the time and
breath yelled to distract the bewildered
Eddie from the lever. The big fire whistle
| of the New Yorker sounded near at hand
and they knew without looking that she
| was coming to their aid, while as close on
| the other side the interminable siren of
the Patrol worked the general din up and
| down the shrieking .gamut.
"Eddie!" called Peterman, cajolingly dur
| ing intervals of comparative quiet Eddie!
Pull it: that's a good boy
Coin to circus next week. Gimme five
cents?" replied Eddie vacantly.
YES! I'll take you to the circus. And see.
here's five cents for you. Poll it. Pull that
| big stick. Five cents, Eddie; five cents''
For Gods sake. Petey, old man, don't
| do It'll 1t won't help any," called Swainley.
entreatingly.
| But the look In Peterman's eyes showed
| that nothing short of physical restraint
would keep him from his purpose He was
! there to ameliorate the condition of those
Idiots.
pull it. Eddie. Pull the stick" he called,
repeatedly.
Five CENTS" muttered Eddie, obviously.
| He had been asking for five cents all Of
his life, and he had received many promises