Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-02-07
l. 4 + i !. j. 4: Il i i ]: s;
CHAPTER N. Oonti,ueda

guage, what happened during the two
or three days that followed the on
coming of that gale. Higher and high
er the sea rose, and the fury Of the
hurricane rose to such a pitch that the
sails already set could not be taken i'm,
so they were left to split and blow out,
streamer-wise, their fragments crack
ing like whips, until they tore away al
together and went driving down the
wind. At last there was so little left
that we scudded away almost under
bare poles, pluugtng through the howl
ing waste Of waters. still holding our
course, since the skipper could not or
would not lay her 10. And every tim
Der seemed TO be starting loose. and to
be adding It's g~roaring and or aaking TO
tho general turmoil, while by day the
crests Of tie huge pillows seemed to
swing up TO the sky, and by night a
darkness descended upon US that ena-
bled us to realize the fun measure Of
that dire plague that came at Moses
bidding.
On the third evening the Skipper
Joined me below as I was trying to
swallow some food-and this was NO
easy matter-and no 8ircy .ssed our fate
I'm such a cool, n~1eth0dical marnar that
] could do nothing but sit and stare at
him. When he went on deck 7 turned
fn-for IL was useless to
him, to hang on and be drcnched by
the spray that came flying over us, or
half-drowned by the heavy seas that
reared up like green walls and broke
over the counter-and amid that wild
lullaby ] went 10 sleep. to be presently
awakened by a hand laid heavily upon
me.
1t was the skipper who had aroused
me. They're maxim a raft for'ard,"
said he, and you'd best tumble out If
you don't want TO be drowned in your
bunk" Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and
looked ct him by the dim light Of the
swinging lamp, and saw the water
dripping from his overalIs. They're
making 2 raft, ] say, and the schoon-
er's settling down by the head every
minute. Her bottoms like a sieve. and
all because that cursed ~nipeardly own
er wouldn't spend a few pounds on her.
Come on deck as o on as you're ready,
and don't be long about IT," so. pulling
on some clothes, I speedily followed
him.
on the cabin table lay a package of
cartridges, and close to If a revolver OF
heavy make, slipping from side to side
as the craft rolled, and, without wait
ing to aualyZe reasons. 7 took them up
and thrust them into my pocket. When
I reached the deck I could see, in the
dull, gray light-for morn lad come
upon us-that most Of the people on
board had congregated for'ard. but the
captain was at the wheel, and was
steering as methodically as though we
were running under easy canvas in a
smart breeze. When I crept close TO
him he bawled to me to "get for'ardi
He wasn't going to sea on a land-lub-
ber's craft. and, his only boat being
stove In, if the schooner was to go
down. he'd 60, too" And he made me
understand h a as soon as we had se-
cured ourselves hi would bring her up
a bit. so that when she dipped we
should be launched. Tell EN- TO hold
up their hands when they're ready"
Not a foot would he bulge, say what
] might. so there ! left him, and I was
the last Of his kind that he ever had
speech with. And never was a greater
contrast presented I'm the behavior OF
human beings than was found at either
end Of that ship. Aft stood the skip
per, holding the spokes Of the wheel, as
'coolly as he would have done his knife
and fork, and forward a gang OF
wretches whose natural ss~elfshness was
~sharpened by the danger to such q
pitch that each OF them would. I be-
lieve, have sacrificed the lives Of his
comrades II only he might thereby
save his own precious skin.
And they were for ordering me Off 10
make shift for myself. but / found two
powerful allies--the one, Bis Jim Swee-
ney. who meant me for another fate
han that OF drowning, and the other.
the revolver / had taken from the cab
n ,which | so effectively fourished that
j elbowed my way into their midst and
took the best place. And when every
one had tied himself as best he could
TO the raft. they were ike to have
gone down just as they were. for none
of them would LET go his hold 10 give
the captain the signal, Until at last I
held UP my hand and waved il to and
fro. |
The brave fellow looked back. and.
presently, seeing a huge biliow driving |
upon US, he made answer with his
hand. and, catching the wheel, he spun
II around, n with a jerk, and for the
last time, the Nightingale answered
her helm, and plunging her bows into
the great wall. she shook us of. AS
the waters were closing over us / saw
her stern lift high. with the steers
mans figure u clean against the gray
clouds. and then-he went to his reck-
oning.
But not alone, for when again / felt
the wild rush of the wine lifting my
hair. there remained on the raft only
myself and Sweeney. He was so close
10 me that our garments touched, and
so here was I. a godfather for life with |
the man who had hunted down my
father. and who was even now on his
way TO help In his murder, and / think
1t had entered my mind even before the
second wave had rolled over us that II
Icorld compass II he should never
reach land again.
AS though satisfied with the havoc IL
had wrought, and the lives it had TAX
en-, the storm began 10 abate, and went |
down as rapidly as it had risen, though
for the greater part Of the day the sea