The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-02-09
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CHAPTER xI. (Continued.)


CHAPTER XII. (COntinued)
cannot describe, in nautical lam
euage. what happened during the two
or three days that followed the on
coming of that gale. Higher and high.
er the sea rose, Inc the fury Of the
hurricane rose to such a pitch that the
sails already set could not be taken in,
SO they were left to split and blow out,
streamer-wise, their fragments crack
n 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, plunging through the howl
ing waste Of waters, still holding our
course, since the skipper could not or
would not lay her to. And every tim
Der seemed to be starting loose, and to
be adding Its groaning and creaking to
Che general turmoil, while by day the
crests Of tile huge pillows seemed to
swing up to the sky, and by night a
darkness descended upon us that ena-
bled us to realize the full measure Of
that dire plague that came at Moses
bidding.
On the third evening the skipper.
coined me below as I was trying to
swallow some food-and this was nc
easy matter-and he discussed our fate
in such a cool, m%ethodical manner that
I could do nothing but sit and stare al
him.. When he went on deck I turned
dn-for it was useless to accompany
him, to hang on and be drenched by
the spray that came flying over US, or
half-droMned-by the heavy seas that
vpAn ~nI 11 Ifyr@ -y4IIr N~1 hn0l~c
owe the counter-and amid that wild
lullaby I went to sleep, to be presently
awakened by a hand laid, heavily upon
me
It was the skipper who had aroused
me. They're maxim a raft for'ard,"
said he, land you'd best tumble out It
you don't want to be drowned in your
bunk" Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and
looked at him by the dim light Of the
swinging lamp, and saw the water
dripping from his overalls. They're
making a raft, I say, and the schoon-
.er's settling down by the head every
minute. Her bottoms like a sieve, and
all because that cursed niggardly own
Or wouldn't spend a few pounds on her.
Come on deck as soon as you're ready,
and don't be long about 1t" so, pulling
on some clothes, I speedily followed
him.
On the cabin table lay a package Of
cartridges, and close to 1t a revolver of
heavy make, slipping>fr from side to side
as the craft rolled, and, without watt
ing to analyze reasons, I took them up
and thrust them into my pocket. When
{ reached the deck I could see, in tbs
dull, gray light-for morn had come
upon us-that most Of the people on.
board had congregated2 for'ard, but the
captain was at the wheel, and was
steering as methodically as though we
were running under easy canvas In q
smart breeze. When I crept close to
him he bawled to me to '.get for'ard!
He wasn't going tossea on a land-lub-
ber's craft. and, his only boat being
stove in, IL the schooner was to go
down, he'd go. too" And he made me
understand that as soon as we had Sc
cured ourselves he would bring her up
q bit, so that when she dipped we
should be launched. ''Tell 'em to hold
Vp their hands when they're ready"
Not a foot would he bulge, say what
& might, so there I left him, and I was
the last Of his kind that he ever had
speech with. And never, was q greater
contrast presented in 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
wfetches whose natural %self1shness was
sharpened by the danger to such O
pitch that each Of them would, I be-
iieve, have sacrificed the lives Of his
comrades IL only he might thereby
rave his own precious skin.
And they were for. ordering me off to
make shift for myself, but I found two
powerful alies-the. one, big Jim Swee-i
ney, who meant me for another fate
than that Of drowning, and the other,
the revolver / had taken from the cab-
an,which 1 so effectively fourished that
Ielbowed my way into their midst n
took the best place. And when every
one had tied himself as; best he could
TO the raft, they We're like tor have
gone down just as they were, for none
OF them would let go his hold to give
the captain the signal until at last I
held up my hand and waved It to and
tro ~
The brave fellow looked back, and.
presently. seeing q huge billow driving
ppon as, he made answer with his
hand, and, catching the wheel. he spun
Bat around. and with q jerk, and for the
last time, the Nightingale answered
her helm, and plunging her bows into
1.-THE great wall, she shook US OF. IA
Me- waters were .closingssove Ms 4 saw
6sf stern lit high, with the steers
4alman's figure Scut@cleanyagai b cray.