Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-08-27

InanKS, returned the passenger. i,
"I'm not bad enough for that yet.
Hello! Here comes the beauty"
Miss Armstrong, in a tight fitting blue
ulster and a Tam O'Shanter cap and
looking as fresh as rose, appeared on
deck. She nodded pleasantly to the
men and made her way to the mizzen
rigging, where she stood, with her fair !
hair flying in the breeze, looking to |
windward.
"My eyes, but she's clipper! Eth,
Mr.. August" said the mate. "a man
wouldn't mind being moored bow and
stern to craft like that!'
You're right, Calker. She'd make
good running mate, that girl. Must
weigh ten stone, every pound of 1t,
and as pretty, by George, asa bull
pup!'
The mate laughed and, lowering his
voice, said:
"D'you know, Mr.. Angus, it's my be-
lief that she cones on Hawkins. She's
keeping watch with us pretty regular.
and they are always looking at one an
other like lost OWLS
what! The stowaway? Oh, rot, Calk-
erw
"Well," said the mate, nodding his
head wisely, 1--WE seen 'em go that way
at sea before. Besides, Mr.. Angus, he's
no ordinary stowaway. He pretends he
is, but it's bluff. That chaps been to
sen for many day. Haven't you heard
him singing out on the ropes? Well. l
tell you, sir, it takes five years to learn
that trick. He's come out in his true
colors lately. He licked the biggest
man in the fo'c'sle the other morning
for giving him CUFF, and he's the smart
est hand in my watch. Why, just cast
your eye over him, Mr.. Angus. Does he
look like pier head jumperf"
AS the Australian glanced ut the stall
wart figure SO skillfully handling the
wheel, he was obliged to acknowledge
that there was foundation for Mr.. Calk.
er's inference.
Hawkins, in suit Of yellow oilskins
and sou'wester, with neatly trimmed
beard and mustache and his hair of re.
spectacle length, was handsome fell
low. The change in the appearance of
Hawkins had been so gradual that Mr..
Angus had not noticed 1t. Now, how
ever, he went below to his breakfast,
mentally comparing the stowaway of
two months ago and the stowaway Of
the present and marveling at the trans
formation.
ALL day the Grave westerlies,"
which for the past week had followed
close at the heels of the Dunbarton,
slowly waned. Evening found her with
her fine weather kites spread to the
dying breeze, sauntering along with the
sluggish, fame lit waves and barely
making four knots an hour. The wind
held at this throughout the first watch.
Then from the ocean rim ahead the
great pale moon rose languidly and
lighted pathway Of shining steel to
the east. The breeze freshened at
once, and the sleepy mate, reused by
the change, shifted to wlndward and
whistled through his teeth for more
of it.
So bright and clear was the night
that the thrifty officer gave orders to
douse the sidelights. The lookout man
relaxed his vigilance, and the watch on
deck sneaked into the forecastle and
stretched themselves upon their chests.
Mr.. Calker was none too strict with his
men, and, like most of their kind, they
took advantage of him.
1t was getting on for four bells in
the middle watch when the drowsy
silence of the ship was broken by
sharp, alarming cry.
vessel on the starboard bow! Hard
astarboard!"
"Hard astarboard" came in half
shrek from the lookout.
With an oath the mate sprang to the
rail. He began to give IN order, but
the words died on his lips, for ut that
moment q pyramid of ghostly canvas
blotted out the sky, red beam and
green one danced before his eyes, and
n hurtling mass of black hung over
him.
There was terrific crash. The Dun
barton stopped and shivered. Then,
with many crunch and rip and crack,
amid the splintering Of spars, the rend-
ing of canvas and the shouts of fright
ened men, the good ship shook off her
weighty adversary and again plunged
heavily on.
But at what cost! Her mizzen top
gallant mast and yards were trailing
by the backstays alongside, her star
board mizzen rigging. chain plates AID
rail had been wrenched away, her
crossjack was snapped at the crotch,
her spanker hung in tatters, and on
her quarter, cut clean to the water
line. was yawning v shaped hole.
Her mate had been swept overheard
by the colliding vessels jib boom, and
her captain. though still in his bunk,
lay crushed and insensible.
Instantly the Dunbarton's deck was
scene of widest confusion. "The
boats! The boatsp rolled in hoarse
chorus from forward. and a dozen
men hacked madly at the lashings,
while others knocked the checks out,
cleared away the falls and dragged
their chests from the forecastle. Abaft
the terror stricken passengers, in scant
apparel, rushed helplessly from side to
side calling loudly for the captain.
The wheel spun round deserted, and
the crippled vessel, having come up in
the wind and been caught aback. went
wallowing to leeward. at every lurch
shipping quantities of water through
her steven side. The second mate, aft
er discovering the captains plight and
searching Intellectually for the chief
officer, awoke to sense of RESPONSE
bility and hurried to take charge on
deck.
In vain he ordered, stormed and
yelled. Futilely he cursed; impotently
he besought. The men, frenzied by
fear, waved him back with fierce looks
and Hercer oaths. Catching at the arm
Of the boatswain. big Liverpool man,
he begged him to desist and help save
the ship. The man flung him off saw
agely, saying, go aft, you whelp. or
I'll dash your brains outg'
Seeing that his efforts to control the
crew were useless, the second mate