Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-10-22

"Mon," said the engineer enthusiastic
dllD, "Uo1'Ve a great head"
splutter of them. The moneys gone
clean. It's vexing, but that's fact.
Still don't like to go back empty
handed"
"I'm as keen as yourself. There's
that fS of my wages left when ran
in Glib that's got to be made up some
how. What's wrong with getting off
the matches and seeing how her cargo's
made up?"
"She's loaded with hides. 1 saw it
on the manifest. There was Jimmy
Mulready's scrawl at the foot of it.
That photo there above the bed foot
will be his WIFE Poor old Jimmy! He
got religion before l did and started
his insurance, too, and if he's kept
them both up he and his widow ought
to be all right. By James, did you feel
that"
McTodd stared round him. "WhatY"
he asked.
"She moved'
81 took it for sure she was on the
ground"
$50 did I, but she isn't. There; you
can feel her lift again."
They went out on deck. The sun
was already dipping in the western
sea Behind the central hill of the is
land, and in another few minutes it
would be dark. There is little twilight
so far south, SO they took cross bear
| ing on the shore and watched intently.
Yes; there was not doubt about it
the Duncansby Head fioated, and she
was moving across the deep water
lake that held her.
"Mon," said the engineer enthusiast
ically, you've great head and q
great future before you. I'd never
have guessed it."
II took it for granted she'd beaten
her bottom out in getting here, but
she's Numbered in through the reefs
without touching, and if she's come in
she can get out again, and we're the
fellows to take her."
"With engines?"
with engines, yes. II she's badly
broken down in the hardware shop,
we're done. I'd forgotten the machin.
cry, and that's fact. Wen find n
lantern, and I'll go down with you,
Mac. and give them an inspect"
The two Portuguese had already
sworn themselves to n standstill and
had gone below and found hunks, but
the men from the little islands in the
north had more energy in their sys.
tens, and they expended it tirclessly
McTodd overhauled every nut, every
bearing, every valve, every rod of the
engines, with an experts criticism and
found nothing that would prevent nc.
tive working. Kettle rummaged the
rest of the ship. And far into the
morning they foregathered again in
the charthouse and compared results
She had been swept, badly swept. Ev
erything movable on deck was gone
cargo had shifted and then shifted
back again till she had lost all her list
and was in proper trim, the engines
were still workable If carefully nursed,
and, in fact, though battered, she was
entirely seaworthy. And while, with
tired gustO, they We're comparing these
things WEAKNESS at last got the better
of them, and first one and then the
other incontinently dropped off into
the deadest of sleep.
That the Duncansby Head had come
in unsteered and unscathed through the
reefs, and therefore under steam anG
control could go out again, was on the
face of 1t very simple and obvious
theory to make, but to discover a pas
sage through the ROCKS to make it prac,
ticable was quite another matter. Fol
three days the old p. and o. lifeboat
piled up and down from outside the
reefs and had twenty narrow escapes
from being smashed into slaves. II
looked as if nature had performed q
miracle and taken the steamer bodily
in her arms and lifted her over at least
dozen black walls of stone.
The two Portuguese We're already
sick to death of the whole business, but
for their feelings neither Kettle nor
McTodd had any concern whatever
They were useful in the working of the
boat. and therefore they We're taken
along, and when they refused duty O,
did it with too much istlessness t.
please they were cuffed into activity
again. There was no verbal argument
about the matter. "Norll or suffer-
was the simple motto the two islanders
Went upon, and it answered admirably.
They knew the breed Of the Portugee
of old.