The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-13

a beam and We two went flying
through black space, gripping each
other desperately, until, with a bang,
we shot through the thin woodwork
Of a door and were struggling in what
felt like a small box. A third person
became mixed up in our struggles. /
heard the vicious squirt and gurgle of
water, felt 1t creep up my legs and was
rolled over and over until my head
was submerged.
felt the water squirting down my
throat, through my nostrils, into my
ears and even my eyes. Blue flashes
shot through my brain and a sledge
hammer seemed beating my head.
Even then, as my senses were leaving,
l can remember the one thought that
shot through me:
We've turned turtle and the games
up!"
Relief came. I got my head out of
the water, and took a long, deep
breath, delicious gasp. Slowly the
ship righted. At last we stood on our
feet, on solid flooring. The noise di-
minished; the unearthly chorus of
shrieks died away In the distance.
something banging the keel under us
shook the entire vessel, a gentle lurch,
and-she stood upright.
Finally we could crawl out into the
cabin. Water swished about the floor
between our feet. / knew where the
matchbox was nailed fast to the bulk
head. 1 found a match, struck it, and
with some difficulty lit the cabin lamp.
The glass chimney was smashed, but
the wick burned a dim, smoky flame.
The two mates were holding to the
table as though still uncertain of their
footing. The door to the after cabin
opened and the skipper appeared,
bleeding slightly from a cut over one
eye. For few seconds no one spoke.
"Well, I'll be damned" gasped the
second mate at last, smearing blood
over his face from a cut on his hand.
II hope you will be-" exploded the
mate. What tell We mean, you two
lubbers, by busting in my door and
walking all over me Why in thun-
der didn't We stay in your hunks till
it was over?"
"Till 1t was over?" cried the second
mate. why, blast 1t, you was too
scared to turn out. Me and the boy
are the only ones who had the sense
to turn out. We didn't lie trembling
In our bunks-not much. We turned
out to see what could be done. We
can tumble out when there's trouble.
Then cause we happened to slip in
the dark and fall against your bloody
door We raise a kick. Why didn't We
leave it open SOS we didn't have to
dive through it. Blast your bloody
door, anyway! We came in to call We,
SOS you should get out, too, an that's
your gratitude"
The ell We did" snorted the mate.
well, next time you call me don't
jump on my stomach, an don't bust
my wash basin over my head. l amt
so heavy a sleeper. A gentle tap with
a top maui will do
Further recriminations were cut
short by the captain ordering us on
deck. We crawled uncertainty up the
companionway as though still distrust-
ing our foothold.
Overhead the sky was almost clear;
there was only a murky mass of vapor
trailing over to seward. About us
the water was agitated in short, choppy
waves, licking and smacking like
herd of hungry pigs.
Aboard lay heaps of debris of
smashed boats, bulwarks, spars, water
casks and ropes. Half the mizzen rig
ging lay on the skylight. The watch
man and sailors came crawling aft
with a lantern.
what was I telling We about the
weather in these regions?" said the
second mate, vindictively. "Who was
right?"
articulate growl.
81 'spose," continued the second
mate, addressing nobody in particular,
as how none of these lubbers ever
saw a white squall before, but they'll
learn as they grow older. Capn'n
know better next time than leaving
his hold empty in these waters. After
this I'll sleep on deck till we get some
stiffening in"
Jack" shouted the skipper where
were you when this happened?"
ION deck, sir" replied the watch
man. 1.-THE cable got foul of the
keel. 1t was a dead calm, an the
blarsted puff struck her mldships be-
fore she could pay OUT
"All hands clear away this mess. "
ordered the captain. After an hours
work we had cleared the poop of all
movable wreckage, dashed fast what
we could and then Stacked out twenty
fathoms more of cable. 1t had been
too short.
BY this time it was only two in the
morning. Again all hands turned in,
and half an hour later We're peacefully
slumbering, forgetful of the night
incident and of the morrow's work.
The second mate forgot his vow to
sleep on deck, for before / dropped off I
| heard through the partition that sep
| arated our rooms the deep gurgle of
his nightly sleeping song.