Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-11-27

| the waves aside in binding spray as
| ing sea swept across the tumbling
rattle Andrew tautened every muscle.
| The sea passed in thunder into the
| darkness, whittier he dared not look,
and left the sturdy craft still heading
on the starboard tack toward the fee
Bile CLEAN in the murk ahead. The sail
was wet to the top of the mast, and
from the folds where the spirit wrin-
| kled it the wind blew the water in
| less troubled sea interviewed, and Han
sen managed by a quick leap and hot
return to throw the spirit out. He WAS
| just in time; for a mountain of water
! shut out the wind, and, as the boat
| fell away, broke in boiling foam. Two
minutes later No. 345 was again on
her course, half filed, hard to hold,
and dipping deeply at every plunge.
But the light was close aboard and the
| fisherman saw to leeward of him the
| blotted outlines of a small yacht It
was under bare poles, and every lurch
| sent the spray soaring toward the
shrilling stars from it's bluff sides.
When he got within a hundred yards
of it Hansen shouted and luffed. The
gale bore him down on the yacht in
an instant, and as he was driven past
he saw a man wave his arm frantical-
ly, and then the light went out.
Steadying No. 345 with one powerful
hand on the tiller, keeping her almost
in the eye of the wind, Andrew Han
sen waited. Suddenly his free arm
went out and caught something. A
strong pull, and white face was lift
ed to the thwart; with a wrench that
started his joints, he dragged a girl
into his boat. Still he waited, edging
up little whenever he saw the
chance, but still waiting. An arm was
flung out at him from rush of foam,
and again Andrew snatched his prey.
This time it was a man, and he fell
beside the girl. "Is that all?" yelled
the fisherman over them.
There was no answer, and again No.
345 was steadied into the wind, though
the streaming waves now carried
thrill that warned the fisherman that
but little time was left to try the last
chance.
But no other form was seen, and
when a towering wall of spumy water
tossed the capsized yacht within ten
fathoms of his boat, Andrew eased the
sheet from about his leg, and then
started on his way to catch the thread
of the tide. He knew that for three
hours yet it would be flooding in, and
he felt that no mortal hand could save
No. 345, unless he could make this in
streaming current, and there lie to un-
til he was beyond the clutch of the de-
vouring bar. So inch by inch he ate
his way out, rushing his plunging boat
over the smaller waves, and hanging
her lightly on the sheer steps Of crum-
bling combers only to firt her over
when the cataract fell.
Time and again No. 345 rolled in
helplessness till her skipper could fu-
| riously clear her of some of the in
pouring water; and he gave little heed
to the man and the girl lying across
his feet, except to avoid them as he
moved. But his efforts told. and foot
by foot he crept out of the edge of the
chops and into the more regular will
derness of the deeper channel.
Once out of the deadly trap where
every surge carried death, Andrew re-
laxed little and peered down at the
two people he had saved. When he got
a moments breathing space he put his
| hand on the girl and she stirred under
it. The man shuddered to his knees
and threw his hands out to the fisher
man. Satisfied, Andrew threw his
weight on the tiller and eased the
sheet slightly. Five minutes later they
stemmed the main rush of the tide, and
Andrew tied the oars together and
made them fast to the painter, and
threw them oversize SO that No. 345
rode to them, shipping no more water
than could be baled out. Then Han
sen pulled out his flask and addressed
himself to his passengers.
1t was nearly dawn when Andrew
threw his boats nose in by the wharf
of the Astoria Crescent Cannery He
clambered forward and groped for the
ladder. When his. hands grasped it he
made the boat fast and climbed up to
the roadway. He returned with lam
tern and set it at the ladders head.
Then he went down into the rolling
craft again and picked up the girl.
Followed by the man, he bore her up
the ladder and set her down on the
planks. The other stopped in the fee
BILE light Of the lantern and fumbled
in his sodden clothes. Andrew glanced
at him, and awkwardly stopped to
wiring the water from the girls skirts.
She shivered, and laid her cold hands
on his, and spoke to him through her
chattering teeth. He replied with a
gesture, and picked up the lantern. Its
pale rays fell on the face of the man
ager of the cannery. who was dragging
out his purse.
you've saved our lives" said the
manager, hoarsely. eff can ever do
anything for you, say it. Take this
now"
Andrew thrust his hand into the
bosom of his shirt and pulled out a
| handkerchief He unknotted 1t, and
| fhnro rolled info his na1m a coin gilt