Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-10-07

were much mystif1ed and excited over
the absence Of the boat What the SUI
perintendent said to them and the man
ner Of the saying decreased their mysti-
ficahon, but it added greatly to their
excitement They were taken In tow.
The Wanderer swung in and
steadied against the piling long enough
for the party to jump aboard and then
got away Immediately in the channel
current and, with blowers full on.
slipped away down the river at full
speed.
"What gets me-" said the engineer of
the Refuge, who, with her pilot, kept
out of the superintendent way in the
engine room of the Wanderer, lis how
the fool was able to get away without
help In such current. You know the
trouble we have, starting bar and ALL"
"Oh, he used no starting bar, I'll
warrant you" growled the pilot.
"What he did was to slip his hawsers
and let her go. But the next time
dashed pill roller comes up into my
pilothouse and gets me to give him
points about running steamboat for
his bad cigars he'll be up against some
thing that III surprise him.
"How can man steal steamboat
Hike that all by himselfW somewhat
disconnectediy asked one Of the male
, nurses who had come down to get
warm.
THAT'S easy" replied the engineer
III he's got good head of steam on
and white fires, he doesn't need to do
anything but go ahead. The Refuge
III last him till be gets past the Mar
rows, and then, If he looks sharp and
waits till there's no other craft near
him, he can leave the wheel long
enough to give her touch up that III
keep her going till she gets outside the
Hook"
In the pilothouse Of the Wanderer
the superintendent Swainley, Jameson,
Baxter and one or two others were
looking ahead into the night, discuss
ing the chances Of catching Peterman.
Undoubtedly he would not suspect be-
ing chased, and It was possible that
one of the fireboats or perhaps the po-
lice boat Patrol would return to the
Battery station and go after the Re-
fuge before the Wanderer could round
the long elbow of city front which
lies between Rlackwelrs island and
Brooklyn bridge. That would be 80
much gained, but 1t could not be count
ed on. Swainley repeated all he could
remember Of his conversations with
Peterman, and the clew thus fur
nished bristled with grisly uncertain
uea. The amehoration OF the idioti
How did Peterman purpose to accom-
plish TT The men exhausted the prob
abilities and the possibilities Of the
situation dozen times over while the
steamer stood along the center channel
In the outgoing flood, and after that
there was nothing TO do but watch
ahead.
They might have cut through the
Buttermilk channel on the inshore Of
Governors island, but the superintend-
ent was anxious to know II the fireboat
had come back. so they turned west
ward toward the Battery wall. The
boat was not at her dock, but they saw
her rounding the face Of the aquarium,
her fire MOBILES sticking through her
shields like long guns from the turrets
Of cruiser She was the New Yorker.
The Wanderer slowed down to see what
she would do. There was not long to
wait. A man stood upon the dock with
paper In his hand, and he handed 1t
to the captain Of the New Yorker with
a verbal Injunction that caused the
captain to start yisibly. He gave the
order to sheer Oh. and the flreboat
turned Immediately and headed down