The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1904-03-10

4 l. bus River on a thick morn.
SEcR ing in November, bound
TO- .~4 Francisco. Three days had
passed since then, and on this dull fore.
noon she tumbled wildly in a iobble of
sea somewhere on the Oregon coast,
the crew knew not where. In her
cramped saloon the skipper and mate
were asleep, asleep beyond the power
OF the frightened sailors to awake. The
chief engineer had come up from be-
low to assist in the process of rousing
them, but after a half-Eour's vain at.
tempt he now stood back against the
bulkhead easing his mind. They're a
couple Of sots," he explained TO the
drawn faced bos'n. THE old man
started lushing before we were across
the bar, and the mate amt been sober
for a week. l don't believe those two
seacooks have even got their departure
chalked down. | know they amt
wrote a line in the log since we passed
TillamoOk a-bellowing in the fog
Drunk! Drunk" and the engineer
and the bos'n lifted up their voices in a
sea blessing, deep, vociferous and
mighty.
Il reckon we're of Cape Blanco
somewhere" suggested a sailor who
had stamped In. ITS running au ugly
sea, too. Thlcker'n pea soup, and the
glass way down. Whatll We do, SIR"
z The engineer grunted with the wrath
of two sleepless days. Then he STUN
bled up the companionway to the deck,
and the bos'n shuiiled after him. For
ward in tie vheelhouse they found a
gfil1.SiSaged seaman clinging hungrliy
TO the jerking wheel, and peerlng out
from the compass to the gray, frothlng
ocean that seemed TO have risen like a
cloud Of kissing steam about the Graz
Gle Jackson, There was no twinkle Of
the sun, and the bowling wind drove
the vapor across the plunging decks in
huge pillows. A boat, crushed and bro
ken, lay wabbling under the weather
rail, Aft the humming funnel spun
sooty thread against the low cloud. All
this the engineer took in with a sweep
ing glance. Then he looked back on
the chart shelf at the slate. A clumsy
hand had chalked tentative reckonngs
on 1t and the barometer and log read
ings There was no attempt, however,
to fix the position Of the steamer on
the chart pinned beneath. The eugi.
neer swore gruiiiy, and then abruptly
departed by the lee door, to return
holding in his hand n copy OF his own
log. The bos'n Joined him, and they
puzzled, and figured, and cursed till
noon. "It's no use,' said the engineer,
after a final wrestle. I'VE can't get
bottom with the lead; We amt an OBJ
servation Of any sort to go on; we
amt even got an approximate distance
logged We might be Of San Diego or
the Sahara Desert so fairs we know"
How much We making now?" asked
the sailor at the wheel.
SEVEN by the engines" was the re-
ply. give by the log, May be going
astern for all that"
IL reckon" continued the helmsman.
slowly - II reckon we're about Of
Blanco. How much coal we got?'
GAAlttu uOuIs lulS gait
There was a long pause, filled only
with the harsh noises of the ocean
and the laborlng vessel. Then the
man at the wheel as he eased the
Oracle over a crested surge, muttered
an oath and besought his Creator to
show no mercy to the stupored men
in the saloon.
We've got to do something" said
the bos'n, practically. II guess Cap'n
Flint amt coming to to-day, and the
mates worse off yet We got to get
sail on her to steady her and fetch
somewhere mighty quick. When
we're short of coal the foresail and
staysail ought to take us along"
The engineer thought awhile. and
then turned brusqueiy to the bos'n.
''I'm in command here" he said. "Put
some sail on her and get out to sea
somewhere. We amt going to risk ii
inshore this weather. III save my
coal for a pinch. You take command
on deck, and I'll keep watch with you
soon rs shut my hampers and get
all snug below"
The bos'n nodded and slipped out on
deck. He took his chance and ran
forward and disappeared. When he
emerged again from the tiny fo'c'le
IT was with three men at his heels.
They regained the pilot house and re-
ceived their orders. We've got to
fetch in somewhere" finished the
bos'n, sourly. TITS up to us to do it
by dead reckoning. At least we can
keep of a lee shore. Maybe by to-
morrow they Che pointed scornfuI