The daily Alaskan., 1904-07-08
How He Landed
 & Prize
EOriRlnnl.l

not been TOT EeInaEkADle eeuse VI justice, an absence of meanness, on the part of Collins.
 Here Is my hand, Jack" he said when he learned of his friends sue cess. Pm no dog in manager, and wish you joy. Whatever she wants l am glad that she shall have"
 Collins was first, Dutton second, mate. Soon after the Dutton marriage the Sheridan started on her outward trip, reached port without adventure and when the year 1903 was nearing It's end started back for America, the crew expecting to spend the Christmas holi- days at home. But DecembO9 Is liable to be a tempestuous month, and the ship encountered one gale after an- other. Then began a run of bad luck for the crew. Two seamen were washed overheard, one died of heart disease, one fell from the rigging to the deck and was killed, while his mate, who was aloft with him, fell Into the boiling ocean and was drowned. The captain, who stood on deck for hours soaked in ice water, died of pneumonia. This closed the death list, leaving Collins in command, Dutton and two ordinary seamen to work the vessel.
 One day they met a de-elict. It had been cut nearly in two by another ship and would have certainly gone down had 1t not been loaded with cotton. Collins SAW the advantage of getting her Into port and made preparations to take her in tow. Dutton and the two seamen protested, on the ground that they had enough to do to get themselves in, short handed as they were, without towing a7derelict which might sink at any moment In vain Collins pleaded with them, holding up the promise of prize money and as suring them that the cotton would keep the derellct afloat They fiatly refused to be further handicapped
 "Very well, Jack" said Collins. You take the Sheridan in, and I'll go aboard the derellct and stay there till l get picked up by some vessel with full crew"
 Neither the hope of reward nor the shame of leaving their captain in a pO- sition they considered almost certain death could induce any one of the crew to give in. So Collins, taking plenty of provisions, went aboard the derelict and the Sheridan sailed for home. The weather moderated, and the lone mari ner managed to get up a sail that gave the hulk some headway. Then he got up another and another and, aided by the ships instruments, put her head toward home. Every day he hoped he would meet a vessel, and every day he was disappointed. There came another storm that blew him far to the east ward. After that there was long spell of good weather, and about the middle of January he sailed hls prize Into the harbor of New London.
 His first question was, Has the Sher- idan arrlvedT' and when he learned that she had not he was troubled. He feared she hRd been caught in the last storm and lost,
 But there was a different kind of buoyancy in cotton that Collins had not calculated upon. The day he made port cotton was quoted at 17 cents a pound, and his prize was worth nearly twice what 1t would have brought or dinarily. Collins succeeded in having the price fixed by the admiralty court at 19l5 cents, nearly the highest price during the boom. When 1t was all over he went to see Mrs. Dalton.
 Jennie" he said, whether you are to have your husband back I don't know. At any rate, you will be com fortable for the rest of your life. Ills share of the prize money
 His share? I thought 1t all belong ed to you"
 "No; 1t belongs to me and Jack and the two seamen who discovered 1t. It was agreed that they should stay aboard the Sheridan while r.
 Something in the mans halting man. ner convinced her that he was making up a story.
 Bob" she said, "you are not speak ing the truth"
 Anyway, Jennie, I'll only take my share of the prize money, a total of S12O,OOO. Whatever the seamen's share is shall go to them, and Jacks share goes to you"
 Bob" she said, looking at him im- presslvely, her bosom heaving, "I won't have a cent of 1t. You brought in the vessel. have talked about the mat ter with those who know, and they say that finding a prize is nothing, but bringing 1t in Is everything"
 But, Jennie"-
 Walt. If Jack Is spared to confirm your story and says 1t was agreed that he and two men should remain aboard 9 good ship while you alone were to take the chances on derelict, all shAr- ing In the prize money, you can pay his share to him."
 This ended the conference for the time being. One day a steamer came into port, and it was telegraphed all over the land that she had picked up a boat with the name Sheridan" paint ed on the stern, containing the bodies of three men. They proved to be the Sheridan's crew, but the story of the vessels loss never was told.
 It is yet too early for developments as to the acceptance of Jack Dutton's share of the prize money by his widow, but her observing friends do not hesi- tate to predict that at the expiration of year from the finding of the Sheri- dau's boat load of dead she will accept