The Van Buren press., 1904-10-08

he DrlGge, EOluO.y lWpItCd!HS t-7cH
hrOuemeut on the weather god. No"
and then he put his hand irresoIutely on
.he lever OF the engine room telegraph,
which pointed. in spite Of rules and reg
Nations. 10 Full Speed Once or twice
ne addressed question to the thlrH
officer The latter refused to commit
himself Finally his superior glanced a.
he clock under the hood, listened Tor
an answer in the night TO the below Oh
he siren, and said: Il guess we'll let
lpr go II we can keep up the gait we
San make Astoria by the morning tide
and there's no shipping to be afraid oi
tonight. Half speeds all right for the
.o.sr coast but up here there's no need
Of losing time that way
From the note of indecIslon in the
,aptain's voice. the third mate thought
hat announcement was wanted. But
he stared into the blind haze that hid
from view the very wash from the cut
water and only grunted.
Il don't see why we shouldn't hit her
along" the skipper went on, irascibIy.
Eve aren't more than good 80 from the
light and when we get off there we can
low down and crawl in by daylight. |
liu't a coward to lay her to when there $
no need"
Shall I keep her at full speed'" the
nate asked
We'll, | wouldn't slow down yet
awhile Maybe if it gets much thicker,
and amt on the bridge, you better let
her down to half speed. Just tell the en-
gineer to drop her couple of revo!u-
lions
The watch officer nodded He had
served on several seas. and it was no
new thing in his experience for a con-
scientious captain to put his telegraph
At half speed or even dead slow, and
warn the engineers not to obey too lit
orally. It cant be done any more, for
the new telegraph marks revolutions
and must tally with the indicator on the
engines The mate did not like the look
of the night. and the peri.S marked on
the chart rose before him distinctly.
But he understood quite well young
master anxiety to get into port on
imn and moreover he told himself that
,f they ran down anything it wasn't his
fault SO ne nodded again and walked
over 10 the speaking tube.
The chief engineer answered him
from the working platform. Captain
says when he rings to slow to half speed,
lust to drop her a couple came the
irawling voice of the third mate
The chief looked up at the dial where
the Indicator pointed steadily at full
speed ahead. al, right, ne replied
The slupper's keeping her going in
this fog" suggested the assistant en-
gjneer
Yes he wants to get In. It's pretty
.hick weather to be steamine good
Il"
bad coast. too, continued the assist
mt, flirting his lamp into the champins
eccentric well
ITS always the way with youngsters, -
The chief responded, acidly They don I
like to lose time by rules, Petersen :
all right, SO he thinks, but he hasn
Deen on this coast as long as have, or
he wouldn't be driving her in this muck
Hes always throwing II up to me that
aint the skipper, 50 reckon III make
20 fuss II he Is trying 10 hit the Amphion
| through contrary 10 rules
We'll" said the other. glanCirg up
a the dial ~ anything happens, all
we've got 10 say is. It was orders from
the bridge That telegraph won't lie
Shall ease her only couple when be
/ }gna's half 'peed9'
. The gray-haired engineer pvt his hand
IN his subordInare's shoulder His yoice
/ rose above the whirr Of the dynamo ano
/ the alank OF the main pump THAT isn't
orders, ne said "Our orders are on
. chat dial there II that says half speed
by Jimmy CrjppS, half speed it is"
Then no talk from the deck goes
a,r2"
Take your orders from the telegraph
when irs working the chief responded
/ "Ir il isn't working then the speaking.
/ tub vii, DO"
An hour later the Amphion was stll
/ beating away through the big, oily seas
/ the fog streaming away from her bow
/ to swirl back and across the yellow glar,
Of the deck lights before pOlng up in .
murky wall astern The captain KEEP
watch with hiS mate on the bridge Tn
cngjne-room telegraph stood at ru
speed Down below In the cngInC-rooa
/ the thrd engineer went quietly abou
. h.s work while his chief stood on n,
working platform under the huge steam
/ valve. smoking hs pipe
After his rounds, the assistant cam.
across and stood by the old mans side
."Irs an awlully dirty night he said
"iH the stpkt-foom you can see the fo,
pouring down the ycntlalors like steam
strikes mo the shipper Is running bil
risks"
"Ycs, he's reckless tonight I'm prol
~ vel used TO young chaps with hot
beaded notions. but the older | groy
the lcss Ike the captain who boasts II
port that ho never went half speed
Sooner o" later ho golsa lesson Some
tlmos the cngInc.room pays for II Most
/. ly : mlght say"
The younger resumed his round
through the machinery hia lIght had OF
a bpglUg, a swift l-lch ona driving rod
a saU.ul At an oil cup, turn on a valve
The VofyHg brdpla'os the thuudcrlui
cylinders far above the clacNng pump.
/ the Vh.rr.ng hotl sang about him az hu
went suddenly the steady roar Of IN,
huge ongInoa was dullcd The hard
. .praarl thrust block ceased tholF 5AH.
/ tF, Tho BWUpIUg nj aiuu rods sluWeJ