Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-03-17

the Oracle bucked over low, scud-
ding wave that had sucked her down
till the brine bubbled in over the sill
of the pilot house DOORS
For an hour the steamer held her
own under the awakened skill and
strength of the mate. Then something
in the engine room clattered and
crashed; cloud Of steam whirled up
from the after skylight. The coaster
rolled helplessly in the trough of the
sea. Almost Immediately the engin-
eer, followed by his assistant and
couple of fremen, tumbled on deck
and scampered for shelter. "Wheel
gone and engines lifted cylinder
heads off," explained the engineer,
wiping his eyes with a piece of waste.
''God ha' mercy on u.s.
But the half naked mate was for
ward with his men getting more sail
set. The effort was vain, for a few
minutes later heavy sea swept her
fore and aft, tossed her skyward and
let her fall into a turmoil of broken
water that foamed over the rail. A
long line of crested breakers rose from
the sea and hurried her. pelted her.
thrust her toward the invisible shore.
She struck, and the masts and fun
mel toppled to leeward. Under the
to free boat lashed on the forward
deck. With a mighty effort they fin
ally cleared it. lifted it to the rail. and
by the aid of q floating wave launched
it. half full Of water. The fog was
rent for an instant by the blast of the
gale. and they saw stretching from
the reef on which the Oracle Jackson
ter rolling gently shoreward from the
caldron of the breakers. The mate
pointed to it. They understood. AS
the coaster settled heavily again on
the bottom, the sailors. led by the en-
gineer. tumbled into the boat, one by
one. The mate yelled to them to pull
away. The answer was a cry: ''The
skipper:'' He caught its purport and
disappeared in the saloon companion
way. Squatting on the rocking deck
the captain idiotically watched the
antics Of big saltcellar rolling about
before him as the steamer wallowed.
When the mate entered he looked up,
and then his eyes reverted to the
frollicking piece of ware on the writh-
ing deck. A gap opened in the planks
and the water sucked through Mostly.
Another strain of the wreck and the
| gap yawned wider and the saltcellar
was swallowed up. The old man
watched with fascinated eyes.
The mate shook him roughly by the
shoulder. An oath answered him. He
dragged the drunkard to his feet and
held him swaying there till both
| lurched diZZily to the deck. The mate
got up again and strove to put life
into his superior Then in his passion
| he shrieked in the dull ears the truth
| of their state. . ..
The captain mumbled and his face
took on the livid complexion Of terror.
| Then reeling to the steps he scrambled
| out on deck with the mate at his
| heels. AS they thrust their heads out
! i'll the air Il wave washed them back.
| The mate showed on. pushed his cap
| tain out on the careening deck. and
then swiftly dragged him to the pilot
house. unroofed by the last breaker.
| The men in the boat. now almost
swamped, shrieked another CALL The
skipper looked down at them as the
Oracle Jackson rolled over on the
reef. and clutched at something to
hold him while he FASTENED to the
boat. The mate caught him back
thrust him against stanchion and
waved his hand to the upturned faces
below Pull awayr' he ordered.
''The captain"' bawled the engineer
"Lemme go! Lemme go!' cried tho
captain. 'Lemme go. We're wrecked!
The mate looked seaward. A long
sharply crested comber was rising
out a little. and as it sped in toward
the reef, he knew the imminent doom
! He turned to save the man who hat
saved him. "That boats overloaded
he said, tensely. Tell 'em to pull
awayw
A fash of courage lit the old man:
degradation. He threw out his han(
and gathered his voice into command
that rose above the tumult Of the sea
III response the boat swept shoreward
from under the c:.umbling steamer ant
into the smooth waters in the shelte
of the reef. The mate turned to hi
superior. 1t was his last report
. Boats away, sir. Shall we give en-
. Il cheer:"
|. Captain Flint raised his hand. ant
, tie half-naked man beside him stepped
: forward a little About the plungin,
roar Of the breaker that ended fOreve
the Oracle Jackson. the men toilin:
, to safety in the overloaded boat hear'
) 4 feeble theer.
The bosn held up his arm an instant
His face was reverent. ''The old mai
5 give us a chee", mates,'' he said
, hoarsely. ''Give i'm one for goin' lik
man.
: And. to the great peril Of their frai
e craft riding in unstill waters, the crey
l Of the Oracle Jackson rested OH thei
;, oars to below last salute to the cap
l tain perishing on the reef.
The skipper's honor was sa7ed.-A1
: gonaut.