Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-10-25

He looked at his watch. 1t was
nearly two O'Clock. the time when
mans life forces are said to be at
their lowest ebb. Over the decks
above. Hardy could bear numberless
feet pattering and racing, while the
air was rent by shrill, continuous
squeals. In the cabin itself were
fully a dozen rats, darling in and out
of the open staterooms. Taking his
lantern. Hardy went up the compan-
ionway.
The tide. which was almost high,
gurgled steadily into the hold through
the open seams, driving all the rats
upward. Until few days before, the
animals had had enough to eat from
the cargo to keep them from being
hungry, but now lack of food had
made them savage. The decks were
literally alive with them, running
Squeezing, lighting.
Hardy had no sense of fear, but
the ;ncessant squabbling wearied him
and he longed for the approach OF
morning. He almost wished that the
harbor thieves would put in an ap.
pearance. They could easily be
frightened off by a show of his re-.
volver; and almost any human inter
ruption would be welcome to vary
this ceaseless squealipg.
The turmoil on the decks increased.
The Waterman started forward, and
trod on the tail of one of the rats.
The animal turned upon him and sank
Its teeth into his ankle with shrek
There was something about that
note different than the others. AS its
sound a dead silence suddenly fell
upon the bark, and Hardy was aware
that every rat turned toward him.
Another shrill, vicious call from his
assailant, and in an instant the en-
gineer found himself the object of at
tack by scores of foes.
Against the pinnacle leaned a
wooden capstanbar. Hardy siezed
this with his right hand, and
with the latern in his left, vaulted
upon the cabin roof, which rose about
four feet above the deck.
He gained thereby momentary
respite, but soon his enemies discover.
ed his whereabouts. Up they swarm
ed, clambering over the festoons Of
rigging along the edge of the cabin
top. The Waterman set down his
lantern, grasped the capstan-bar
tightly with both hands, and began
to lay about him with long, sweeping
blows that sent rat after rat flying
over the rail into the sea.
All first the engineer despised his
assailants. 1t seemed absured to think
that his safety could be seriously en-
dangered by such contemplate ami
mails. They assailed him from behind
and he wheeled to meet them, rain
ing his blows in every direction, and
striving to shake himself free from
their attack. But they pressed him
hard, with an ominous. deadly earn
estness, and 1t did not take him long
to realize that he was lighting for
his very life.
Hardy's witness now stood him in
good stead. A bigger, clumsier man
could not have handled himself so
quickly. Up and down, right and left,
swept the capstan-bar like fail.
He grew sick of the massacre. He
could see nothing outsidl the little
mist-walled circle illumined by the
lantern. Stay as many as he might,
their numbers seemed unthinned, and
their assault continued with undimin.
ished vigor. His arms were wearied
with welding the bar. but he had tc
fight on.
Had Hardy cared, he would have
jumped overheard; but he was only
very ordinary swimmer, the water
was cold, and the shore ueariy mile
away.
But something must be done al
once. His breath was coming short
He stumbled and almost fell. Once
down! He shuddercd at the though
and welded his bar desperately.
| An incautious sweep caught the
lantern, and whirled 1t over the raj
with a jingling crash of glass.
The watchman's face was no,
turned toward the bow. AS he sho
a glance forward through the mist
he caught glimpse of the forecastle
rising above the Uttered decks. Ono
on its top he would be safe. Coul
he gain it? One jump took him OF
the cabin to the break; another plan
ed his feet on the main deck annie
SHIPS. His enemies pursued hin
Tie black square of the open hate
yawned before him. Round it he dar
ed, threading his way among the rop
coils. Once or twice he was almos
thrown headlong.
Close before him rose the fore
castle. 1t was six feet high. Coul
he reach its summit? He must.
Up he leaped and flung his hand
over the edge. Beneath him the rat
bit at his feet and hung at the boz
toms of his trousers. With might
effort he threw his left leg up owe
the side of the roof. caught his hee
and moment later lay there in SAT,
ty. half-fainting.
| There Hardy spent the remainde
of the night. With the coming q
dawn fresh landbreeze dispersed tn,
fog. and as the tide fell the rats di:
appeared into the hold to search 70
scattered rice grains. When the Oriol
took the Waterman off at six o'clocl
the decks showed 20 signs of life.
Late that evening, as the lighte
drew away toward the city with 1t
last load, match touched to a bal
of rags soaked in kerosene lighte
up beacon visible afar over sea an
land, the funeral pyre of the Empress
The flames danced along her bu
warks and streamed up fler masts
until she stood in luried outlln
against the surrounding gloom.
But before the confagration touch
ed them the rats leaped overheard
and soon the firelit surface was aliv
with swimming forms. Few reache
the shore. however, for the sea wa
rough through the long mile they ha,