The St. Mary banner., 1905-02-18


was forced ter come together, we
was"
Meanwhile the slow procession of
fishing boats struggled by, and the
crowd watched them. Presently a
steam tug neared the harbor's mouth,
towing some half-frozen tawnysailed
smacks, two abreast. The smacks
waved this way and tnat, and the tug
looked like mother with troop of
overgrown daughters, little inclined
to get out of hand.
The Perry ha' got her work cut
out this time" some one said.
The smacks came into full view
round the bend.
Halo, what's up wi that there
hindermost one, han't she got ner flag
half-mast?"
A score Of eager, incredulous faces
craned and peered. 1t was true; ;
there hung the tell-tale flag, pregnant
signal of death and disaster The
faces fell
Must ha' lost a hand last night"
A woman pressed forward to the
very edge of the pier pale and agon-
ized.
What's wrong wi Liz?" cried some
one.
Hold yer noise" with an angry
nudge, that there boats the Valiant
wot her man Jem Wacey's aboard
on"
Every heart went out to Liz in her
anxiety, every eye scanned the Va
liant's deck where the crew were
gathered, eager to recognize Jem.
An ominous silence fell. Two men
were missing-Jem and the smacks
master. The rest of them stood there,
a detected, c-est-fallen little group.
A cry Of sgony broke from LIS
lips. Where's Jem?" she cried. Il
don't see my Jem."
Still that Ominous silence. Liz
turned to Marthy with a desperate,
agonized gesture. The girl under
stood her at once. She took her
hand. The crowd parted, and the two
ran down the pier along the riverside
to the ferry tnat led to denes and
fish wharf Liz stumbled along,
scarce seeing where sne went, her
breath coming in long, heart-breaking
sobs.
Down the rickety landing stage
they went, into the old boat, and over
the steely, wind-blown river. The
wide, slow circuit of the boat necessi-
tated by the swift-fowing tide, SEEM
ed never ending; so did the steep
steps on the other side of the river
and the road to the wharf where the
boats were moored.
The Perry had cast her little fleet
adrift now in mid-river, and one by
one they were joining the serried
ranks at the quayhead. The Valiant
was there already-a chaos Of FISH
and men, and tarry barrels and ropes
and spars and shimmering. iridescent
on board keen to leain the news OF
the night and the boats loss. A few
steps more and Liz was among them.
fear eloquent in her wide eyes and
dry lips.
Eyes, the masters gone," one OF
the crew was saying, sadly. "a thun-
derin' big wave took an washed him
overheard, and the same one hulled
pore Wacey ag'in the mast, an"
Liz gripped the speakers arm.
Killed." she gasped, rs my Jem
The sound of her voice reached the
cabin below. Before the wait could
reply, there was sound Of stumbling
footsteps UP the companion, and
man, pale and weak, his head ban
daged up In gaudy cotton handker-
chief, came into sight. He steadied
himself a moment, while his dazed
eyes scanned the deck. Then he held
cut his arms, and with a long-pent-up
cry, Liz few to them like hpming
bird.
Jem held her close, stroking her
hair and soothing her tenderly, while
he bade her, in a voice which was
rather shaky, in spite of the chaff,
mot to go a-killin' O. him orr like
that there; he wasn't dead. no, ncr
likely to be-"
And the gallant crew of the Valiant
their broad backs on the two,
md winked the tears out OF their hon
sst eyes; but Marthy, woman-like,
'ound vent for her pent-up emotion |
n scathing speech. ITO think" cried |
'he, that all this here might ha' I
,een spared il only you chaps had
lad the sense to bring Jem up on
leck time you was a-coming into
larbor. But there, 'tis just like lot
J men; no more perceivance among
Ter than the babe unborn!"-K. M.
5uthrie, in Black and White.