The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1905-05-26
THE PROMOTION OF
THE ADMIRAL sep EX c 91a6s
Nv Morley Roberts Author Of "Ths Fusitvss
CopyreAt, 1908, 1905 P.0IsAing ComPo.y.
Copyright. 1908, bv o. Page

England at the pace of an indolent
torpedo boat. And the result Of this
was that at about four bells in the
middle watch, when the mates aching
eyes could see forty imaginary steam
ers where there were none, he omitted
to observe there was real one COM
ing for him till it was too late. The
Nemagosenda uttered one long hor-
rid wall, which was answered in vain,
and the next minute the men of
science were shot out of their hunks,
and their steamer was taking in the
Atlantic through hole about the size
Of dock gate.
What became of the lucky, or I'M
lucky, boat, which got her blow in
first, the crew of the sinking steamer
did not inquire. They heard her toot in
the distance. and in answer they blew
their whistle for help. But though
whistle in fog may be evidence of
good faith, it is not necessarily for
wide publication, and it is quite posi-
bic that the stranger, If she did not
sink, lost her bearings in the fog,
and went off In the wrong direction.
At any rate the crew and passengers
Of the Nemagosenda found themselves
adrift in three boats, and in less than
a quarter of an hour they heard,
though they could not see, their
steamer blow her deck out and disap-
pear.
Cali up with the Goose-ender," said
the crew sulkily, "and now of course it
will blow"
AS ill-luck and hurry would have 1t,
in the last rush for life most of the
crew had tumbled into the mates and
second mates boat. With the lights
Of science were the captain and Simp-
kins A. B.
Immortal Jehoshaphat!" said Mr..
Joseph Prowse. this is pretty state
Of affairs. That man-drowning swine
Of liner! 'ope she's gone down!
hope the Goldfish are sizing her cap
tain up, and sayin' what they think of
him. Simpkins, keep holloaing!
Where's them other boats?"
II can't boiler no more, sir" whis-
pered Simpkins hoarsely, my throat's
give out"
And as the wind rose the three boats
drifted apart. Four eminent scientific
persons at the oars kept their boat
head on to sea, and six other eminent
persons lay on the bottom boards and
wished they were dead. until the
dawn crawled into the east and
showed them that they were alone.
1t was q chill and watery dawn, and
as the boat topped the cold green
waves on the edge of the Bank the
prospect was eminently unkind. The
wind was not very heavy, but it blew
hard enough to bring the spray of
each curling wave inboard. and every
one was soaked to the skin. The
sky was lowering and overcast, and
though the fog was dissipated, mist
covered the sun till it looked, as Simp-
kins remarked, about as warm as a
new tin plate.
It must be said for Captain Joseph
Prowse that he retained in some meas
ure those characteristics of authority
which he claimed for himself, and by
forced optimism, which the nature OF
his crew made him adopt, he endeav-
ored to cheer them up.
"My luck's temporary out" he de-
clared, with some show OF cheerful
ness, "but it amt the first time I've
been run down, and with Gods 'elp,
gents, 1t won't be the last. And it's
clean against the nature Of things for
so many learn'd men to come to grief
at one fell blow. Ere or there a
scientific josser may come to grief in
crowd, but so many being together |
is the best of assurances. I'll pull you
through; you mind me. All ask you
to remember Is that I'm captain, and |
what I says goes now and always"
Its all very WE'LL" said the meteor
ologist, whose temper was going with
the skin of his hands, "but we all
thought you had no right to run so
fast in a fog"
Captain Prowse gasped, and then
recovered himself.
Didn't tell you / was captain
here, same as on the steamer"
"You did," said the sulky man of
science.
"Then hold your jaw" said Captain
Prowse; when you, or the likes of
you, is asked for criticism, it'll be
time for you to give it. Till then
you'll give your captain no lectures
on the running of his vessel. God
and the queens enemies as sunk my
ship, but neither one nor the other
has took away my natural gift Of
authority, SO shut up!"
And though the meteorologist
,hoked with rage, he said no more.
Simpkins and the captain consulted.
We're right in the track of steam
srs more or less" said Captain
Prowse, "and it bein' so damp we can
hang out without much drink for a
lay or SO, And biscuit we ave plen-