The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-01-27
CHAPTER I-Continued.

''We are about there, think
The chief agreed. "That was the To-
cality l had in my mind" He bent
closer over the sheet
Nothing in the way tonight, sir" he
added
Nothing whatever 1t is q bit of
good luck to meet such weather here.
We can keep as far south as we like
until daybreak, and by that time
How did it look when you came in?"
"a trihe better think"
81 have sent for some refreshments.
Let us have another look before we
tackle them"
The two officers passed out into the
hurricane. Instantly the wind endeav-
ored to tear the chart house from off
the deck. They looked aloft and ahead.
The officer on duty saw them and nod
ded silent comprehension. 1t was use
less to attempt to speak. The weather
was perceptibly clearer.
Then all three peered ahead again.
They stood, pressing against the wind,
seeking to penetrate the murkiness in
front. Suddenly they were galvanized
into strenuous activity.
A wild howl came from the lookout
forward The eyes of the three men
glared at a huge dismasted Chinese
junk wallowing helplessly in the
trough of the sea dead under the bows.
The captain sprang to the chart house
and signaled in fierce pantomime that
the wheel should be put hard over.
The officer in charge of the bridge
pressed the telegraph lever to "stop"
and "full speed astern," while with his
disengaged hand he pulled hard at the
siren cord, and a raucous warning sent
stewards flying through the ship to
close collision bulkhead doors. The
Chief darted to the port rail, for the
Sirdar's instant response to the helm
seemed to clear her nose from the
junk as if by magic
1t all happened so quickly that while
the hoarse signal was still vibrating
through the ship the junk swept past
her quarter. The chief officer, joined
now by the commander looked down
into the wretched craft. They could
see her crew dashed in bunch around
the capstan on her elevated poop. She
was laden with timber Although wa
terlogged, she could not sink if she
held together.
A great wave sucked her away from
Che steamer and then hurled her back
with irresistible force The Sirdar
was just completing her turning move
ment, and she heeled over yielding to
the mighty power of the gale. For an
appreciable instant her engines stop
ped. The mass of water that swayed
the junk like a cork lifted the great
ship high by the stern. The propeller
began to revolve in air, for the third Of
ficer had corrected his signal to "full
speed ahead" again. and the cumbrous
Chinese vessel struck the Sirdar ter
rible blow in the counter, smashing off
the screw close to the thrust block and
wrenching the rudder from it's bearings.
There was an awful race by the en-
gines before the engineers could shut
off steam The junk vanished into the
wilderness of noise and tumbling seas
beyond, and the fine steamer of few
seconds ago, replete with magnificent
energy, struggled like wounded levia-
than in the grasp of vengeful foe.
She swung around as if in wrath to
pursue the puny assailant which had
dealt her this mortal stroke. No longer
breasting the storm with stubborn per
sistency, she now drifted aimlessly
before wind and wave. She was mere
ly larger plaything tossed about by
titanic gambols. The junk was burst
asunder by the collision. Her planks
and cargo Uttered the waves, were
even tossed in derision on to the decks
of the Sirdar. OF what avail was
strong timber or bolted iron against
the spleen of the unclaimed and form
less monster who loudly proclaimed
his triumph? The great steamship
drifted on through chaos. The typhoon
had broken the lance.
But brave men, skillfully directed,
wrought hard to avert further disas-
ter. After the first moment Of stupor
gallant British sailors risked life and
limb to bring the vessel under control.
BY their calm courage they shamed
the paralyzed Lascars into activity. A
sail was rugged on the foremost and
sea anchor hastily constructed as soon
as it was discovered that the helm was
useless. Rockets fared up into the
sky at regular intervals in the faint
hope that should they attract the at
tention of another vessel she would fol-
low the disabled Sirdar and render
help when the weather moderated.
When the captain ascertained that
no water was being shipped, the dam
age being wholly external, the collision
doors were opened and the passengers
admitted to the saloon, brilliant pal
ace, superbly Indifferent to the wreck
and ruin without.
Captain Ross himself came down and
addressed few comforting words to
the quiet men and pallid women gath
cred there. He told them exactly what
had happened.
The hours passed In tedious misery
after Captain Ross visit Every one
was eager to get a glimpse Of the I'M