Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-11
CAP'N Fri
By JOSEPH c. LINCOLN
New York. Reserv
CHAPTER xx.-(Continued.)

turned to a Sleet, half rain, that stuck
to everything and coated it with ice.
The wind was blowing as hard as
ever. Captain Fri and Ralph, stand
ing just outside the kitchen door and
in the lee of the barn, paused to watch
the storm for a minute before they
went down to the beach.
''Think you want to go over, do
your" asked the captain.
IT certainly do, If can get there"
ooh, we cal. git there all right. I've
rowed dpry good many times when
twas as bad as this. This amt no
picnic day, though. that's fact" he
added as they crossed the yard and
caught the full force of the wind.
lucky you put on them ileskins."
Ralph was arrayed in Captain Jerry's
'tdirty weather rig" and although, as
Captain Fri said, the garments fitted
him like a shirt on handspike," they
were very acceptable.
Their dory hit the beach almost exact
~ at the right spot, feat which the pas
asenger considered miracle, but which
the captain seemed to take as mat
ter Of course. They beached and an
chored the dory, and, bending almost
double as they faced the wind, plowed
through the sand to the back door Of
the station. There was comparatively
the gale had swept it nearly all away.
, Mr. Langley met them as they
tramped into the hall. The old gentle
man was glad to see his assistant, for
he had begun to fear that the latter
might have tried to row over during
the evening and met with disaster. As
they sat round the stove in his room he
said: "We don't need any wrecks in
side the beach We shall have enough
outside, I'm afraid. I hear there is
one schooner in trouble now"
"That so?" asked Captain Fri.
"Where is she?
''On the Hogs Back shoal, they
think. One of the life saving crew
told Mclaughlin that they saw her
last night, when the gale first began,
trying to make an of11ng, and that
wreckage was coming ashore this
morning. Captain Davis was going to
try to reach her with the boat, 1 be.
lieve."
81 should like to be at the life saw
Ing station when they land" said
Ralph. 1T would be new experience
for me. I've seen the crew drill often
enough, but have never seen them
actually at work."
>''What d'you say If we go down to
the station?" asked the captain. "That
is, if Mr.. Langley here can spare you"
"Oh, / can spare him. said the su.
perintendent. There is nothing of i'm.
portance to be done here just now.
But it will be a terrible walk down the
beach this morning.
wind III be at our backs, and we're
rugged for it too. What d'you say, Mr..
Hazeltine?"
Ralph was only too glad of the op.
portunity to see, at least, the finish
Of rescuing expedition, and he said
SO. So they got into the oilskins again,
pulled their sou'westers down over
their ears and started on the tramp
to the life saving station.
The electrician Is not likely to forget
that walk. The wind was, as the cap.
tain said, at their backs, but 1t whis.
tied in from the sea with terrific
strength and carried the sleet with it.
1t deluged them with water and plas.
tered them with flying seaweed and
ice. The wet sand came in showers
like hail and beat against their shout
ders until they felt the sting even
through their clothes.
They walked as near the water line
as they dared, because the sand was
harder there. Captain Fri went
ahead, hands in his pockets and head
down. Ralph followed, sometimes
watching his companion, but oftener
gazing at the sea. At intervals there
would be lull, as if the storm giant
had paused for breath, and they could
see for half mile over the crazy wa
ter, then the next gust would pull the
curtain down again and whirl of
rain and sleet would shut them in.
Conversation meant only series of
shrieks, and they gave it up.
AZ iChStu IuS Sdpldln STluuSu
pleasantly while the raindrops splash
ed on his nose and waved one arm.
Ralph looked and saw ahead of them
the clustered buildings of the life saw
ing station. And he was glad to see
them.
''Whew" pulled Captain Fri as they
opened the door. Mice mornin' for
ducks. Hey, Luther" he shouted.
wake up here! You've got callers"
They heard footsteps in the next
room, the door opened and in came
not Luther Davis, but Captain Perez.
Why, Eri"' he exclaimed amazedly.
Tor the lands sake, Perez! What
are you dom here"
What are you DOM here, 1 should
say How d'you do, Mr.. Hazeltine?"
Captain Fri pushed back his SOU
wester and strolled over to the stove
Ralph followed suit
well, Perez said the former, ex.
tending his hands over the fire, 'its
easy enough to tell you why we're here
We heard there was a wreck"