Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-07-13
Hin lowered the glass.

THAT = the fuSt time We ever HcdTu
you say such silly thing. Stephen
Brand"
There was no wavering Judgment in
bis voice now. He was angry and
slightly alarmed.
"Why Is 1t so emphatically silly.
JIM" was the smiling query.
How dye know what's aboard Of
her: What's them fowl after What
under that sail: What's that lynn
crumplrd up forrard? Dead men.
meibe II they are, she's conveyed by
sharks
SHARKS. This 1t not the Red sea.
am not afraid of any odd prowler
Once Anyhow. l am going to ask
Jones'"
ZONES won't hear of it,"
''That is precisely what he will do.
within the next minute. Now. don't
he vexcd. Jim. Stand by and sing out
directions II neetlful when am In the
water. Have no fear. l am more than
equal to Leander In n sea like this"
jim, who trusted to the head keep
er's veto-awcd, too. by the reference
to Leander, whom he haZily associated
with Captain Webb-made no rejoinder.
He focused the telescope again. gave
q moments scrutiny to the steamer
and then re-examined the boat. The
stiffness of the morning was solemn.
Beyond the lazy splash Of the sea
against the Gulf Rock itself and an Oc-
casional heavy surge rs the swell re-
vealed and instantly smOthered some
dark tooth Of the reef he heard no
sound save the ring Of Stephen Brands
boots on the iron stairs as he descend
ed through the oil room, the library and
office to the first bedroom, In the low
er bunk Of which lay Mr.. Jones. keeper
and chief. recovering from a sharp ut
tack Of sciatica.
During one fearful night In the
March equinox. when the fierce heat of
the lamp within and the icy blast of
the gale without had temporarily de-
ranged the occulting machinery. Jones
experienced an anxious watch. Not for
an instant could he foregO attendance
on the lamp. Owing to the sleet 1t was
necessary to keep the light at full pres
sure. The surplus oil, driven up from
the tanks by weights weighing half a
ton, must flow copiously over the brass
shaft Of the burner or the metal might
yield to the fervent power Of the col
umn Of flame.
The occulting hood, too, must be help
ed when the warning click came or 1t
would jam and fail to fall periodically.
thus changing the character Of the
light, to the bewilderment and grave
peril of any unhappy vessel striving
against the exterior turmoil Of wind
md wave.
So Jones passed four hours with his
head and shoulders in the temperature
Of q Turkish bath and the lower part
Of his body chilled to the bone.
He thought nothing Of 1t at the time.
This was duty. But ut intervals
throughout the rest Of his life the sci
attic nerve would remind him Of that
lonely watch. This morning he was
convalescent after painful immobility
Of two days.
Watching the boat, Jim centered her
In the telescope field and looked anx.
lousy for sharp arrow shaped ripple
ON the surface Of the sea. The breeze
which had vanquished the fog now
kissed the smiling water into dimples
and his keen sight was perplexed by
the myriad wavelets.
Each minute the condition Of affairs
on board became more defined. Be
| meath some oars ranged along the star.
board side he could see several tins.
such rs contain biscuits and compress
ed beef. The shapeless mass in the
bows puzzled him. 1t was partly COW
cred with broken planks from the dam
aged portion Of the upper works, and
1t might be jib sail fallen there when
the mast broke. The birds were busy
and excited. He did not like that
Nearly half an hour passed. The
Princess Royal, fine vessel Of yacht
like proportions, sprinting for the aft
| ernOOn train, was about eight miles
away, sou'west by west. According to
present Indications. steamer and dere-
let would be abreast Of the Gulf Rock
light simultaneously. but the big ship,
Of course. would give a wide berth to
| q rock strewn shoal.
At last the lighthouse keeper heard
ascending footsteps. This was not
Stephen Brand, but Jones. Jim, whose
rare irritated moods found safety In
stolid silence, neither spoke nor looked
around when his chief Joined him, bin
oculars In hand.
Jones. man Of whitewash, polish
and rigid adherence to framed rules.
found the boat instantly and recapitu-
lated Jim's inventory, eliciting grunts
OF agreement as each item was licked
of.
A clang Of metal beneath caught their
ears-the opening Of the stout doors.
forty feet above high water mark, from
which series Of iron rungs sunk In
the granite wall led to the rocky base
brands go!n' to swim out It's
hardly worth while signalin' to the
Lands End" commented Jones.
No answer. Jim leaned well over
and saw their associate. stripped to
his underclothlng. with a leather belt
supporting a sheath knife slung across
his shoulders, climbing down the lad
der.
This taciturnity surprised Jones, for
Jim was the cheeriest nurse who ever
brought a sufferer a plate Of soup.
'It's nothing for n good swimmer, is
Stf' was the anxious question.
mo. It's no distance to speak Of"
IAN the seas like mill pond?"
aye. It's smooth enough"
Don't you think he ought to try it?
Every fine mornin' he has dip Off the
rock"
"Well, If it's all right for him an
you it's oil right for me-"
Jim had urged his plea to the man
whom 1t chiefly concerned. He was
FAR too sporting character to obtain
the Interference of authority, and
Jones. whose maritime experiences
were confined to the hauling in or pay
ing out Of a lIghtshlp's cable. had not
the slightest suspicion Of lurking dan
ger In the blue depths.
A light splash came to them, and, a
! few seconds lOtor Rropd,c had op6