Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-25

stimulant Uhe lighthouse possessed
dozen bottles of brandy and whisky
and act as escort The women and
children were to be allotted the two
bedrooms. Any bad cases Of injury or
complete exhaustion could be disposed
of in the visiting officers room, while
all the men fit to take care of them
selves were to be distributed between
the entrance, the coal room, the work
shop and the stairways. The kitchen,
storeroom and service room were to
be kept clear, and the storcroom door
locked. Eighty. Brand was already do
ing problems in simple arithmetic.
A similar problem, with a different
point to he determined, was occupying
the active mind of the "American
youngstor" who had solved the knot
test proposition put forward during
that eventful night.
He watched the forwarding Of the
| shriekng, shuddering or inanimate wo-
mon. He timed the operation by his
watch. as the reflected light from the
lamp was quite sufficient for the pur-
| pose.
|
"Say, skipper" he cried "how long
do you give the remains Of her to hold
out?"
at is not high water yet" was the
answer. perhaps half an hour. Forty
minutes Mt the utmost"
"rhcn you'll have to boost this thing
along good deal faster" said the
| I'll, ii tr,,in
at the rate of one every two minutes.
That's thirty in half an hour. Fifty Of
us will travel a heap quicker at the end
of that time if your calculation holds
good
The captain, who appeared to be In n
stupor of grief, reused himself.
A few short and sharp orders chang
cd the aspect Of affairs. Frightened
ard protesting ladies were securely
tied together and hoisted. four at a
time. like so many bags of wheat.
When II came to the mems turn even
less ceremony and greater expet.
we>c used.
Indeed, already there We're emphatic
warnings that much valuable time had
been lost in the early stage of the res
cue. Though the wind was now only
blowing stiff gale, the sea, dashed to
frenzy by the hurricane, was heavier
than ever. The ship was vanishing Wis
IDLY. A funnel fell with n hideous
crash and carried away a lifeboat
Tho rest of the spar deck and nearly
the whole of the forward cabins were
torn out bodily. BY repeated humping
on the reef the vessel had settled back
almost on to an even keel and the fore
mast. which had SO providcntially near
cd the summit of the lighthouse, was
now removed far beyond the possibility
OF rope being thrown.
The survivors on deck worked witt
fovcrish energy. The time was draw
ing short. They did not know the sec
ond that some unusually tcmpestuous
wave would devour them utterly.
"Now. Mr.. Pync, you next" cried the
chief officer, addressing the young Phil
adelphian, who, mirabile dictu. hat
found and lighted a cigar.
Guess III swing up along with thu
captain" was the answer.
| Up WIFI nllN. SnOuleu tlle cuptdll
flercely. himself helping to loop ryn'
to the fourth officer.
All others had gone. The officers
were leaving the ship in order of sen
iorty. the juniors first. Just as til,
quartet were abou. to swing clear o
the ship the captain grasped Pyne'
hand
THANK you, lad" he said. and ava.
they went.
There were left on the vessel tn
third, second and first officers, the pur
ser and the captain. The others want
ed the captain to como with them. II
resisted, held out for his right TO be tn
last to quit a ship he had commanded
; for more than twenty years and hoarse
ly forbade any further argument.
Very unwllingly they left him haul
ing alone at the rope, though their pred
eccssors, knowing the need Of it, helpe,
vigorously from the gallery. Indeed
it was with difficulty that Pyne wa
held back from returning with the de
. scending rope. They told him he wa
t mad to dream of such piece Of folly
D and perforce he dessted.
=. But when the captain deliberatel.
4 cast Off the deck pulley from which tn
Q rope had been manipulated they kney
. that the boy had read his soul. Tn
9 now useless cordage dangling from tn
;. gallery was caught by the wind AM
i sea and sent whipping off to leeward.
Q Brand. brought from the lantern b.
e the hubbub of shouting, came out, TO
lowed by Constance. He suggested a
v last resource that they should Ell
q deavor to fire a line across the vessc
n by means of rocket.
Y They agreed ~ try. for the spectacl
Q of the captain, standing bareheaded o
;. all that was left of the bridge, move
Y them to pitch Of frenzy not ofte
f seen in an assemblage Of Anglo Saxon:
=. and especially Of sailors.
/. Brand turned to procure the rookie
!. but loud cry caused him to delay
q The expected wave had come. the yes
. sci was smothered In vortex Of foam
8 the tall foremost tottered and fell an
when the water subsidized again all thn
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