Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-07-31
We'll, what does that --ss,.s.er i,,-

stance had eased the helm trifle. The
Daisy was now fairly headed for the
rock. With this breeze she would be
there in less than an hour.
1T be bit risky" grumbled Ben.
"We will be alongside the lighthouse
before there can be any serious down
fall" said practical Constance Sure
ly we can make the land again no mat
ter how thick the weather may be-"
Ben allowed himself to be persuaded.
In after life he would never admit
that they were free agents at that
moment
''It had to be-" he would say. ''It
wur in me mind to argy wi she, but I
just couldn't. An how often do us zee
snaw in Carnwall? Not once in blue
moon" And who would dispute himI
No west country man, certainly.
AT distance of five miles one small
fishing craft is as like another as two
lilliputians to the eye of Gulliver. In
word, it needs acquaintance and
nearness to distinguish them.
AS it happened, Stephen Brand did
happen to note the Daisy and the
course she was shaping. But, during
TIC SuOIC interval Wueu Ills leleSCOp0
might have revealed to him the iden-
tity of her occupants, he was suddenly
called by t1ephone from the oil room
to the kitchen. When next he ran aloft
in wild hurry to signal for assistance,
he found, to his despair, that the
Lands End was already blotted out in
swirling snowstorm, and the great
plain of blue sea had shrunk to lead
en- patch whose visible limits made the
reef look large by comparison.
With the mechanical precision Of
habit he set the big bell in motion. Its
heavy boom came fitfully through the
pelting snowfiakes to the ears of the
two girls and old Ben. The latter, mas
ter of the situation now, announced his
intention to bout ship and make for
Mounts bay. .. ..
"'Ee doan' ketch me tryin' to sail
close to Gulf Rock when zee can't zee
boats length ahead" he said emphatic
ally. II be sorry, ladies both, but zee
knaw how the tide runs over the reef,
an ties easy to drive to the wrong side
of the light. We'm try again tomor-
row. Only the flowers I'll spile. All the
rest
Crash! a loud explosion burst forth
from the dense heights of the storm.
The Daisy, sturdy as she was, seemed
to shiver. The very air trembled with
the din. Pollard had his hand on the
sail to swing it to starboard when Con-
stance put the tiller over to bring the
boats head up against the wind. For
an instant he hesitated. Even he, vers-
ed in the ways of the seG, was startled.
Both girls positively jumped, the sud-
den bang Of the rocket was so unex-
pected.
'Mr Brand must ha' zeed u.s." pro-
nounced Ben. 'Thats a warnin' to we
to go back
The words had scarce left his lips
when another report smote the great
silence, otherwise unbroken save by
the quiet plash of the sea against the
bows and the faint reverberations Of
the distant bell.
s'That is too urgent to be intended
for u.s." said Constance. 1--WE were
just halfway when the snow COM
menced."
II did not notice any vessel near the
rock" cried Enid tremulously. "Did
you, Benz"
Pollard's slow utterance was not
quick enough. Before he could an
swer third rocket thundered its over
powering summons.
"That is the help wanted signal"
cried Constance. ben, there Is no
question now Of going back. We must
keep our present course for twenty
minutes at least and then take to the
oars. The bell will guide u.s."
"Oh, yes, Ben" agreed Enid. "Some-
thing has gone wrong on the rock itself.
I am quite sure there was no ship near
enough to be in trouble already"
"By gum, we'm zee what's the mat
ter" growled Ben. STEADY it is, Miss
Brand. Eff we'm in trouble I'd as soon
ha' you two CELLS aboard as any two
men in Penzance."
At another time the compliment
would have earned him a torrent Of
sarcasm. Now it passed unheeded.
The situation Wa; l,e---i,lering, alarm
ing. There were three keepers in the
The signal foreboded ill
ness, sudden and serious illness. Who
could it be?
home. Constance, with set face and
shining eyes, Enid, flAhed and on the
verge Of tears, feared lest their own
beloved one should be the sufferer.
To each of them Stephen Brand was
equally a kind and devoted father. He
never allowed Enid to feel that she
was dependent on his bounty. Only
the other day, when she hinted at the
adoption of an art career as future
means of earning a livelihood, he ap-
proved of the necessary study, but
laughed at the reason.
Ito be Continued)
A Hard Lot