The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-11-02


nurture.
mind you don't let it suck the hand
kerchief into It's little throat" he cried
mot too much, Jim. It's On'y young
'un. Half milk. half water an lump
Of sugar. my missus says. Pore little
dear! However did 1t come to live
when that man must ha' been dead fol
days? Now, Jim, slow an sure is the
motter. S'pose you shove it into the
basket an let me hoist 1t up here. A
warm bath an a blanket is the next
best thing to milk an water"
"All right, skipper. Just hold on @
bit. She's doln' fine"
as it a he or q sheP
Il dunno. But l guess it's a gal by
the duds"
The baby, in the sheer joy of living
again, uttered a gurgling cry, a com.
pound Of milk, happiness and pain.
There! l told your shouted Jones
angrily "You think every kid is a
hardy young savage like your own
You're overdoin it, 1 say"
"Overdoin' wot?" demanded the sail
or. "You don't know who you're talkin'
to. Why, when 1 was ON the West
Coast l reared two week-old monkeys
this way"
Soon these firm friends would have
Quarreled-so unbounded was their
anxiety to rescue the fluttering exist
ence of the tiny atom of humanity SO
miraculously 'snatched from the perils
of the sea.
But Stephen Brands dominant per-
sonality was rapidly recovering its nor
NAL state.
"Jim," he said, "AIr. Jones is right
The child must be made comfortable.
Her skin is raw and her eyes sore with
inflammation. The little food she has
already obtained will suffice for a few
minutes. Sent her up"
The "NIr. Jones'" was gentle re-
hinder of authority. No further pro-
test was raised, save by the infant
when supplies were temporarily with
held, and Jones was too pleased that
his opinion should be supported by
Brand to give another thought to his
subordinate's outburst.
"Now, back up to the rock" said
Brand. 81 will dress and rejoin you
quickly. The, boat must be thoroughly
examined and swabbed out. Jones
will signal for help. Meanwhile you
might moor her tightly. When the tide
falls she will be left high and dry"
The sailors momentary annoyance
fled. There was much to be done, and
no time should be wasted in disputes
concerning baby culture.
Sure you won't slip?" he asked as
Stephen caught hold of the ladder
NO 40. 1t was not fatigue, but
sickness which overceme me. The
brandy has settled THAI"
Up he went, as though returning
from his customary morning dip.
''By jngo he's a plucky 'un," muir
INJURED Jim admiringly. "He ought to
be skipper Of battleship instead of
hOusemaid of a rock light. Dash them
sea crows! l do hate 'emr'
! He seized an oar and lunged so hard
and true at cormorant which was in
! vestigating the sharks liver that he
knocked the bird yard through the
air. Discounted, it retired, with q
scream. It's companion darted to the
vacant site and pecked industriously.
The neighborhood of the rock was now
alive with sea gulls. In the water
many varieties of finny shapes were
darling to and fro in great excitement.
Jim laughed.
They'd keep me busy" he growled.
"When all's said an done, it's their
mater. an they can't help it,
Unconscious that he had stated the
primordial thesis. he left the foragers
alone. Hauling the sail out of the wa
ter. he discovered that the stern board
was missing. broken off probably when
the mast fell. His trained scrutiny
soon solved puzzle suggested by the
state of the cordage. Under ordinary
conditions the upper part of the mast
would either have carried the sail clean
away with it or be found acting as
sort of sea anchor at short distance
| from the boat.
But it had gone altogether, and the
strands of the sail rope were bitten.
not torn. asunder. The shark had
striven TO pull the boat under by tug
| ging at the wreckage.
I Having made the canvas shipshape.
Jim settled the next pressing question
| by Selling an empty tin and sluicing
the fore part. Then he passed a rope
under the after thwart and reeved 1t
through q ringbolt in a rock placed
there for mooring purposes in very
calm weather like the present.
When the Trinity tender paid heT
monthly visit to the lighthouse she was
moored to a buoy three cable lengths
away TO the northwest. If there was
the least suspicion of n sea over the
reef 1t was indeed ticklish task land
ing or embarling stores and men.
1 Closehaued, the boat would fill for
ward as the tide dropped. This was
matterless. BY that time all her NOV
able contents-she appeared to have
plenty of timed meat and biscuits
aboard, but no water-would be re-
moved to the storeroom.
The sailor was sorting the packages
wondering what queer story of the
deep would be forthcoming when the
recent history of the rescued child was
ascertained-when Brand hailed him.