The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-28
The Adventures Of Supercargo $$s5$sss

thankful that his aunt and Sabbie
would now feel assured of his safety.
He thanked the captain and then asked
him if he minded his staying on the
bridge.
Not at ALL You can do whatever
you like. and have the entire run of the
ship if You will promise me one thing.
What is that?"
Not to ask anyone but myself any
questions about this ship. I mean
about the manner of her leaving sgd
Eey''
Tom considered a few moments.
Very we'll I promise
That's right And now IL my turn
I'll tell you this much straight out.
When we took her and turned out
those who We're in charge of her We
hurt no one"
Il am glad to hear that" And then
Tom again noticed what he had OBJ
served on other Occasi0ns-the big man
was steering with his left hand only.
and that his right was bandaged in
black silk handkerchief
You have a bad hand, 1 see," he re-
marked. L viii take the wheel if you
like
why. can you steer? But of course
you can-what am I thinking about?
shall be Obliged if you'll take the
wheel for half an hour or so. You
see we are very shoFt-handed, and I
have neither first nor sec2Ed officer,
and had to do a bit of stocking last
night. I burnt my hand in putting out
the fire in the saloon"
Tom took the wheel and noted the
course, E. by n. Christie watched him
in silence for a few minutes.
How was the fire caused, sir?" Tom
veptured to ask.
Christie replied that he had given or
ders for all lights to be put out, and
the man who was sent TO &c this must
have dropped a lighted match or hot
ashes from his pipe amongst the thick
cushions and curtains with which the
trdnSOmS hunks were covered, as soon
after the steamer had passed through
the Heads it was found that she was
on fire; and in eXtinguishing it the cap
tain had his right hand rather badly
burnt.
Leaving Tom at the wheel. Christie
went round the ship with the boat
swain and gave his orders as to what
was to be done; and a few minutes
later they were Joined by five other
hands, and the steward Frank. and
then the four boats which the steamer
carried We're swung inboard from the
davits and made secure on deck. This
took quite an hour or more, and then
Christie returned to the bridge.
I'VE are so short-handed," he ex-
planned, and as all of us have to take
turn in the stOkehold, / took the
chance of getting the boats inboard
whilst il was fine rather than run the
risk of losing them if We meet with
heavy weather from the eastward"
Yes and We seem very deep in the
water"
Very There is a full cargo under
hatches-I wish some of it was coal.
Would you mind taking a look at the
taffrail log and tell me what il shows?
II was set afresh at eight bells"
Tom ran aft and glanced at the dial,
and then returned TO the bridge.
Nearly seventeen"
All that's not so bad-a little over
eight knots Now Wen set our canvas,
which viii help us. The breeze is
freshening, and I want TO save my
COAL
Can I lend a hand7"
''Only too glad if you will
Like most Of the steamers on the
Australiap coast in those days when
pole maSts and twin screws were not,
the Warrigal was square-rigged for
ard and could show quite a spread of
canvas for a vessel of under 700 tons
In half minute Tom was alOft with
the big sailor, Sam, casting off the
gaskets, and then as the topsails and
the foresails were dropped by them and
sheeted home by the hands on deck
and the freshening breeze bellied out
the canvas, Christie called down to
Clancy.
"HOw's that, Terence?" he asked. as
the engineer appeared, and he pointed
to the sails.
"Ah, it's beautiful my boy, beauti-
ful, 1t means a ton less of coal an
hour" Then he noticed Tom, who had
been helping the men to hoist the head
sails and was now coming aft again.
flushed and pleasedly excited.
He's made friends with me, Jim
I'm glad of it. Terence, He's a fine
lad. And if it can be done safely, I'll
try and put him on shore at Lord
HOwe's island or Norfolk island. But
if it can't be done, he'll have to come
on with us to CallaO, poor lad!'
Maybe we might meet with an Aus
tralian-hound ship after we pass Nor
folk island"
mo, not at all likely on the course
we are taking. We may very probably
see a few Yankee sperm whalers. but
l haven't the heart to put him aboard
whale ship, which might not put
into a civilized port for SIX months"
Tom appeared on the bridge.