The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-17
Our Daily Sport Story

I Nicola to some duty on the fore-top- | gallant yard. The Italian 1ooped a
 line about his neck and gripping a marline spike in his teeth climbed the weather rigging. Just as he swung 1 himself over the top he lost his hold and fell like plummet Into the sea- 1 Man overheard" yelled O'Neill, who
 was at the wheel and he flung a life buoy over the rail.
 The skipper was on deck in one jump.
 'Heave her to-" he shouted. Braces" came sharp and curt from the mate. and the men hurried to obey, casting glances aft.
 The brig was making good headway The wind was fair and Captain Newton was making all the use he could of it, having out studding sails and bringing her to the wind with all this canvas dying took time. Two men started to lower the boat, but it was full of wood and that took time. I glanced over the tafrail, and saw no trace of Nic- ola.
 Hes a goner." exclaimed MT. Buck.
 No. there he is," said sharp-eyed O'Neill, pointing over the lee quar- ter. and there, sure enough, was a black speck, the head of Nicola He was swimming but slowly and 1abori- ously.
 The brig had been brought to and the boat unloadad. when cry came from the pocp.
 Hi hi! Shark. see him. Abeam Was the triangular fin of a shark outing the water as 1t made straight course for Nicola. It's all up," muttered the mate; nothing can save him now" There was q splash, and to our as- fnDfSDDnpnt RPadH ha5 board and was swimming fiercely. He lay a course which must bring him between the sharp and Nicola.
 Gall darn it." snarled the captain; two men instead of one gone, and who'd have thought of Bradd going over the rail for the dago."
 l never saw a man swim as did Bradd. He seemed to grasp the water and pull himself along, but when our eyes fell on that ominous fieeting fin we felt it was merely the sacrifice of one mans life to save anothers. Hav- ing laid d right angled course, Bradd gained on the shark, which was swimming in straight line for the Italian and was a cables length ahead of the fish when he reached a line with the slowly swimming Nicola and then he seemed seized with convul- sions. He splashed the water with his hands and legs, reminding one of the actions of duck which has reached q pond after long, dry land journey. His motions were so violent that the sea frothed about him, and the sharp was evidently as surprised 1t these evolutions as was the crew of the Apollo Obviously they were not to his taste, for he darted off in an oppo- site directions. By this time he boat had been lowered and In q half hour both men were aboard the brig.
 T didn't think you were that big fool to risk your life for a dago who's hungry to put a knife in you," re- marked Ned. responsibility.
 "Eisk!" exclaimed Bradd; there wasn't any. If you'd been in the In- dian ocean you'd know the shark is the biggest coward that swims and any man can scare 'em off who makes a big splutter in the water. and then I hate the bloody things and I'll balk 'em of a meal any day"
 Not a word had Nicola spoken to any one since he had been brought on board, but now he came out of tt forecastle and approached Bradd. He held out to him the stilletto with the hilt towards hls enemy. I never saw such a grand gesture of utter surren- de as that. If the Italian had filled the air with an eloquent speech it could not have been half as impressive. Rough a g was Bradd, old beachcomber of twenty years he appreciated it.
 Keep your bloomin' knife he said. and the broad, freckled face broke into a smile ..-.-.-..-:. .-.>.--. .--.:--
 In that most monotonous and very dirty Brazilian town, Rio Graude do Sul two very drunken men walked arm and arm down towards the quay. One sang coster song in deep bass and the other in a screechy tenor a barcarole. They were BrIdd and Nieols, and the sea fued WIS at an end.