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

| iron iniheddc1 in the granite. and ev.
cry wave. even in the comparative
moderation caused by the obstructing
wreck, swept at least twenty feet of. the
smooth stone tiers. 1t is this very fact
that prevents rock lighthouses from sell
dom If ever serving as refugees for ship
wrecked sailors. The ascending ladder
| Is SO exposed. the sea usually so tur-
buent under the least stress Of wind,
that no human being can retain hand
| hold or footing
Vt. there was one faint chance Of
succor, and it was not a sailor who
| grasped IT, The first that Brand knew
| of the desperate venture was the sight
of Il spectral man climbing up the
shrouds of the foremost On steamer.
whose yards are seldom used for sails.
the practicable rope ladder ceases at
| the fore. main or mizzcn top, as the
case may be. Thenccforwnrd a sailor
must climb with hands ANA feet to the
| truck. a fent which may occasionally
! be necessary when the vessel Is II
dock. It Is hardly ever attempted at
! sea.
! The vcnturcSomc Individual who thus
suddenly made himself the center Of
observation carried Il line with him.
Not until he cssHycd the second portion
of his pcrilous ascent did Brand realize
| what the other Intended to do. which
was nothing less than to reach the
truck, the very top of the mast, and en-
ueavor to throw a rope to the gallery.
And he might succeed. too-thnt was
the marvel of it. The taperng spar
came very near to them, perhaps
twelve feet distant. and the wind
would certainly carry the rope across
the chasm If carefully thrown. A few
strong and active men might use this
aerial ferry. We'll, better they than
none. Brave fellow, Would that the
Lord might help him.
Higher and nearer swung the stall
wart younCster. for none but a 1.-THE
and active boy could climb pole with
such easy vlgor. At last he reached
the truck, and n family heard cheer
from beneath mingled with the hyster-
zeal delight of Enid and Constance,
when, with legs twincd round the mast.
the fiat knob of the truck.
Here his face came into the lower
focus of the light-strong. clean shay
en-, clear cut features, Il square, de-
termined chin, two dark, earnest eyes
and mop Of rutfled black hair, for
his deerstalker cap had blown off ere
he cleared the spar deck.
E., Al, 81 1, \
him shout. The wind brought his voice
plainly, but evidently he could distin-
guish no syllable of Brands answering
hail:
"Shall l make fast"
Cant hear word" he cried. at
you can hear me hold hand up"
Brand obeyed.
Catch the line" he went on. at Is
attached to n block with n running
tackle. Haul in and make fast"
The megaphonC" shouted Brand tC
Constance. She darted away to bring
1t, and when the adventurer cinginp
to the foremost had thrown n coil sue
cessfully. Brand took the instrument.
"Why don't you come this way? The
others will follow" he beloved
"There are women and children
down below. They must be saved first
and they cannot climb the mast" was
the reply.
"All right, but send up couple OF
sailors. We are short handed here"
"Righto," sang out the other cheer
lily. though he wondered why three meI
should anticipate difficulty.
: Down he went Without waiting
; Brand and the girls hauled Justify Il
! the rope. 1t was no child's play Il
hoist a heavy pulley and several hun
dred feet OF stout cordage. More thai
: once they feared the first thin rop,
] would break, but it was good hemp
J and soon the block was hooked to tn
strong iron stanchions OF the railing
!, To make assurance dOubly sure, Bran,
told Enid to take several turns Of tn
: spare cord around the hook and tn
adjacent rails.
Meanwhile, Constance and he saw
: that the rope was moving through tn
{ pulley without their assistance Thel
through the whrling send beneath the.
made out an ascending figure clingin
to II. Soon he was close to the gallery
Catching him by arms and collar the
lifted him into safety. He was one O
D the junior officers. and Constance
. though she hardly expected 1t, exper
enced Il momentary feeling of disar
pointment that the first man to escap
> was not the handsome youth to who's
. cool daring some ut least of the ship
: company would owe their lives.
4 The newcomer was typical Briton.
! Thanks" he said. "Close shave
. Have you light? We must signf
: after each arrival"
e Enid brought the small lantern, an
i the stranger waved it twice. The rop
Q Travelled back through the pulley, an
this time it carried n sailor man, VIII
II said not one word, bat stopped to ii
Il his boot lace.
r GLOW many are LETT" inquire
u Brand of the officer.
e "AbOut eighty, all told. includin
/. some twenty women and children"
Q "All wet to the skini"
< eyes: some of them unconscious, pc
: haps dead
l. "Can you hold outT
s "Yes. A nip of brandy
= II will send some We must leay