The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-06-15

ulu nate cOWdTu. -
"Have you got steam enough"
eyes, 100 pounds pressure to the
square inch. and she'll need il all"
"All right Cast her OFF," commanded
Duncan as he stepped TO his post In
the pilot house.
He knew, of course, that he was TAX
ing terrible risks. Having no pilots
license, he had no legal right to be at
the wheel Should disaster overtake
the tug he would be personally liable
for the insurance forfeited by his act
In taking her out in. contrayentiOn OF
the judgment of her captain and pilot.
Worse still. should any life be lost in
the adventure Guilford Duncan would
be held to answer for manslaughter.
Well educated lawyer that he was.
he knew all these facts. He perfectly
understood the fearful responsibilities
be was taking upon himself, yet he fall
tered not nor failed. There was no mo-
ment's hesitation in his mind There
were lives in peril up there in the bend
and vast property exposed to de-
struction. There was chance that by
taking these risks he might save both.
All that is best in the soul impulse of
the soldier was his inspiration. He
would do his duty-though that duty
was in nowise his except as he had
made it his-and let consequences look
out for themselves.
AS the tug quilted her moorings and
began her voyage up the river Duncan
caught a glimpse of Captain Hallam's
form hurrying toward the landing. Al
most Immediately the tug began 10
plunge in perilous fashion thrusting
her head under the waves and shipping
water enough to dalnpen the fires and
diminish steam pressure in a way that
threatened failure to the enterprise.
Failure in the work of rescue was
the only thing that Guilford Duncan
feared
He had already had the matches Sc
curely battened down SO that no water
could find its way into the hold, but
when he saw that water was rapidly
rushing with every sea into the fur
mace room threatening with extinction
the fires that could alone give power
TO the vessel. he called one of the deck
hands TO the wheel and instructing
him as to the course to be laid, himself
hurriedly inspected ship. With the aid
of the other deck hand he quickly re-
moved from bow to stern everything
that had weight Then he and the
deck hand and fireman, with some aid
from the engineer, proceeded 10 shovel
the coal supply from its bunkers for
ward of the fire room into the cap
tain's cabin aft of the furnaces.
This done, the tug no longer ran her
prov into and under the tremendous
seas, but rode over them instead, ship
ping no further water.
Then Duncan returned to the pilot
house and a few minutes later reached
the imperied fleet of coal barges.
There havoc had already begun.
Three barges had gone down, and two
men had been drowned. The rest Of
the barges were riding so uneasily that
their seams were opening, and the wa
ter that must presently swamp them
was finding its insidious way through
their sides and bottoms.
When the tug appeared all the men
on board the coal bargcs clamored
piteOusly TO be taken off at once.
"Stand to your duty, men, shouted
Duncan. Don't be towards. DO your
part Of the work, and Wen save all of
you and all the coaly Only obey orders
promptly, and I'll be responsible for
the rest. Go to the pumps and an
swer every command promptly"
He then ordered flaming torches kin
died on every barge, and in the light
thus created he was able to tow one
after another Of the coal boats into that
harbor of safety in which the tug cap
tain should have moored them during
the day before, the men meanwhile
pumping to keep the water down.
Then, with his clothing drenched and
frozen stiff upon him, he steered the
tug back to her landing place through
the now receding storm.
Kennedy, the tug captain, was there,
waiting AS Duncan came ashore Ken
nedy said menacingly:
eff / get my discharge for this I'll
prosecute you for plotting without a
license"
The ice incased and half frozen
young man made no reply. He sim
/ ply hurried ashore.
AS he mounted to the top Of the levee,
though it was only little after day
] light, Duncan encountered Captain
Will Hallam, who stood there waiting
| for him.
1 go to the hotel" said the employer.
1--WE ordered piping hot bath for you
there and blazing wood fire. There's
nothing like a wood fire after chill
| ing such as you've had. When you get
good and warm go to bed. When you
wake naturally telegraph TO the Office
for me, and We'll breakfast together.
! I've ordered the breakfast. The hotel
keeper thinks ii will bankrupt him or
make his fortune to furnish IL, but that
doesn't matter. Get warm and get
some sleep. Sleep as long as you can"
81 don't think | care for sleep" an
swered the half frozen and wholly ex-
hausted young man. But would you
mind sending Dutch John to me at the
| hOtell I'd like TO have him rub me