Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-26
CHAPTER XVIII.


 east or northeast always at a
 brisk breeze and freshening
 sometimes into half Q gale. The Golden Rod sped merrily upon her way, with every sail drawing allow and aioft, so that by the end of the third week Amos and Ephraim Savage were reckoning out the hours before they would look upon their native land once more
 Tomorrow we should make land by my reckoning" said Captain Savage.
 "Ah, tomorrow! And what will f. be- Mount Desert, Cape Cod. Long Is land?"
 Nay, lad; we are in the latitude of the St. Lawrence and are more likely to see the Acadia coast. Then. with this wind, day should carry us south, or two at the most. A few more such voyages, and shall buy myself fair brick house in Green lane of north Bos- ton, where l can look down on the bay or on the Charles or the Mystic and see the ships comin' and goin'. So would end my life in peace and quiet"
 The mates watch that night was from F to 4, and the moon was shin ing brightly for the first hour of it. h the early morning. however, 1t cloudea over, and the Golden Rod plunged ill. to one of those dim, clammy mists which lie on all that tract of ocean. So thick was 1t that from the poop one could just make out the loom of the foresail, but could see nothing of the foretopmast staysail or the jib. The wind was northeast. with very keen edge to 1t, and the dainty brigantlre lay over. scuddlng along with her Ice rails within hands touch of the water It had suddenly turned very cold-so cold that the mate stampedN up and down the poop. and his four seamen shivered together under the shelter of the bulwarks. And then in moment one of them was up, thrusting his fore finger into the air and screaming while huge white wall sprang out of the darkness at the very end of the bowsprit. and the ship struck with q force which snapped her two masts like dried reeds in wind and changed her in an instant to a crushed and shapeless heap of spars and wreckagc. The mate had shot the length of the poop at the shock and had narrowly escaped from the falling mast, while of his four men two had been hurled through the huge gap which yawned in the bows. while third had dashed his head to pieces against the stock of the anchor. Tomlinson staggered forward to find the whole front part of the vessel driven inward and a sin gle seaman sitting dased amid splin- tered spars. Tapping sails and writh- ing. flashing cordage. It was still as dark as pitch. and, save the white crest of leaping wave, nothing was to be seen beyond the side of the yes scl The mate was peering round him in despair at the ruin which had come so suddenly upon them. when ha found Captain Ephraim, at his elbow. half clad, but as wooden and serene as ever.
 "An iceberg said he. sniffing at the chill air. Did you not smell 1t, friend Tomlinson"
 Truly I found 1t cold, Captain Say age. but set it down to the mist"
 There Is a mist ever set around them, though the Lord In his wisdom knows best why. for 1t is sore trial to poor sailor men. She makes water fast, Mir. Tomlinson."
 The other watch had swarmed upon deck, and one of them was measuring the we'll. There Is three feet of wa ter" he cried. "nnd the pumps sucked dry yesterday"
 "Hiram Jefferson and John Moreton. to the pumpsv cried the captain. "Mr. Tomlinson, clear away the longboat and let us see If we may set her rIght.~
 "The longboat has stove two planks!' cried Q seaman.
 'The jolly boat, thenw
 "She is in three pieces"
 "where Is Amos Greenf'
 Here. Captain Ephralm. What can do!"
 And IF" asked De Catinat eagerly. Adele and her father had been wrap- ped in mantles and placed for shelter in the lee of the roundhouse.
 "Tell him that he can take his spell at the pumps" said the captain to Amos. Ard you. Amos. you are a haudy man with tool. Get into yon- der longbost with lantern"
 For half an hour Amos Green ham, mered and trimmed and calked-
 "You've not much time. Amos lad" said the captaln quietly.
 She'll float now. though she's not quite water tight"
 "very good Lower away. Keep up the pumping there Mir. Tomlinson. see thst provisions and water are ready. as much as she will hold. Come with me. Hiram Jefersor.-
 The seaman and the captain swung themselves down into the tossing boat. tBc latter with lantern strapped to his waist. Together they made their vay until they were under her man e]cd bows. The captain shook hIs head when he saw the extent of tha dam age. Cut away the foresaIl etv pass it oyer." said hc.
 TomIinso1 and Amos Green cut away tbe 'iashlnxs with their knfvse and lowered tbe corner of the sail Cnp-