Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-15


tantall3ing part of it. Any ordinary
ships boat, properly managed, could
live in perfect safety in the open.
But the iron toothed reef, with It's
tortuous channels and battling currents
changing with every stage Of the tide.
surrounded the pillar with an appar-
entity impossible barrier, while the
lighthouse itself offered as frowning Il
front as any OF the black rocks which
reared their weed covered crests at
low water.
Signals We're being exchanged be-
tween the gallery and the Trinity tend
er. Brand seemed to be very emphatic
In his answers to the communications
made to him by Stanhopc.
no. no." he muttered aloud, while
the anxious man near him wondered
why lie was SO impatient
1T Is utterly impossible." he said
again. "No boat can do it. Some one
should stop him. It means certain loss
of life"
At last, becoming aware that his
companions could not understand what
was going on. he turned to them with
passionate explanation.
"Th2t brave fellow Stanhope says
that. with two others Mt the oars. he
intends 10 row near enough to the rock
at half flood to eudcavor to spring on
to the ladder. | cannot persuade hia
that no man has eyer yet succeeded il
such mad project. Look below and
see how each wave climbs around
eighteen or twenty feet OF the bose.
The thing is wildly impyactica'le. H.
will be swept OF and smashed to pieccS
before our eyes even il the boat cs-
capes."
"lf the boat can como ne2" en0ueh
for that purpose. couldn't we heavc q
line aboard her?" asked one OF the
ships officers.
I'VE can try. l shall signal them to
that effect. Anything Is better than to
sanction an attempt which is foredoom
cd to failure ana must result in the
death of the man who tries IT.
Thcreupon more energetic flag way
ing took place. Finally Brand desiste1
IN sheer evaporation.
Il cannot convince him. he cric',
'He has made w HE mind May tie
Lord preserve HIM from Il peril which
consider % BE- Q mortal one.'
"IIas he pvt forward any theory"
asked Pync. lie was doinG lot If
talking"
Yes" explained Frand. "IIe la.
lieves that a strong boat rowed to thu
verge of the broken water might watch
her opportunity ana dart in close to DIE
ladder on the back wash OF n big wave
allowing its successor 10 LIT her hior
enough for an active man to jump Oh
| to the runEs. The rowors must pull for
| their lives the instant the wave breaks
and leave him clinGlM- 10 the ladder as
best lie can. There is moro chance Of
success in that way. he thinks. than N
trying 10 make fast line thrown hy
US even IL it fell over the boat. It ie
all question Of time, he argues. and
have failed to convince him that MOI
only lie but his companions will T.,
! lost
Is there no chancc:" inquired Inc
second officer
Look below" repeated Brand hope
lessly, ~ indeed, when they obeyod
| him, cralsxg their necks over the rail
TO examine the scethng caldron from
which the granite tower tapcred up to
them, no man could say that the light
house keeper deplored Stanhopcs Do
cision without good reason.
They understood matters little bet
ter perhaps, when, one by enc, they rs
| entered the lantern, the Falcon havlnC
| fitted away to make her final prepare.
tons. Brand asked them not to mako
| known the nature of the pending under
| taking
IF | thought it would do any good "a
the suffering people would gladly
SCI them enlivrEcd by the news" he
| said. Il confess, however, expec;
nothing but disastrous failure-and-
gentlemen - Lieutenant Stanhope /;
practically engaged to be married to
| one OF my daughters"
| What was to be said? They quilted
| him in the silence that was the dom
| inant note OF their lives just thea
| pyne alone remained. He wondered
| W iy ouc IllUIl sIOlll bc vi 10
| endure so much
| Though each Of those present on the
gallery was loyal to Brands sOrrowful
request, it was impossible to prevent
Others from seeing that something of
exceptional interest was in progress
ahoat and on the rock.
Brand did not know that the officials
Of the Trinity house had only agreed
10 help StHnhope's hazardous project
under conpulslon. The sailor inform.
| ed them that lie was determined to
carry out his scheme with or without
their assistance. SO when the Falcon,
the tender and II strong tug hired by
Mr.. Trail roslnded the distant earn du
headland at II o'clock the lighthouse
keeper felt that further protest was
unavailing. 1t behooved him to tax"
oil possible measures to help the meu
who We're about to dare so much to
help him.
In the first place, he caused rope
to he swung from the gallery to the
doorway. If any doubt were enter
tanned as to the grave risk attending
Stanhope's enterprise it was promptly
dlspelled by the extreme difficulty met
with in accomplishing this compare
lively simple task. Even heavy
piece of wood slung to the end of the
| Oipaty odd foat re corI paraccarv 1jd