The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-29

1 stared for a long time. 1t was
| the Algaroba, still on the sea, still
| struggling for life. ut is I said.
81 believe the captain stayed on her?"
he pursued.
J HE did"
Il think we'd better run down and
see if there's life aboard He alter
ed the steamers course.
The China stopped a half mile from
| the derelict. A boat was called away
and I asked to go in her.
We pulled out for the schooner. She
Law in that FURNISHED sea as if in
gony Her stern was all submerged
Her bows We're out, and the rake of
her masts indicated but few mo-
ments more of life. The officer in the
boat spoke to me. Il don't wonder
you quit her. he said. Looks to me
as if we'd have to be careful our
selves. There's no one alive there"
But we pulled on. We came up
within hundred yards. We yelled.
There was no response. A creamy sea
broke over her and the spume boiled
under our gunwale. We pulled closer.
And then -.
1 see it yet. The strong arm of the
jibboom thrust valiantly out Of the
ocean, the rags of the headsails beat
ing against it like a torn sleeve, and
far out on it, huddle that was not
gear. Another sea broke over the aft
er part\of the schooner and its weight
propelled the bows out in all their
vast bulk, their wooden strength grim
ly holding out that jibboom, as if for
the last time, final and resolute ges-
ture
We shouted in response to that durnb
call: The huddle on the soaring spar
stirred, disintegrated. A small, dark
arm was thrust out. We cheered.
Run her up, menu Numbered the of
f1cer. The boat sprang forward. A
sparkling wave lifted us, as man
lifts his son, up to that strong jib-
boom. The arm became two; a small
figure untangled itself from a piece
of rope. The wave slid from under US
and we dropped. We rose again, the
officer shouting. As we hung under
the dripping bows sailor drove his
arm out. Instantly there was a cry.
He thrust out his other arm, and
the small figure above us sprang into
life. It tugged wildly, it leaped with
incredible quickness over the rest of
the huddle while we painted in that
swinging boat. We dropped away a
third time. and the huge bows of the
Algaroba drove furiously out of the
sea that seemed determined to plunge
her under. Once more our boat rose
to the jibboom. A small body fell off
the spar. The sailor in the bows
caught it. 1t was a boy, thrust from
his dizzy perch by the little arms that
had held him so long. 1T was Peter!
Without an order the men surged the
boat under those towering bows again
and a brown, hairy body tumbled
among us. It sat feebly up in the
bottom of the boat and as we pulled
furiously away, turned white-lidded
eyes up to us. "A monkey" yelled one
of the men, {
The Twin padded weakly with a
blue paw, turning around on the
boards. He saw Peter curled up In a
Jacket between the officers knees He
stumbled to him. Peter stirred. A
shivering paw went trembling round
his neck and the Twins slept.
The liners officer swore deeply and
gently. He swung his boat round once
more We must get the skipper" he
said. A sailor pointed out toward the
schooner We stopped rowing. The
Jibboom was pointing straight to the ,
sky, as if suddenly fixed in an irrevoca-i
Bile gesture. shes going this time
said the officer, under his breath. With +,
the swiftness of a hand withdrawn the
)ibboom slid down into the sea, a rag !
Of headsail fluttered Whitley in fare .
well. The ocean was vacant except
tor the liner riding a mile to windward. te
The officer turned his gaze down on 4
The Twins at his feet. I'm sorry we
1ldnt get the old man. I wonder what !
became of him. He raised his ewes &
20 mine. as if hugely puzzled. Then
ne looked down again. AS he turned
he boats head toward the China he
ooked at me directly. He shook his !
head slowly. His breath came shortly. | !
inally. as if expressing the ultimate {
iouht of our life, half contemptuously, q
lalf in -"Huhr'
BE-