Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-08-04
Driving Her Along

Copyright, 1905, by Homer Spraguel
Captain Kegs was fifty years old
the day that the steam collier Arab
finally limped into the port OF London
after the longest and most tempestuous
voyage she had ever made and during
which she had come close to founder
ing several times. When the ca tain
went UP to the Office to report he found
a new man at the desk Bliss tie elder
had died, and Bliss the younger Lal
taken his place. He was d man of
twenty three, who lad just LETT cricket
and college and lie Of Go nothing
and lie hlu come into the firm to teach
it how to Go business. He was waiting
for Captain keggs.
MIR. Bliss, we have had the worst
gale for ten years back \ part OF the
time the Arab was actually driving
astern with every pound OF steam tie
boilers could bear"
What the boat evidently needs is 4
new captain and engineer"
But 10 man can do better than his
best, sir, and it was touch and go with
her half dozen times Oh this trip.
Some Of the big liners waited a day
before going OUT
Il want no excuses from you or any
other employee of this firm exclaimed
the young man as he brought his fist
down on tie desk IF the old one was
in business for the fun Of the thing.
the new Gle isn t. have been looking
Up the record Of the Arab for tie las
two years, and I find that YOU haven't
made your time once where you have
dawGled along twenty times. There
has Got to be a change. If you have
got too Old to make time III get a
younger man."
"Yes, Sit" replied the old captain as
be turned pale and swallowed at the
lump in his throat
''The weather will be no excuse after
this The Arab will either come in Oh
time or YOU get your ticket. | don't
care a farthing for gales or fogs. She's
got to be pushed She's got to be load
ed right down to the mark and driven
through everything. You can talk il
over with the engineer. That's ALL
rs the son Of his father a fool or a
lunaticw exclaimed the engineer when
he had been told what time was to be
allowed the collier for her future trips
"To make that time we'd want a mill
pond Of sea all the way to Newcastle
and back, and then the engines would
be jumping out of her or shaking them
selves to pieces. Is there no allowance
for gales or fogs?'
"None whatever"
'But there are laws to compel US to
half speed for fogs."
'"They are not to be minded. You are
a single man and can so, but I've got 4
family and am in debt and must stay
on"
"And you know what it means?
Captain Kegs nodded his head and
sighed and made no answer.
I'm sorry to leave you," said the
other after a time, and, holding out his
hand, "but I'm not ready for a voyage
to the bottom of the sea yet"
The way the Arab was overloaded
and the recklessness with which she
was driven were too much even for
the dock rats She put out Of port in
the face of the heaviest gales, and she
ran at full speed in the densest fOgs,
and her captain stood on the bridge
and silently prayed to heaven. A dozen
times in six months he escaped COLI
sion by the narrowest margin. On one
occasion tho other craft made out the
name Of tia Arab and reported her t.
the board The board warned Captain
Keggs that if he did not heed the law
his certificate would be suspended. He
went to young Bliss with the notice.
and the latter scowled and said:
You ought to be discharged on the
spot! When running through q fog
haven't you got brains enough to teach
you to cover up the name of your
bOat?"
Six full months had passed away
when a November night came howl
ing down to catch the Arab9of Fam
borough Head on her way to the
Thames. Night brought a rough sea
and a fog us thick. as cheese. There
were a hundred craft sailing that
route, COLII1i5 anu S5OlIl9, anu NACAI OH
things had been blotted out Of sight
CAPTAIN Kegs stood Oh the bridge in
his dripping oilskins and communeG
with himself:
eve a full months pay due me, and
that clears UP the last dollar Of debt
The Lord has been very good to me
humble mariner that l am, and l cant
- TO
night the family can't he turned adrift,
but I'm praying that the loss Of life
may be small II it wasn't asking too
much. I'd ask that it would be only me
and that the others might have q show.
If we should strike a big steamer with
hundreds of passengers aboard, them
A long and lonesome blast Of the col
liers whistle broke in on his s0lilOQuy.
There were other whistles blowing and
hams footing around him Other yes