Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1907-12-05

deckhouse roof Asain The five short
blasts as the starboard light turned
north beyond the pier. then was gone.
Here's hopin'." growled Billy as he
whirled the wheel over He was hang
ing on grimly. fer at times the tug
stood about on end. A sea smashed
oGs Of the pilot-house windows and
he fixed II as best he could by the dim
pinnacle light He dashed the wheel
to a course two points east Of north.
In the blackness be could see only the
white crests OF waves The painting OF
the tugs exhaust told him Kelly was
stoking like fiend and that O'Neil was
squeezing the last ounce out o. his big
engine. Is square. Ahead was black.
ness the maddened waters and the in
frequent fash 81 rockets.
Il was still dark when BILLY saw. as
the tug topped a great wave. a ships
light ahead twinkle a moment where
the whitecaps marked White Shoals.
At dawn he had a line to the derelict
and the great seven-inch hansen was
going TO her oversize. an hour later
they we're fast by the forward towing
posi-. II would be easy in such sea
10 trip on the hauser and turn turtle. .
or 10 be snatched by a great wave and
have the hauser break. The barge on
the shoal was an ore freighter loaded
10 the waters edge. a heavy tow
With his hand on the bell cord to
signal to O'Neil. Billy muttered:
Here's for Mary and better
He rang. the engines started. then.
crash Billy's Christmas wishes were
cut short: the tow post was gone and
water poured into the hole in torrents.
It was hours later when they got that
hansen again. when the tugs hoarse
whistle roared. All right. and the
below Of the stranded barge replied.
Il was dreary work and BsIly and the
crew we're gaunt with hunger and
WEAKNESS.
Again slowly in the teeth Of the
wind they went ahead. ierked tremen-
f0G,ly al intervals when the waves
snatehed the tow. When they were
getting into deeper water O'NeiTs en-
gines suddenly stopped. and ten min
utes later the barge had drifted back
70 the shoaL The eccentric had slip
ped. the tug was bur driftwood: bad
business in such 4 sea.
billy Noonan and O'Neii kent her
aaoat someway. and all the time Billy.
stiil clutching the wheel. was mutter.
Ing Of Mary and Christmas. he had
strange vagaries. but was still sane As
a skipper. When at last the frantic
hammering in the engine room ceased.
near evening Of the next day. they
were still near to the barge that was
pounding on the shoals. The sun
broke through the clouds. rcd sun
near to setting beyond the tossing va
tiers. the sunset Of Christmas eve.
II vas never clear how they got the
slow steel barge 70 move go fast once
they got her OF again. But in the
mitEight hours when s.. Nick. Kris
kriassl and all the Christmas fairies
were abroad on land. when the last
-, - .-e l'e loes 81. 2 ilder'.d
- No. Us o. s'oeAlnss II
'.-'i''' u'Aas Houles' me AIice Riley
deep whistle sounded OF the Charlie
'e'A t'e'- oap'- hlley SUI! sat before
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faint the ~his;le sounded nd. An r fis 1t,