Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09

hand had been employed since the beg
the season, Captain Alec Forbes had been
obliged to accept the leavlngs of the
sailor boarding house, to take the sweep
ings of the wharf, the refuse of the harbor.
Pettibone's promise as to wages had fur
Their made the securing of good material
impossible. Such pay as Forbes offered
could prove an inducement only to the
veriest incompetents and ldlers. From
the first mate, who had served a term
in the penitentiary, to Hughey the wheel
man, whose worst fault was inability to
stick to a job, the officers were little
better than the men. With one accord
those watching the departing Waukegan
had agreed that no such company of
vagab bonds was collected in one bottom
in the upper or lower lakes.
Hughey observed the crowd Of latter
donations which issued from the hatch
way with perfect understanding and COM
plete disa pprova1 The devil shouldn't
have risked so many of his own out
on one trip" he remarked. If anything
happened, he'd lose those he needed on
earth and there'd be too heavy rush
on his home"
Forbes labored manfully. To the best
of his ability he had striven to create
order and obtain decent service from
the riffraff at his disposal. The work
was heartbreaking, and now with promise
of such a gale as was threatened, he
stood in the canvas screened lookout on
the pilot house with care marked brow.
Not a mans good for anything not
one of ems more fit than the Waukegan
itself" he said to his wheelrnan Except
you, Hughey, and Raitt who understands
an engine better than any man holding
a certificate, only he's as likely to see
snakes as the hands of the steam gage"
An no picnic weather in sight,
Hughey observed as he peered out over
the rising pillows.
The Waukegan's always been a fail
ure, an I've always been a failure, an
we're living up to our regulations.
"Nothin's happened so far.
"Wait!" warned Forbes ominously
Suddenly blast with all the cold and
strength of the sweep from the Arctic to
give it power took the two men square1y.
Accustomed as they were to hand to
hand tussles with the elements, they
bent and covered before it. They raised
their heads, to find binding furry of
snow beating down on them, blotting OF
of the horizon, and for a moment even
the steering pole. Only vaguely could t
few fathoms of steely, slippery waves.
Steadily, motionless, with fixed eyes, t
as the mounting surge beat against til
gan's bow. The moments passed uncount
ing the hour
whats that" demanded Forbes sudd
In an unexpected hull of the storm the
of heavy bell struck their dulled ears
where the sound came from in the tumul
order was difficult. The two hearke
trained attention.
"Of the starboard BEAM" Forbes vent
Rapidly as he spoke, with one of the
changes of the rising tempest the thick
vapor was drawn aside. Laboring in the
the sea, not three lengths Of the Waukes
was a great dull, dark mass.
Somebody's tow broke 1oose!" criee
with quick comprehension.
And blowing straight toward the shore
exclaimed.
In an instant his hand had caught at II
the engine room telegraph. The followin,
he was Juggling at the cord of the whis
deep hoarse call doomed through the silen
down the ladder he struck the eight str
call that brings all hands tumbling on
warning of impending disaster-on the
tocsin of the texas. Next he raced the full