The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-04-03


rain laundering on the roof overhead
and rafting against the windows.
While he was dressing he heard
voices In the road below and, opening
the window, saw Jim Rogers, the fish
peddler, sitting In his wagon with the
rain sluicing from the peak of his SOU
wester and carrying on a shouted con-
Tersation with Mrs. Baker.
'What did you say twas, Mr.. Rog
srsT screamed the old lady, speaking
through the closed blinds of her cham
Der window.
"The Freedom-blg six masted coal
barge She's high and dry on the
Razorback. Hawser parted. The tugs
tryln' to git her or now, but Cap'n
Knowles telephoned Sam Hardy that
'twan't no use'
Bradley didn't hear the last part OF
the conversation. He struggled into
his clothes, and then, putting on his
ollskins, ran out OF the house and down
the road.
Bradley's objective point was the
postOfice. He wanted to see Hardy
and learn the particulars, but Captain
Titcomb was there before him. They
met at the door. The captains eyes
were shining.
"Come on, Bradr he said. Il was
Jest goin' to send for you. know all
about it,"
He told the story as they walked to
the wharf in the pouring rain. 1t was
as Rogers had said. The great barge,
| twin sister Of the Liberty, was on her
way from Boston to New York under
tow. The storm had come up unex-
pectedly, and the hawser had parted.
Now she was fast on the Razorback
shoal.
"Crlmusteew exclaimed the captain.
won't she be a job! Brad, Brad, IL
you and me could only have the
chance"
Alvin Bearse, who boarded nowadays
at the house of a relative in Orham,
was already on board the Diving Belle
when the partners reached her.
"Shes hard and fast for sure" NUT
tered Captain Tltcomb when they
reached the hulk. Five thousand
tons Of coal inside Of her and this
no'theaster drlvln' her farther on
every minute. swan to man. Brad,
she's there for awhile! No tug-nor
three tugs, furs that goes-can haul
her off Member what said when the
Liberty come so near landin' where
she is? It's an anchor and cable job,
and we can do that as we'll as anybody
and cheaper than the big fellers. II
they'll only let us try! By crimustee,
they've got to-"
That evening the train brought rep
resentatives of three large wrecking
companies to Orham. The younger
Mr.. Cook came also The partners saw
him, but he would give them no sat
| isfactiOn. you must come to Boston
| tomorrow IL you want to bid" he said.
"But tell you frankly, price isn't the
only thing-we must be satisfied that
| the job can be carried through" 1t
was evident that he didn't believe they
could handle It.
But Bradley and the captain were
certain they could handle it If the
chance was given them. Seventy men,
at least. would be needed, and to house
and feed them was the problem. The
Boston Salvage company had lighters
and barges for this purpose and they
had not. But there was the big shanty
at the Point, the one in which the pic
mic had been held. Thirty men had
lived and slept there before. By build
ing new hunks and singing hammocks
twice that number at least could find
room. The rest must occupy other
shanties or come up to Orham at night
The partners schemed and figured I'M
til nearly o'clock in the morning.
One of them must go to Boston that
day. The captain said Bradley ought
to 20 because Cook knew him, but the
junior partner didn't agree.
"You go, Cap'n Ez," he said, with
decision. You're a better bargainer
than l am, and it'll take a good talker
and clever trader to land this job in
the face of the competition. Go, and
good luck be with you'll"
So the captain went on the first train.
He promised to telegraph as soon as a
decision was reached.
But no telegram came that day. All
the next forenoon Bradley hung about
the station waiting. The noon train
arrived; no captain, and still no word.
He determined to wait until the even
ing train arrived, and then, If the cap
tain didn't come to telegraph. But the
first man off the train was Captain Tit
comb.
Didn't get 1t, heyT' asked Bradley.
"Oh, got it, Yes, got It'll Now.
don't ask any more questions here.
Come on down to my ROOM"
He was silent all the way to the
Travellers Rest and, for a man who
had just secured the greatest contract
of his business life, seemed strangely
downcast. When they reached the
room he locked the door and threw his
overcOat and hat on the sofa.
We'll" he said slowly, II made Bos-
ton all right and stood for Cook &
Sons under full canvas. hailed the
young squirt with the hay on his upper
lip and asked him if the old man was
in. What do you want to see him