The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-02-15

Il
stout ropes buckled, but held. With
sharp cracking the stick broke short
of in the slings about twenty feet
from its tip, dropped down and swung
against the strangers quarter. sus-
pended by the topping-lift and swash-
ing sail. A moment later she was
swallowed by the darkness.
Captain Ben had little time TO con-
graduate himself on his escape. AS
he and Lombard peered after the
vanishing schooner, big roller.
sweeping down unperceived, broke
over the bow. The captain turned
| just ia time 10 see it hanging over his
| head. Dropping the AK, he clutched
at the bits with beth hands; cut the
briny deluge struck him in the breast.
and rolled him over and over down
the passage between tie "gurry-kids"
and the starboard rail.
He brought up against the break,
in the "slaughter-house," as it is
termed by fishermen. After some
scrambling, he managed to seize the
main part of the fore-sheet. which
hung coiled over the bits Of the fife
rail round the mainmast. The water
streamed off through the splintered
bulwarks. The captain caught his
breath and rubbed his eyes clear. A
hoarse yell came from the lookout:
Schooner dead ahead"
Out of the blackness beyond the
bowsprit lurched another Georges
man. The instant Treat set eyes on
her he knew that the crisis mad come.
She was drifting broadside on. with
no possibility OF passing to port or
starboard. Tho cable must be cut at
once. Every second was precious.
Letting go the fore-sheet, he start
ed to run forward. Again monster
sea was upon him before he realized
it. He made one vain grab at the
rail. The next second his legs were
knocked from under him, and he was
swept down a second time into the
slaughter-house.
In moment he had regained his
feet. His head was whirling from q
violent thump upon the deck; but he
was fully alive TO the situation. He
must recover his AK and cut the cable
Immediately. AS the sea rolled off,
he staggered forward along the slip
perry planks.
The Emeline pitched into the
I trough. 1t was an easy matter for
him to dart down the sloping deck to
the windlass. To his horror the AK
had vanished from the spot where he
had dropped it. He shot quick
glance about; il was nowhere TO be
seen The sea had washed it down
the deck, and possibly overheard!
The Sssooner rose to meet the COM
ing billow. AS it struck the bow, the
taut cable dwindled and sang out.
Beyond its curling crest rose the bare
poles Of the stranger. The next wave
would hurl her on top Of the Emeline.
From the fore-gaR Lombard had
helplessly watched his commander
searching for the ak. He was too
realize the catastrophe that impend-
ed Painfully he scanned the wet
planks which sparkled in the dim lam
tern-light. Halfway down to the
break his eye detected the glitter OF
steel. 1t was the AK. lying close to a
stanchion, and all but swept over
board by the last sea,
The lookOut's cry rose above the
tempest.
I There, cap, there" he screamed.
J Captain Ben's eyes followed the
pointing hand. In less than five sec
onds his fingers were locked round
the helve. He turned, and darted
toward the windlass.
The Emeline was tugging at her
cable in the trough, headed straight
for the drifting schooner, which
seemed to the captains Mortified gaze
to be hanging right over him.
The sea hurled the stranger for
ward. The bowsprit OF the Emeline
rose. It's tip was not ten feet from
the other hull. A moment more, and
the crash would come; and both
would go down together.
Just then the captain swung the
ak aloft. Down hurtled the keen
blade through the hempen strands
where they ground on the whelps OF
the windlass,
The cable parted. It's short end
whipped the deck; the other whisked
through the hawse-pipe quicker than
eye could follow. The vessel, freed
at last from the bond at which she
had tugged all night. shot back a full
hundred feet as the heavy sea struck
her bow, fiinging Captain Ben on his
face, while the stranger settled harm
lessly into the place she had left!
After her first wild leap the Eme.
line swung broadside TO the gale, and
as she was more lightly loaded than
the other, gradually drifted out oi
sight of her. The crew, who all night
I'm forecastle and cabin had been
ready for a sudden call, soon hoisted
two-reefed foresail In a few min.
utes they got steerage way, scudded
thirty miles off the Banks, and hove
IL. 10. rtg