Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-07-25

!.
The campstool was kicked into the
air. the wet canvas dodgers shed water
in streams. and Captain Owen Kettle
fell spread eagled on the planking Of
the bridge. From the hatch in the fore
deck before him had sprung a volcano
or rudy flame. spouting through vast
pillows of smoke. The iron plating
round 1t buckled and split, and the
whole steamer gave a trembling,
frightened leap. Presently from the
black. windy night above there fell an
teamer and the water round like can-
lister shot from a distant cannonade.
Then came a humping jar from the
engine room, repeated twice over, and
then the engines stopped. My God!"
thought Kettle. He's overshot the
mark. 1t she's broken down, we're done
for" But for all that he did not lose
for an instant his presence of mind or
instinct OF command. but picking him.
self up clapped a stumpy leaden whistle
between his lips and blew shrilly.
AT first no one answered his sum-
mons; From the forecastle. from the
%stokehold. ron aft, came the shin's
company. making by instinct for the
high land OF the bridge deck, and from
his eminence the little captain scowled
down upon them and swore. 1t is not
a wholesome sight to see grown men
screaming through sheer terror, and
the sooner they are ASSOCIATED either
by words or blows from this frame of
mind the more they will be able subse-
quently to respect themselves. BY dint
or a vinegar tongue and suggestive
movements toward a pair OF imple-
ments which bulged his jacket pockets.
Kettle drove a gang of five to set the
mizzen trysail to keep the steamer head
10 sea. She was rapidly losing her
way. and II she preached to beam on.
with thai heavy sea running, the lower
decks would be filled with green wafer
continuously, and that with such a
gaping rent where the hatch had been
meant simply a rapid swapping.
Then the captain looked around him
seemingly for a messenger. The mate
OF the watch hung on to the handle of
the engine room telegraph. which still
pointed to full speed ahead" looking
dazed and helpless. The quartermas.
ter's hands were mechanically saving
at the spokes of the wheel. but it was
equally evident that he also did not
Know what he was doing. Just her
Cambel raced up the bridge ladder
three steps at a time.
All" cried Kettle. NOW, you are a
man who can keep his head in a bit Of
a luster. and, by James. you're the
only n on board. Just tumble for
ward. will you. and get down into that
mold n see what's wrong"
nodded and turned IN %
without a word. From two or three Of
the men a thin cheer rose as he PASSED
them. and before he had ain tha
nottom OF the ladder on to the iron
lower deck half a dozen were On the
top rungs after him. Sailors viii sal
dofm refuse to follow when a superior
SHOWS the way. and besides these fol.
lows We're getting over their first manic
anu ware beginning to be ashamed Of
themselves Tor giving way to it.
me mizzen trysail was not then act
and because the steamers wav hod 1att
her sh" was falling or into the trough
ana rolling bulwarks under to every
sea. She was shipping water fast. Ths
Dreaming. solid masses sluicinr across
the d~eckplates smote the men breech
m,sn WIN the weight Of rams. and he
left his hold would have been 'swent
a cork to leeward. But by the
match coamings. the winches ana odS
Wet streamers OF rope they clawed their
way forward and covered round tho
great hoide made by the explosion.
~ av'a.mg mere by the edge Of the twist
ed riven plates. The seas creaned over
their heads. falling In noisy cascades
INTO he blackness below, n from
out or that darkness, above all tho haI-
lowing Of wind and the Changing Of
IRON the other din. came a solder
wn.atlihs OF water which seemed 10
confirm the worst fears. !"
! "Poh." said some one, trying tn ha
CHEEKY. that's only the small sun she.s
shipped since the matches were blown
on. The biige pumps'il o kick that
drop overheard" $50
o lie" said another. with a
weSry shake Of the head.
Then the Ink Of the heavens over.
head was splashed with : vivid fortr
OF lightning. and the men say Cambel.
Win MS face as white ~ his teeth'
towering himself over the bring and