The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-01-11


move the screws. The steps could be
lifted bodily into the 6ervice room and
there utilized to sealthe well.
"What a bowling menagerie will
break loose here when they find OUT
thought Pyne. ITS hard thing to
say, but we ought to have the door
open. Quite stack of folks will need
to be pitched outside"
A comforting reflection truly, yet his
face bore no Token thereof as he join
ed the lighthouse keeper and several
of the ChjAook's officers and men on
the gallery.
The wind had shifted another couple
of points to the north, and the sea,
apart from the reef, was running in Il
heavy unbroken swell That was the
tantalizing part of it. Any ordinary
ships boat, properly managed, could
live in perfect safety in the open.
But the iron toothed reef, with its
tortuous channels and battling currents
changing with every stage of the tide
surrounded the pillar with an appar-
emily impossible barrier. while the
lighthouse itself offered as frowning a
front as any of the black rocks which
reared their weed covered crests at
low water.
Signals were being exchanged be-
tween the gallery and the Trinity tend
err. Brand seemed to be very emphatic
in his answers to the communications
made to him by Stanhope.
''No, no. he muttered aloud, while
the anxious man near him wondered
why he was so impatient.
ut is utterly impossblew he said
again. mo boat can do it. Some one
should stop him. 1t means certain loss
of life"
At last, becoming aware that his
companions could not understand what
was going on. he turned to them with
passionate explanation
THAT brave fellow Stanhope says
that, with two others at the oars, he
intends to row near enough to the rock
at half food to endeavor to spring on
to the ladder. cannot persuade him
that no man has ever yet succeeded in
such mad project. Look below and
see how each wave climbs around
eighteen or twenty feet of the base.
The thing is wildly impracticable. He
will be swept off and smashed to pieces
before our eyes even if the boat es-
capes."
IF the boat can come near enough
for that purpose, couldn't we heave a
line aboard her?' asked one of the
ships officers.
I'VE can try. / shall signal them to
that effect Anything is better than to
sanction an attempt which is foredoom-
ed to failure and must result in the
death Of the man who tries It,"
Thereupon more energetic flag wav-
ing took place. Finally Brand desisted
In sheer evaporation.
II cannot convince him." he cried.
HE has made up his mind. May the
Lord preserve him from a peril which
l consider to be mortal oner
Has he put forward any theory?"
asked Pyne. 'He was doing a lot of
talking
Yes" explained Brand. HE be.
Iieves that strong boat rowed to the
verge of the broken water might watch
her opportunity and dart in close to the
ladder on the back wash of big wave.
allowing its successor to lift her high
enough for an active man to jump on
10 the rungs. The rOwers must pull for
heir lives the instant the wave breaks
md leave him clinging to the ladder as
best he can. There is more chance of
success in that way, he thinks. than in
rying to make fast line thrown by
even If it fell over the boat. 1t is
question Of time, he argues, and |
failed to convince him that not
y he but his companions will be
e."
Is there no chance?" inquired the
eond officer.
Look below" repeated Brand hope
ly, and indeed, when they obeyed
craning their necks over the rail
xamine the seething caldron from
n the granite tower tapered up to
no man could say that the light
keeper deplored Stanhope's de-
without good reason.
y understood matters little bet
,rhaps, when, one by one, they re-
1.-THE lantern, the Falcon having
way to make her final prepare
Srand asked them not to make
he nature of the pending under
thought II would do any good to
iffering people l would gladly
EN- enlivened by the news" he
Il confess, however expect
but disastrous failure-and-
men ~ Lieutenant Stanhope Is
ally engaged to- be married to
nv daughters"
was TO be said? They quilted
the silence that was the dom
note of their lives gust then,
alone remained. He wondere,lJ
ne man should BE "a v to~-r
so much
- OF thos
~