Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-09-11

I a SPEAKING !
I SILENCE !
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Up from the eastern horizon, where
midnight sea met starless January
Sky, sharp. silent, fiery line leaped
zeRithward. until it ended in a burst
Of flaming blue balls. The portent
caught the watchful eye of Boat.Keep.
er Silas Eames. busy over the halyard.
coil In the spray-iced box abaft the
mainmast of pilot schooner Number 1.
which fer four days and nights had
been cruising between Bulwark Shoal
and Halfway Rock.
Thirty seconds passed. Again, as
1t traced on the black arch by an in.
visible pencil. the thin line burned;
this time it burst in white. Thirty
seconds more and the signal appeared
In red. 1t was the familiar rocket
code of the Allan line, and intimated
the approach Of the long-expected
Saxon.
Games dropped into the little cabin,
whore Pilot somers was sleeping
soundly.
Turn out. Hen!" he shouted.
Boats coming. I've just seen her
signals"
Taking from locker three rock
ets, papered respectively red, white
and blue. he returned to the deck.
leaned the blue against the V.shaped
staples near the binnacles and lighted
the fuse. 3.,s
Whish! Skyward shot the project.
lie, drawing a long trail of sparks.
At thirty-second intervals Eames
sent OF the white and the red. hay.
Ing thus replied to the approaching
liner be GLANCED at the compass to-
note the bearing of Western Head
Light, and went below for hot cones
with the drowsy Somers, leaving tho
wheel still "chalked" and the schoon.
or In charge of Lookout Zenas Horne.
Half an hour later, when the two
came on deck. the steamers lights
hve miles away sparkled red and
green through the night.glass. A
strong breeze from the north had roll
ed up heavy sea, and whistling snow.
nurries harbingered winter storm.
Larger and brighter shone the
lights, until beneath them doomed a
shostly PROV, white-sheeted with ice.
Then from the lee of the liners bridge
blue fare told she had slowed down
to await her pilot.
Eames had already placed lighted
lantern in cleats on temporary at
terthwart of the dory, which was now
swung over the rail. He sprang
aboard and held the boat for Somers.
"A stout pull with two pairs of oars
through a choppy half-mile brought
them to a MINDLESS haven under the
lee bow of the Saxon.
Below there!" yelled red-faced.
pea-jacketed officer behind the icicled
barrier above. and into the bottom Of
the dory between the two rowers
whisked rope coil. Somers grabbed
It, and paid the boat back, until she
was under the ladder end amidships.
He then took two or three turns With
the line about the bowcleats, while
his companion shipped an oar in the
scull-hole astern.
Watching his chance. the pilot seiz-
ed the man-ropes and scrambled IN
the Icy side.
Get back to the schooner as quick
as you can" he shouted to Eames. A
sailor on the bow Of the Saxon drop.
ped the rope overheard, and the dory
was free.
As the boat-keeper sheered away
from the side of the steamer, bulls
! eye right above suddenly opened with
cheerful burst of talk and laughter.
The occupants of some stateroom
were celebrating their approach to
! port. Out whirled an empty pickle
bottle. and dropped squarely on the
lantern, smashing the globe to flinders
and putting out the light
The unconscious mischief-doer with.
In closed the bulTs-eye again and
Eames jumped to his oars in the dark.
ness. The preakage of his lantern,
although annoying, caused him no ser
eious alarm. It would probably mean
longer row, however. for he now had
no means of attracting the notice of
the pilot-boat. He had plenty OF
matches, but without a globe his Ian
tern was useless.
Az he nassod o,,f FROM fba ,h,it.,