Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1907-04-04

# Va aAn Auoh ~ no uiunCh buouiu w
taken? What could he do?
With the opening days OF the fol-
lowing November Jerry occasioned Q
mild surprise by having the Aphro-
dite placed upon the gridiron. and
her hull canlked below the waterline.
and well pitched oil over. To have
attempted any more drastic treatment
Of her upper seams would probably
have produced disaster; they had
been too much scorched and drawn
By the sun to stand anything beyond
Q little tlnkering.
From the grid the Aphrodite went
back to her old lay.by and was once
more securely moored with her nose
pointing towards the surging waters
Of the Firth: and Jerry whiled his Idle
hours away In whistling for . breeze
from the land-something with just
touch Of east In Il
u was Q long time In coming, but
WIN Tie advent Of December the wind
suddenly swept round and the master
mariner laid . little note upon his sit
ting room table. 80 that. should his
venture cost him his life. there should
b 10 mystery about his end. no taint
lsft clinging to his name. and went
aboard the brig.
This was early In the afternoon.
and Il was not until long past mid.
night, when the tide had turned and
all suggestion OF life had vanished
from the quays. that he stealthily
climbed the foremost shrouds. Then
tho cables were slipped. and as the
Aphrodlte. at liberty once more.
bobbed and curtsied to the breeze. he
sprang to the tiller and damned II
hard down, finding, to his delight
that the vessel answered her helm al
readily a. in her days OF active serv.
loo.
Once more he was upon the sea, the
sea that he loved rs good man loves
his home, the sea that might even yet
be his windingsheet; and though his
ship was no better than q derelict, and
he stood alone upon her deck, his
back stiffened out. his chest expand
ed, the old fire flashed in his eyes.
and he was no longer old Jerry. the
CASTOR skipper. but Captain Jerry.
master mariner.
More than once during the next day
be decided that the moment for his
hnal stroke had arrived, but the spirit
Of the sea was calling him. the witch.
cry of the waters held him in thrall.
and he frightened his grip upon the
tiller and kept his ship steadily on his
course.
Just for q laal bit longer" he NUT
tered; a laal bit longer; it's for the
last time!"
Soon after the sun had dipped be-
meath the horizon, the wind began
to come in sharp, snarling puffs; into
the voice OF the sea there entered Q
new and angrier note. and the ship
rose and fell with quicker stride.
Then Jerry's hesitation vanished. and
after an anxious glance to windward
be disappeared down the cuddy.
For long the Aphrodite bored her
way through the kissing waters, with
no hand to guide her, no eye to see
for her; and when Jerry returned to
her deck, night had spread her pail
over sea and land. Jerry's face was
very white now, his features more
tightly drawn; in one hand he grasped
cleaning tool, and away deep be-
meath the vessels watesline there
we're two gaping wounds. through
which the sea steadily spouted.
THANK God it's Overt" no NUT
tered. wiping the clammy moisture
from his brow. Its been like muir
deri Now I'll stay as long a. ] dare.
an then be or"
Inch by inch the water rose In the
Aphrodite's hold. inch by inch mount
ed her hull, and with strident cry the
wind tore through her cordage. ana
far astern and In front. away to port
and to starboard, the myriad voices
of the sea mingled In their everlast-
ing anthem.
Lower and still lower. until her
decks were almost awash, and then
Jerry reused himself to action. Re
leasing the tiller. he seized the tow.
line looped over the stern, pulled his
dinghy under the counter. and with
choking cry Of "Guid-bye, old ship.
guid.bye!" he cast himself over the
aide and pushed on. A cables length.
and then he drew his oars across the
thwarts and with throbbing heart and
burniAg eyes watched the working OF
the last scene. He had not long To
wait.
Suddenly the light dipped and rose.
and dipped again: the mAsts ouivered
conyulsiveiy; thea Q maddened whtri
of watsrs, and both light and spars
plunged from eight
stoliGiy, dumbly ae spell Of a fear
ful fascination gripplng him. jerry
stsupsd his tiny mast snd hoisted his
sail. ana. like some heightened thing
the frail craft dsrtsd from the spot.
But even now the STERN winds had
broken from their leash and were In
hot pursuit, and fast thongh the little
boat iied through the nisht they traV-
So faster still. and ere the dawping
49,. - .vact fhrouah the cleft.