The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-08-30
d SPEAKING
SILENCE
Y =. =: Y s.s

Up from the eastern horizon, where
midnight sea met starless January
sky. a sharp, silent, fiery line leaped
zenithward, until it ended in 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
matnmast of pilot schooner Number [.
which for four days and nights had
been cruising between Bulwark Shoal
and Halfway Rock.
Thirty seconds passed. Again, as
if 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.
Eames dropped into the little cabin,
where Pilot Somers was sleeping
soundly.
Turn out, Hem" he shouted.
Beats coming. I've just seen her
signals
Taking from a locker three rock
cts, 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.
Whish! Skyward shot the project
lie, drawing long trail of sparks.
At thirty-second intervals Eames
sent off the white and the red. hav-
ing thus replied to the approaching
liner, he glanced at the compass to
note the bearing of Western Head
Light, and went below for hot coffee
with the drowsy Somers, leaving the
wheel still "chalked" and the schoon-
er in charge of Lookout Zenas Horne.
Half an hour later, when the two
came on deck, the steamers lights
five 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
hurries harbingered a winter storm.
Larger and brighter shone the
lights, until beneath them loomed a
SAOoeAJ paw, WnIto-oACGLCu 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 a temporary af
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 cars
through choppy half-mile brought
them to MINDLESS haven under the
lee bow OF the Saxon.
Below there!" yelled a red-faced.
pea-jacketed officer behind the icicled
barrier above, and into the bottom of
the dory between the two rowers
wh1sked 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 up
the icy side
Get back to the schooner as quick
as you cam" 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
a 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 bull's-eye again and
Games jumped to his oars in the dark
ness. The breakage of his lantern,
although annoying, caused him no ser.
io;ls alarm. 1t would probably mean