The Forrest City times., 1907-12-06

tne tug NhlSile blew four booming blasts in the darkness-"s strong ahead and five more that were Billy's fare well To Mary if she was awake-or cared She saw from her bedroom window the tug steam through the channel. sparks flying weirdly in the wind. out to the open lake where no light shone 10 mark the way for the go miles Of desperate tussle with waves that now at times buried the very deckhouse roof Again the five short blasts as the starboard light turned north beyond the pier then WAS gone.
 Here's hopin'.. growied Billy as he whirled the wheel over. He was hang ing on grimly, for at times the tug stood about on end \ sea smashed one of the pilot-hogse windows and he fixed it as best he could by the dim pinnacle light. He lashed the wheel to course two points east of north. In the blackness he could see only the white crests of waves The panting of the tugs exhaust told him Kelly was stoking like fend and that O'Seil was squeezing the last ounce out Of his big engine, 16 square. Ahead was black ness. the maddened waters and the in frequent flash of rockets.
 It was still dark when Billy saw. as the tug topped great wave. a ships light ahead twinkle q moment where the whitecaps marked White Shoals. At dawn he had q line to the derelict md ba ka, going to her oversde; an hour later they were fast by the forward towing post IL would be easy in such a sea to trip on the hauser and turn turtle, " or 10 be snatched by great wave and have the hauser break. The barge on the shoal was an ore freighter loaded 10 the waters edge, heavy tow.
 With his hand on the bell cord to signal to O'Neil, Billy. muttered . Here's for Mary and better
 He rang, the engines started, then. crash Billys Christmas wishes were cut short; the tow post was gone and water poured into the hole in torrents. It was hours later when they got that hauser again. when the tugs hoarse whistle roared. All right" and the below of the stranded barge replied. IL was dreary work and Billy and the crew were gaunt with hunger and weariness.
 Again slowly in the teeth of the wind they went ahead ierked tremen- dously at intervals when the waves snatched the tow When they were getting into deeper water O'Neirs en- zines suddenly stopped, and ten min utes later the barge had drifted back to the sheal. The eccentric had slip ped; the tug was but driftwood: bad business in such a sea
 Billy Noonan and O'Nell kept her afioat someway. and all the time Billy. still clutching the wheel, was mutter- ing of Mary and Christmas: he had strange yagaries, but was still sane as skipper When at last the frantic hammering in the engine room ceased, near evening of the next day, they were still near to the barge that was pounding on the shoals. The sun broke through the clouds. red sun near to setting beyond the tossing wa. ters, the sunset of Christmas eve.
 It was never clear how they got the slow steel barge to move so fast once they got her off again. But in the midnight hours when St Nick, Kris kringel and all the Christmas fairies were abroad on land when the last embers ot the yule legs smouldered cozily under lines of stockings in many, many homes, the Alice Riley s deep whistle sounded of the Charle- voix pier. Capt Riley still sat before his fireplace, waiting hopefully-as was his nature. But for the hundredth time he looked about the room at Mary's pitiful efforts at Christmas decorations. Suddenly he heard. faint but unmistakable, the bass call of the Alice Riley
 Instantly he picked up his crutch and rapped on the door of Mary $ room. So quickly did she appear sus. pieiously red-eyed but smiling. she must have been awake. too.
 Listen. he cried, holding up his hand.
 Boo-oo-oom boooo-oom boo-oo-oom' All right.
 Again, deep. full and growing less faint, the whistle sounded, An right. ]"
 That means a Christmas for all of us Mary, in spite of the fish"
 Then there came q succession of short. shalp toots and the captain stared perple1ed. With u twinkle he turned to Mary.
 Do you know what that means. Mary" he asked
 She flushed crimson. but before she put her arms about her father with hug that he understood she flashed her answer from the bow window with a lamp. The captain, smiling. for a long time sat looking al picture over the manteI the picture of her mother. Merry Christmas. he said to the pie tuee, very softly. T knew it would come
 Bfly brought it-and Billy had it. an unfo.getable Chrismas-with the Riley When at last he rolled in" with Kelly The fireman weli}d hay. his