The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-24

the money they lent on the Divin' Belle
they must risk enough to pay for that
tug. I'm goin' now
But you've been up all night. Lei
me GO You turn in
Turn in be burned. I'd sleep about
as sound as an eel on a perch hook
/ can turn in when l can't do anything
else. Goodby. Put in your spare time
prayfn' for me, will your
He went to Wellmouth. saw the peo-
pie at the bank and. as he said. talk
ed from his boots up" At Il O'Clock
of the following day the little tug put
in an appearance. She got a grip on
the Freedoms bow and pulled with the
tide.
The expected gale did not come that
day, but the next afternoon the sky
was overcast, and the sun disappeared
behind angry clouds. 1t was blowing
fresh when Bradley. worn out. went
to his berth at 8 O'Clock. He had
fought against going at all, but Cap
tain 1itcomb said: Put in an hour or
two anyway. I'll call you if you're
wanted"
He called him before the second hour
was up. Come on deck. Brad" he
cried excitedIy. THAT u'easter's on
the road, and it's backin' up the big
gest tide ever 1 saw. 'Tain't high
water till 2, but she's pretty nigh rs
high as usual now"
The junior partner hurried on deck.
The wind was singing in the rigging,
and the waves were rushing past the
barge. slapping furiously at her as
they passed. The night was a dead
black. and the surf on the ocean side
OF the Point doomed like heavy artil-
lery
1--WE sent ashore for the day shift. "
said the captain. We've got TO make
our fight now. Looks as If twas our
last chance, and mighty slim one"
The dories brought the tired men
from the beach. They had worked
hard all day, but they were ready to
work still harder now. They realized
nst, one way or announcer, TINS was ue
end of the big job.
The little tug, bouncing up and down
on the waves, was throwing her whole
weight on the tow line. Alvin Bearse
stood by the donkey engine ready to
take in every inch of the cable. The
partners were in the bow. The buckets
were flying from the hold.
"She gained a heap last tide" muir
INJURED the captain. This extry high
water and the waves ought to help
her like fun. But I'm 'fraid 'twon't be
enough, and tomorrer the sou'easter III
land with both feet
Waiting was the hardest thing. A
half hour seemed longer than an or
binary day. The wind gained in force
little by little. The tide crept up the
barge's side. At / o'clock 1t was far
higher than it had ever reached before.
and so powerful was its rush that the
huge hull Quivered in its grasp. The
water, seen by the lanterns light, was
the color Of chocolate, streaked and
marbled with lines and eddies of foam.
Half past 1. The captain put his
watch in his pocket and wiped his fore
head.
"I know how it feels when you're
waitin' to be hung" he observed.
Thirty minutes for the firm to live.
Brad; them
A mighty blow from a wave, a trem-
BILE and then roll The lanterns in
the rigging spun around In circles. The
men on the deck and below fell in
heaps. The Freedom lifted. straight
ened and then began to rock in her
cradle. The cables sagged into loops.
Their silent partner, the tide, had
come to the firms rescue.
Bradley got upon his feet. "Haul
tautv he screamed. Before the order
was given Bearse was back at his en-
CINE. The windlass shrieked.
Captain Titcomb roared through his
speaking trumpet. The towboat shot
forward, then back, her screw thrash
ing the water. The little You and 1
bobbed beside her. She was pulling
too
And then long. scraping, breath
less interval. A halt, shock, and,
pushing a wall Of sand before her, the
Freedom plunged into deep water.
There was no cheering. A subdued
murmur, like a sigh. came from the
crowd on her deck Men drew sooty
arms across wet foreheads and looked
at each other without speaking. She
was off the shoal, but far from being
out OF danger yet. She must be got
over into the deep hole behind the
Point, where she could safely ride out
the coming gale. And to get her into
this haven there was only the little
tug to depend upon. Could the tiny
craft do 1t in that wind and sea? II
not, then the barge would almost sure
y drag her anchors, would strike
again. and then-well, then all the
work and the triumph so nearly won
would count for nothing.
They brought her up to her anchors
put in the middle Of the channel.
There they waited for the tide to turn
The silence was heartbreaking. Only
now and then did any one speak. In
clusters by the rail they stared at the
big waves and the foam streaks Gid
ing by. At last Captain Titcomb snap
ped his watch case shut and shouted
through his trumpet. The towboat
pulled into position. The anchors
were lifted from the bottom. The time
for the final test had come.
Then the little tug showed what she
vas made OF. Coughing. painting like
! bulldog straining at a chain, she