The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-12-19

blasts IN the dnfkmcHH-'strouE ahead
and Ave more that were Billy's fare
well 70 Mary II she was awaken
cared. She saw from her bedroom
window the tug steam through the
channel. sparks flying weirdly IN the
wipd. out 10 the open lake where no
liyht shone to mark the way for the 30
mites OF desperate tussle with waves
that now at times buried the very
deckhouse roof Again the ave short
blasts as the starboard light turned
north beyond the pier. then was gone.
Here's hopin', growled Billy as he
whirled the wheel over. He was hang
ing on grimly. for at times the tug
stood about on end. A sea smashed
one OF the pilot-house windows and
he fixed II as best he could by the dim
pinnacle light He dashed the wheel
TO a course two points east OF north.
In the blackness he could see only the
white crests Of waves. The painting Of
the tugs exhaust told him Kelly was
stocking like a hend and that O'Neil vas
squeezing the last ounce out Of his big
engine. 16 square. Ahead was black
ness, the maddened waters and the in
frequent fash Of rockets.
II was still dark when Billy saw, as
the tug topped a great wave, a ships
Hight ahead twinkle a moment where
the ~whitecaps marked White Shoals.
At dawn he had a line TO the derelict
and the great sevenInch hauser was
going TO her oversize: an hour later
they were fast by the forward towing
post. Il would be easy in such a sea
TO trip on the hRuser and turn turtle.
or 10 be snatched by a 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 10
signal 10 O'Neil. Billy muttered:
Here's for Mary and better"
He rang. the engines started. then.
crash, Billy's Christmas wishes were
cut short; the tow post was gone and
water poured into the hole In torrents.
II 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.
II was dreary work and Billy and the
crew were gaunt with hunger and
WEAKNESS.
Again slowly in the teeth Of the
wind they went ahead. ierked tremen-
dously at intervals when the waves
snatched the tow. When they we're
getting into deeper water O'Neils en-
gines suddenly stopped. and ten min.
utes later the barge had drifted back
] - III rk.mH Thu a~wnaHuaa hrI lii
ped: the tug vas but d~riftwood. bad
business In such a sea.
Billy Noonan and O'Nen kept her
anoat someway, and all the time Billy.
stu clutching the wheel. was mutter-
ing Of Mary and Christmas. he had
strange vagaries. but was sull zane as
a skipper. when az last the frantic
hammering In the engine room ceased,
near evening Of the next day. they
pounding on the shoals. The sun
broke through the clouds, a red sun
near 20 setting beyond the tossing wa
ters. the sunset Of Christmas eve.
II wal never clear how they got the
slow steel barge 90 move so fast once
they got her on again. But IN the
midnight hours when ST. Nick. Kris
Kringei and all the Christmas fairies
were abroad on land. when the last
embers OF tho yule logs smouldered
coEily under lines Of stockings In
many. many homes. the Alice Riley's
deep whistle sounded on the Charlie
voix pier. Capt Riley sim sat before
his fireplace. waiting hopefully-as
was his nature. But for the hundredth
tiEia he looked about the room az
Mary's pitiful Efforts az Christmas
decorations. Suddenly he heard. faint
but uumistakable. the bass call OF the
Alice Riley.
Instantly he picked up his crutch
and raped ON the deor OF Mary's
room, So quickly did she appear. sus-
piciously red-eycd but smiling. she
must have been awake. too.
Listen, he cried, holding up his
hand.
Boo-oooom. boooo-oom. boooo-oom!
AN right"
Again. deep fun and growing less
faint. the whistle sounded, IAN right
That lei a Christmas for an OF
us. Mary, In spite Of the ashi"
Then there came a succession ot
short sharp to0ts and the captain
stared perplexod With a twinkle be
turned 20 Mary,
do you know what that means.
Nary he asked,
she flushed crimson. but before she
put her arms about her father with
- - 49, A.. aH.-H--H ~ n-nLn
her answer from the bow window with
a lamp The captain. smiling. for a
long time sat looking al a pletare over
the mantel. the picture OF her mother.
Merry Christmas. he said 20 the pic.
ture, very softly. Il knew Il would
come"
Billy brought it-and Billy had Il.
an unforgotable Christmas-with the
Riloy's. when az last he ROLLED in
NTH EnFfsr ahn arnummw rrarsNH k.aan hH-