Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-29

r
and your husband-will do all that
| below-you-"
He spoke in short, gasping SEN
fences, and Dowsett saw that his face
| was white as sheet Then he stop
ped suddenly. and, staggering back a
pace or two, chung to one of the stays
| for support.
You be i'll, SIR said Dowsett
Eyes," Tankerlane muttered family.
I'm done up. I've been sick, horribly
| sick-and I've had to do so much; the
| strain has unneryed me-"
you go below to the lass" said
Dowsett to his wife, land tell Mr..
Shil--"
NO" cried Tankerlane, don't you
speak to him. He'll know your voice.
"I'll tell him" He let go the stay,
and crawled aft to the hatch. But be-
| fore he reached it, the woodwork
heaved upwards, and Shils head ap-
peared
Waters coming in cried the blind
man. IT'S foot deep on the floor.
What's happened? Why the devil
don't you speak? Can't you under
stand what this silence means to a
man who can't see? Where are we?
What has happened?"
Take my hand" said Tankerlane,
'and come UP on deck
Shil CROPPED for the outstretched
hand, and Tankerlane exerted his
strength to help him out of the
hatchway. Then he led him for'ard.
You just lie down here" he said,
'and keep quiet. It's all right
Shil lay down on the wet deck, and
chung to the bits with his hands.
Tankerlane beckoned to Dowsett, and
went aft to the cabin. And all the
time the Hope and Glory rose and
fell on the waves, and ground away
the wall beneath her keel with a sue
cession of shocks that must have start
ed every timber in her hull.
The two men made their way into
the cabin, and carried Laura through
the door which led into the foc's'le.
This end Of the boat was high and
dry on the wall, and it was the work
of few minutes to prepare a warm
and comfortable bed for the invalid.
Then they rescued considerable
portion of the food from the water
which was steadily rising in the main
cabin, and lit a small oil stove.
you go in the foc's'le;' said Dow
sett to his wife when he, returned OH
deck you'll be snug huff there with
the lass" He spoke in whisper, so
that Shil should not hear. He had no
desire to serve Tankerlane in the
| matter, but he thought 1t best to keep
Shil in ignorance till they were all out
of danger.
Mrs. Dowsett disappeared down the
foc's'sle hatch, and her husband drew
Tankerlane aside to the after part of
the vessel.
"Mebbe she'll hold,' he said quietly.
land mebbe she won't. ] reckon her
backs broken. and she may fall in
two, if the tide. don't turn soon. Ills
high now by rights, but mebbe the
windIl keep the water up. bit
longer" @
Cant we do anything asked
Tankerlane YEARLY. He. was SO tired
and i'll and broken down with the.
strain of the last few hours that he
was conscious of nothing save a
vague danger that lay somewhere in
the two great torrents Of water
streaming past him on either side.
I'VE can do nowt," Dowsett replied
grimly, save pray that the timbers
hold together, and pray that tide may
turn
"And if she breaks -up?,'
well nave, to take TO, the dinghy.
'Tis our last chance"
why not get into it now"
"'Twould kill the lass for sartin
IT'S well enough for u.s. But 'twould
be the death of her But tide'll start
fallin' in few minutes, and then the
wall'll show, and thereH be summat
island would food to sealevel, 'twould
be safe huff; we'd just float inland,
where tbs calm as river. But
Con seas big place. and twill take
a lot of water to fill it. D'you see
that light yonder?" and he pointed at
a faint yellow star further UP the
creek.
81 see it,
We'll, my mates up there in my
boat the William and Sarah, on our
upper moorins. If we could get to
her, or she could drop down to us,
'twould be all right"
Cant. we signal to herr" :
"My mate couldn't come down sin
gle-handed 'Tis 'gainst wind and
tide. But could run up to him"
The two men looked at the distant
speck Of light, and then Dowsett went
oft. knee-deep in water, and looked at
the dinghy.
"She'm right huff" he said; "strong
little boat she be. Have you a sail
to herr"
81 don't know"
Dowsett hunted about in the foc's'le,
and found a mast and sail.
'Ill get up there in five minute y
he said. "and we'll be down again In
bout twenty"
"But supposing you do not find us
when you return" said Tankerlane.
"Supposing this vessel breaks up
while you are away. You are the only
| able-bodied man among the lot Of us.
And we shan't even have the boat
to escape in