Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1908-07-08


aboard, keeping him company, that he
should not get respondent and yield
to temptation.
When Ben got back from the voy-
age he promised me he would observe
certain rules / laid down for him to
prevent return of the thirst, then
hurried to his wife and children, whom
he never again left to the day of his
death. He became a pilot for the port
where he lived, and his services were
in constant demand at good wages.
He always declared that / had saved
him and manifested unbounded graf
itude.
Years passed. One December l was
returning from long voyage. l had
promised my wife that If | made a
successful trip | would sell my ship
with the cargo and spend my old age
with her at home. But all 1 possessed
was in the ship and cargo. AS l drew
near port the wind began to blow
fierce gale from the east and feared
that l would not be able to make an
entry. If l could get in between the
two tongues of land that formed the
harbor's gateway I would be safe, but
to do this l must have a pilot, and.
even once entered, only a pilot could
take the ship through the tortuous
channel.
When l approached the harbor the
wind was blowing right on shore. |
looked about for a pilotboat, but saw
only one, and it was scudding under
jib and foretopsail to get In. / con-
cluded to drop anchor and wait. In
fact, it was all l could do, for / had
approached too near to the shore.
had no confidence in being able to beat
out In the teeth of the gale, and /
feared the anchor wouldn't hold. IT
did not hold, and soon saw that we
were drifting ashore. 1t was growing
dark, no succor was at hand, and with
in sight of the haven of rest | had so
long worked for must see the fruits
of my labor lost, perhaps our lives.
The shore outline had been infolded
in the gloom when suddenly saw the
head of a man over the gunwale on
the port side. Then came his body.
Then he jumped down on to the deck.
ben Paddock" | exclaimed, where
did you come from"
He cast glance at the jib futtering
in the wind and at the foretop. |
yelled TO the men TO get up sufficient
sail for steerage headway.' and when
the sails were up Ben was at the
wheel. | ordered the anchor let go.
and she came about head Oh to shore.
My fears ailared. began TO wonder
how Ben had got aboard. was sure
no pilothoat was within miles of us
or had been before the darkness fell.
But, granting that one had ueared us
unnoticed, how could she have sent
US pilot over a sea in which no small
boat could have lived? | was about to
ask Ben for an explanation when |
saw that we were about to make the
entrance between the two tongues OF
land, ond all his attention was con-
centrated on his work My own atten-
ton, too, was directed to this hazard
Gus entrance. Ben brought the ship
around IN q curve q wonderful bit Of
craftsmanship since the vessel was
fairly fying-and just weathered the
starboard point. For more than mile
from the points the land on both sides
was low and the channel serpentine
There was full sweep for the wind,
and the way was still dangerous. In
deed, / would not have believed that
mortal man could keep the ship afioat.
Ben stood calmly at the wheel, intent
on his work, never uttering a sound,
now whirling the wheel to port, now