Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-21

main here, Walker. We have not long
to wait now for the dawn, and four
eyes are better than y~o."
Walker ina gined that the skipper
was ready for a chat.
Things are in a dweadful mess be-
low, sir. I can't make head or tail OF
the smash"
"Well, that must wait. Don't talk.
Keep a sharp lookout"
The engineer could not guess that
the captains pulse was beating a trifle
more rapidly with certain citation.
They were undoubtedly passing White
Horse island. 1t revealed its presence
by DETECTING the tremendous sea river
which ferried the Kansas onward ut
such a rate. In fifteen or twenty min
utes Courtcnay expected to find indica-
tons OF Il more northerly set of the
tide, and he watched the compass in
tently for the first sign of this return
to the former course If the ship cross
cd the current one way or the other
she would certainly be driven ashore
detached sunken reef; hence he must
actually guess his way, with some
thing Of the acquired sense Of the
blind, because the slight chance of ulti-
mate escape for the ship and her occu-
pants rested wholly on the assumption
that some ocean byway was leading
her to deep water inlet. where 1t
might be possible to drop the anchor
In eighteen minutes or Whereabouts
the needle moved slightly. Courtenay
once more assisted the ship with the
helm. She stcadied herself, and the
compass pointed due northeast again.
Walker, though an engineer, knew
enough Of navigation to recognize the
apparent impossibility Of the captain
being able to steer with any rea
knowledge of his surroundings. The
wheel twisting therefore savered OF
magic. But his orders were to look
ahead, and he obeyed.
Soon he thought he could discern an
irregular pink crescent. with the con-
cave side downward somewhere in tho
blackness beyond the bows. Speedily
Irregular and somewhat lower.
Captain. dye see yen?' he asked in
a voice tremulous with awe.
Eyes. That is the sun Just catching
the SUBMITS Of snow topped hills. It
not only foretells the dawn, but is
sign of fine weather. There are no
clouds over the land or we should not
see the peaks"
Ere long silver gray light began TO
dispcl the gloom. The two silent
watchers first saw it overhead, and the
vast dome Of day swiftly widened
over the vexed sea. The aftermath of
the storm spread a low, dense cloak of
vapor all round. The wind had fallen
so greatly that they could hear the
song OF the rigging. Soon they could
distinguish the outlines of the heavy
rollers near at hand. and Courtenay
believed that the ship in her passage
encountered in the water several mar
row bands of a bright red color. If
this were so, he knew that the phe-
nomenon was caused by the prawn-
like crustacea which sailors call
ter close to land and, further, an indi-
cation that the curreut was still flow
ing strongly. while the force OF the
sea must have been broken many miles
to westward.
Suddenly he turned to Walker.
do you think you could shin up to
the masthead?" he asked.
II used to be able to climb bit. sir"
well. try the foremost Up there I
am fairly certain you can see over this
bank Of mist. Don't get into trouble.
Come back II you feel you can't man
age it. II you succeed, take the best
observations possible and report"
Courtenay was becoming anxious
now. If he dared let go the wheel he
would have climbed the mast himself.
Walker set about his mission in a
businesslike manner. He threw Off his
thick coat and boots and went for
ward. Halfway up the mast there was
a rope ladder for the use Of the sailors
when adjusting pulleys.
~ Ap -. 4