The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-24


- the otker. commanding. helping. hur-
U1mg. With the men he was always
eAeerful and sure Of success, but once
- awhile. alone with bis partner. be
sawed his real fselinUL One morn
- before turning In h0 went ashore
- telephone When he came back be
enI1ed Bradley asids and said:
SBrad. Sam says the gov'ment
voathsr folks are foretellin' q big
ooerm for day after tomorref. It's
oo4in' from the south and n strike
ARs about then. Its terror. they
~. It worries me. rm more scarf
g . gals Of wind Jest now than I am
- ths Old HarTy himself"
ne Junior partner locked troubled.
~Wondee X that's what's distressing
3ooegr he observed. "Psleg has
oesn after me svsS since the frs. Says
~ got something to tell me-"
~H3s been pestegin' mH too. I amt
- no Time TO listen 70 his ya1nS.
I1ess 80 him.
Thsy ssnt for the weather prophet.
40 appeared. dirtier thar. ever. Look
onr@ Pslsg." was the cap ptain's saluta.
tnon- what do We feed you fort
3r6s The gov'msut w,Mther sharp
1ns1an' out gale. IN you amt psepsd-
Veil have to put specs on your sec-
- sight OF wen ship new prophet.
- a. t'othsr.-
lEr. Myrick wa troutled. sNow.
olfn n hs protested IT, an agsrisv.
- tona ~ain't been TRIM to git at
~ a. Brad for tour days or morei I
mow there was blow ct,min'. She's
esnm' a-bilin' too And I don't need
- pscs nuthsr."
-Humphl Brad this b the devil and
- isnt ~ Tharn do Pslsg."
~Dut Cap'n E2 therSs somsthin'
- ! wanted 10 ten you r.
-Nsvw mind now. Put Il on Ice.
Rslsg ~,}." bot with reluctance.
- kept 'ooking back and shaking his
1ond Captain Exra's face was very
o.D>mn His forehead witnkled. and
- pulled his mustachs nsrvously.
ny crimustser' hs muttered. I'VE
-19ve got to do somsthin' Quick. I
6nDw Jon don't take any stock In
9oaog. but n that gale does come were
0nocked higher n the ioain truck.
ons's loossnIn' up 90 now that a tug
U1ght help us. ! con GIT little one
0em Vineyard Haven. skipper. en-
ubssr and al. for go day"
but they won't work on spec"
mo. I'm going to wellm outh to zee
- bank folks ri tell EN- that n
90 ever hope to git back the rest Of
- money they lent on the iOivin' Belle
~ must risk enough to nay for that
tug- I'm goin' now."
~But you've been up all uight. Let
Ne 80. You turn In"
Turn In be burned! ia sleep about
- sound a. an eel ON q rerch hook
can turn IN when can't do anything
ease .Goodby. Put In your spare time
psaytn' for me. will your
He went to Wellmouth. saw the peo-
30 at the bank and, as he naid. talk.
a from his boots up" At IL O'Clock
& the following day the little tug put
- an appearance. She got a grip on
- Freedoms bow and pulled with the
s1de.
The expected gale ala not come that
ony. but the next afternoon the sky
ms overcast, and the sun disappeared
behind angry clouds. II was blowing
Sfesh when Bradley. worn out, went
% his berth at o'clock. He had
tought against going at all, but Cap
tain Titcomb said: Put In an hour or
two anyway. III call you II you're
wanted"
He called him before the second hour
mas mp. Come on deck. Bradr' be
ertsd excitediy. THAT sou'easter's on
tbc road. and It's backin' up the big
gsst tide ever I saw. 'Tain't high
water till 2. but she's pretty nigh as
Nigh as usual now"
The junior partner hurried ON deck.
1he wind was singing In thu rigging,
ma the waves were rushing past the
barge. slapping furiously ae her a.
fhsy passed. The night waB dead
black. and the surf on the o,.ean side
q the Point boomed like heavy artil-
1sry.
I've sent ashore for the day shift
said the captain. We've got to make
cur tight now. Looks as II twas our
hist chance, and mighty slim one"
The dores brought the tired men
from the beach. They had worked
haru all day. but they were ready to
work still harder now. They realized
mat. one way or another. this was the
snd Of the big Job.
The little tug. bouncing up and down
IN 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
we're flying from the hold.
"She gained heap last tide" mur-
INJURED the captain. This extry high
water and the wnyea ought To helm