Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-20

What do you pick up, Symes!
His words came back in thread
Of sound as he looked down upon us
from his bobbing perch.
mot very much, sir. except water.
There's hell of a big field O. ice
out yonder," pointing with one hand,
the other gripping the spar, but it's
mostly. fiat, an all glistenin' with
snow. There's maybe q dozen bergs
ahead an of the port quarter, mostly
medium size, but with the devil Of a
big fellow point or 80 to the north"
ANY land?"
mot sign, sir, unless that's It
take for a big berg. The shadows look
dark enough for rock"
Ease her of two points, wheel.
man."
1.-TWO points 1t is, sir"
/ We stood there, silent and motion
less, waiting anxiously, the men
ranged along the rail, with their eyes
all turned forward. rang for full
speed, and the Sea Queen fairly
'leaped ahead through the icy smoth-
er. fiinging clouds of white spray over
the needless figures. Within ten min
utes We began to perceive the huge
mass we were approaching from the
deck. and never before had my eyes
looked upon SO gigantic and majestic
a mountain of ice. 1t was one i'm
mense cliff towering into the upper
air. being fully 300 feet high, and not
less than 1900 feet in length, with
vast glittering pinnacles rising still
farther Ito the sky, its entire front
a sheer Nprecipice, cleaning in cold
blue, with hardly darker shadow
anywhere to yield relief to the eye.
We rounded its eastern edge SO close
ly one could have tossed biscuit from
the foreyard against its smooth front,
the swell of its motion tossing the dar-
ing yacht like an eggshell. Symes
clung to his perch aloft with the grip
OF monkey. swinging back and forth
to the wild swaying of the spar. Sud
denly he yelled down:
There's wind comm from the
sou'west, sir"
"Heavy?
Looks to be a stiff breeze, an
it's bringing more snow"
Lay down from aloft."
I sprang over to consult the bin.
nacle-card. and then cast one swift,
comprehending glance at the thicken.
ing gloom in the southwest. Beyond
doubt the change had come.
Give her two more points north
wheelsman: keep her head nor'east
by nor'-steady SO. Mr.. De Nova
send another man up here to the
wheel. All hands now; stow every.
thing; tail on to those gaskets lively
my lads: we're in for a blow, and a
run for our lives"
To my amazement scarcely a man
among them stirred, the eyes of the
majority turning toward Anderson
Evidently there was an understanding
between them; they intended to revolt
and had chosen him their leader. He
stood just in front of the forecastle
Jumping big figure in his heavy
clothes, his coarse face and ugly jaw
showing beneath a fur cap.
What yer turnin' north for in such
a hurry, Mr.. Stephens?" he growled
hoarsely. Its not by vote O. the
crew, an we're the ones that's got
they say Of it onthis voyage. We're for
| keepin' along this line O. latitude
for a day or SO anyhow. Tuttle might
a got his figgers tangled an missed a
few leagues. Anyhow. we want the
| lady to give us her reckoning first"
felt the hot blood leap to my face
and my teeth clenched as / leaned
over the rail gazing down at him.
Lads" / said, striving to master
myself. I've put you exactly where
promised would; I've shown you all
that was here. You can see for your
selves what will happen If we hold on
any longer. The wind has swept
! around; it is going to bring that whole
pack of ice down on us. We've got to
| run for 1t, or be crushed. Now what
want to know is, are you with me-
, or with Bill Anderson"
They held off muttering, yet casting
uneasy glances over the rail- Ander
son stamped angrily on the deck.
ooh, to hell with yer fine words
he said, grimly. What II the wind
has changed a bit? Can't we beat
on the foe under steam the same as
we did before? We're sailormen, and
not afraid Of rough sea. For one, I'm
damnedsif r. leave that gold to rot
here without huntin' for it."
II; Words were clearly useless, and ]
ripped back my heavy coat. dragging
OF my gloves. all patience exhausted
Come on, De Nova" exclaimed
you've got sense enough to realize
what this means"
II I was over the rail with leap. front
ing them on the. deck. !. Almost to my
surprise the, creole landed beside me
land without word We struck out al
the heads in our front. It was fierce
|mix-up for q minute yet only a. man OF
two stood with Anderson, the sud
denness Of our assault taking all the
tighta out Of most Of them. strucl
Big Bill twice squarely in the face
driving him back against the step,
leading to the forecastle deck: owe,
these he fell sprawlils, his head
thumping the plank. The,next instant
had De Nova's antagonists In th.
rear. and together We laid them ou
AGAINST the rail, and none too gently
THE mates smile had become ugly
and be would have leaped into tho res
of the bunch, butt caught his arm.
They've had enough" said. breati,
ing hard. go back on the bridge, D,
\ Nova. Now. you. lads. get busy. l