The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-19

the Grapeshot was aground. The pump started up, and to Dixons anxious query as to how the boat was going to get off. the lieutenant grinned, and assured him that by the time three or four tons of water had been pumped out of her she would come off herself. And she did, but It was tired ships company that tied up at the canal lock that night and went foraging for bacon and eggs.
 Into Delaware.
 The lock keepers wife was certainly a good cook, the bill was modest, and the lieutenant while smoking a friendly pipe with the keeper. broached the subject of toll and suggested that he would give the keeper a bill to send to the navy depart ment for collection. The keeper smiled and allowed that 1t was all right, to never mind. for you see, cap'n, 1t takes so much writin and foolery to collect a bill from the gov'mnt that less'n you does some damage goin' through 1t comes just as cheap to say nothin' about it. speshly as they is two canal boats goes up in the same lift with ye; so there is no more water spilled nor work done"
 This was entirely satisfactory and in the bright dawn the Grapeshot rose light ly from salt water into the arms of the state of Delaware
 Now, 1t Is not a long journey across the state of Delaware at its narrowest width, put to make the trip In tugboat takes time and care. With only few inches or water under her. the Grapeshot de- Veloped an uncomfortable desire to waltz, and her stern would start a rhythmic swing that no rudder could control so that about every ten minutes the engine would be stopped to keep her from climb Ing up on the towpath. However the crossing was made with but one lapse from canal proprieties. Near the summit there was high bridge crossing the un- der side of the bridge being certainly 80 feet high, while the top of the Grapeshot smoke pipe was scarcely 30. On the bank was an immense sign board with the no- tice, Blow twice" The lieutenant blew twice, just as directed, and as he passed under the bridge it commenced to swing. accompanied by as choice chorus of Del aware profanity as could well be imagined from the men who toiled at the capstan in the hot sun. Their instructions, it seems, were imperative to open the bridge whenever it was whistled for, but 1t was assumed that canal navigators would not whistle if it were not necessary
 Hay Schooner Pilots.
 Before noon the little boat locked down at Delaware City and made a nice run up past Philadelphia to Burlington for tie-up. Above the big city the channel was crooked but 1t was the hay season and there was a long procession of schooners loaded with hay coming down the river, so the lieutenant found 1t more convenient to use them for leading marks than the regular buoys. In the evening he chatted with the wharf keeper, who seemed somewhat impressed at the idea of naval vessel stopping with him, and after looking her over carefully he said ::
 Captain, how much water do you dra u9 Sfy n a ha1 did Well. thought so; but what I can't make out is how you got over the middle ground down below, for there ain't more than six feet on it at spring tide, and you came over on low ebb."
 This was surely poser, and the lieu tenant took a long pull at his pipe before he answered.:
 Well. you see once you know all the tricks of river work you can go all right where most people would get in trouble. and the odd part of 1t is that somehow you can't explain it. Sort of instinct, you know"
 The old wharf tender looked In awed admiration, while the lieutenant won dered where that middle ground was, and resolved thereafter to put his trust in hay schooners if he ever had to navi- gate a river again.
 Fires Fall Into Ash Pit.
 The Grapeshot was hustling along un- der the shadow of the heights on a bend of the river in the early morning. when a crash sounded down below and Calami- ty Sam reported that the grate bars had broken down and dumped the fires into the ash pit. A dash was made for tho nearest wharf. and then hours were lost waiting for the furnace to cool down to a temperature that would allow working inside and tinkering to make the spare bars that had already been condemned
  dark Bordentowp was reached the boat lifted into the Raritan canal, and as night closed down the running lights were set, and finally came to the last lift of the day at Trenton. The lock was a high one, and the voice of the lock keeper came down to the lieutenant from above on the port side with a. sad monotone:
 T say, Cap, where Is your green 1ight?'
 There was rank sarcasm in the reply that flew up:
 "On the starboard side. Where do you suppose I carry it?"
 Down fioated the sad voice again, as one speaking into well:
 'Oh, you salt-water sailor! Don't you know that you carry green light going to New York and a red light coming baclx?'
 The lieutenant acknowledged his error and fixed his light to suit, for he had to admit that he was only salt water sailor
 Then came the last long pull. For 20 straight hours the helmsman stuck to it, through to New Brunswick, dropped into the river, down the long reaches to South Amboy, and then, after pumping out and touching up everything, came the last and hardest and riskiest dash up through the Narrows and to the navy yard with out stop until, just as daylight broke, the Grapeshot poked her nose feebly into the Wallabout, with the water in her fireroom within six inches of the grate bar Cash expenditure to New York, s4