The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-03
THE RIYERMAN

IG1I-H cA0MCA ~-@A 1A1WGA nAAnAAAI1 reel By a good 800 yards the shot failed to carry over the vessels ssThere's Mir. Bradford" said Car roll. waving her hand. "Couidn't they get the Iifeboats out to themY she l asked as he approached asNor ~But surely they win never get line over with the mortarr' said Carroll AThat last shot fell SO far shorty' aThey know 1t. They've shot doz- en tinesn ikf At this moment from the river trail of black smoke became visible over the point of sand hill that ran down to the pier. A smokestack darted Into view. slowed down and came to rest we'll inside the river channel There 1t rose and fell on the swell The crowd uttered cheer.
 aCome and see what's up," suggested Bradford
 He hitched Prince to "a log and led the way to the pier.
 The Sprite was lying close under the piers Harvey, the negro engineer. lean ed against the sill of his little square door smoking his pipe
 sT wouldn't go out there for mil ILOM" uQkAGEt@ INAt14 n AAA1A E@~&NNN@Ar# @Ncfhing on earth could live in that sear
 what are they going to dor asked Carroll
 sHaven't you heardr' cried the oth- CT ~This is one of Orde's tugs. and she's going to try to get line to them yessels~ Bradford turned abruptly and brush <rrrw hu CQrrof1 and Nina At the edge dI the pier was the tug's captain. Marsh; listening to earnest expcstulation by a half dozen of the leading men of the town, among whom were both Newmark and orde-
 aGentlemen.r said he crisply. I'm entirely. willing to take all personal risks. The thing Is hazardous. and it's MT. Orde's tug. It's for him to say whether he wants to risk her.
 Good Lord. man what's the tug in case Ike fhisF' cried Orde.
 T thought SO" replied Captain Marsh .Tn take her out if | can get a crew Harvey, step up herer The engineer hofsted his long figure through the doorway.
 "HaFvey." said Captain Marsh brisk ly. -we're going to try to. get line aboard those vessels. It's dangerous. VIII you goF
 sFou all goin', suhfr he asked
 "Of course"
 'T reckon I'll done half to go. too" said Harvey simply. He swung light ly back to the uneasy craft below him a1 want n man with me at the wheel two to handle the lines and one to fire for Harvey.- said Captain Marsh
 That's our job" announced the life Saving captain
 rWell. come on. then"
 Captain Marsh shook the hand whicf Orde, stooping. offered him.
 "Pn try to bring her back all right sir said he
 gro h-w with the tugFr cried Orde Bring yourself back-
 Marsh entered the pIlothouse-
 Cast effI- he cried The .jangler' called for full speed ahead
 "Brave chaps, Brave chapsr sait pr. McMullen to Carroll. But. do yol know. to my mind. the bravest of ihen all are that nigger and his fireman nailed down in the hold where the. can't see nor know what's going on-"
 The tug had rounded the end of tn pier. The first of her thousand enc mics. sweeping in from the open, ha, struck her fair.
 ashe can stand that, all right" sai, one of the life saving crew. But wal till she drops down to the vessels
 The Sprite was now s7 distant thu the loom of the great seas swallowe her from view save when she rose O the crest of some mighty pillow
 ~There, she's turned nowF' erie some one.
 Beneath the trail of black smok she had shiftea direction With stal ting swiftness the Sprite darted out C the horizon into full view For th first time the spectators realized tn size and weight of the seas One m u1ent. the whole of her deck was wis ble, the next her bow alone shove high as. the back suction caught hs and dragged her into the hollow. sea rose behind Nothing of the tu was to be seen It seemed that I power could prevent her being owe whelned- Yet somehow always st staggered out of the gulf until she WI again cast forward like a chip.
 rMaybe they ain't eatchin' p'ticuli kE at that wheel to hold her fro yawfng~ mutfered the tug captain
 The Sprite rushed at the outer lir of breakers The combers crested ar fell with a roar, just as in mild weather the surf breaks on the beac A woman in the crowd screamed Bl at the edge of destruction the Spri came to shuddering stop. Her DO, erfuI propeliers had been set to tl reverse Thus she lowered on the ed of the breakers. awaiting her chanc If one of the waves should happen crest and break. the water, catchii the tug on her fat stern deck. wou indubitabIy bury her The sftuati, was awful in it's extreme simpllcit Would Captain Marsh see his opport nity before the law of chances wou br1nF along the wave that would ov, Wheln hlm7