The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-21

SAsion ne snook hands with Cap
So41 Eri. bade the latter laughing
eotd night and went mp to his cham
~. it was q long time before he fell
oMsep. He heard a steady hum Of
- versa ton from the old maids room
on<l knew the sisters were going over
0e astonishing events Of the evening.
O1S Miss Tempy came to his door to
A. In whisper II lie knew just how
Cd Captain Titcomb was. "Oh, about
tofty-elght or fiffy." he answered, smil-
M 10 himself.
no had fallen Into dose and was
urdaming u confused medley In which
ths sisters and he were chasing Sam
Hammond from one room to another,
while Gus locked the doors I'm front
- them, when Clara's scream of
~Hre'" rung through the house. He
at up In bed. not sure whether the
cry was real or part OF the dream.
Hut the next moment he heard foot
eoros on the stairs. "FIre." screamed
Clara. rushing through the hall. "Oh,
mad. get up quick! The Diving Bellies
all ON firei"
He was cool. surprisingly cool. as Il
oocmed to him, when he thought of Il
efterward His first move was to run
- the window. open. II and lean out.
AZ hrst he saw nothing but the black
nAght. the stars and the lights on the
horizon. He noticed. too. how salty
sweet tho wind smelled "a II blew
NUN the Oats at the foot of the hill.
1hen he saw the pun Of flame on the
schooner In the harbor.
Barefooted. Dareneaded! dressed only
n Nv, trousers and shirt. but struggling
mt his jacket as he ran. he sprang
Gown the stairs. The sisters caught at
has arm and cried something or other.
oof be did not heed them. Clara called
amer him that Captain Titcomb had
oone to the schooner. He stopped for
N instant to nsk her to rouse some of
- neighbors and send them to the
wharf. A he came out into the yard
- noticed vaguely that there was a
ugnt In one of the rooms Of the Baker
co<tnge. I,
He took the same route that his part
~ had taken. but made better time.
ls was evident that the fire had been
oen by others, for as he crossed the
brtdge the schoolhouse bell began TO
mng. IL came to him like a fash, but
- hate, that he might have saved half
- distance by taking one Of the
ok1Gs In the inlet and rowing straight
Gut past the point.
There was a shouting crowd on the
III above the bridge, but he could see
- boats about the Diving Belle and
wondered why. Part OF the crowd on
- hill came running to meet him.
Who's thatr' shouted some one
1ra Sparrow. he thought.
lRadley did not answer. "Who Is
NJ cried Ira again. Stop
me Junior partner did not stop.
SQuealer" wixon got In his way and
eaught at his jacket. Bradley tripped
IN up. Jumped tho rail fence by the
1oadslde and ran across the fields. He
1enrd "Squealer" shouting his name.
The wharf was empty. Not a man
vus there He reached the stringpiece.
enught mt the painter OF one of the do
ssss alongside. and. pulling the boat to-
ward him. Jumped In. Luckily the
oars were lying on the thwarts. He
ylcked then up and. with his knife, cut
ne painter. ~s~-as>~<s-
I And then he heard the captains voice
celling 10 him from the hill: Brad,
Brad! Don't go nigh her for your life!
Ths dynamite's aboardw
Like his partner. Bradley had for
rotten the dynamite. Mechanically he
Dut the oars In the rowlocks and sat
mouonless. The captain bad stopped
shouting. II was very stlll. He heard
me bell ringing In the distance and
me gurgle OF the tide among the piles
under the wharf. a Whit OF smoke
from the Diving Belle blew across his
FACE. and he turned and looked ut the
schooner.
He remembered reading I'm the Bos-
ton Herald n month or so before of
wrecklng vessel that had caught on
tire or Long Island somewhere. She.
too, had dynamite OH board. and her
skipper and the mate had saved her 10y
throwing the explosive overheard. But
they were on deck when the fire start
Cd. lie looked nj his own vessel. the
schooner that he and the captain had
longed for and worked for and petted
like baby. Then ne set his teeth and
began rowing.
The crackle OF burning timber was
plain as he scrambled over the Diving
Bellies rail. The flames were pouring
UP from under the covering OF the
main hatch. and the smoke was roll
Ing thick from the cabin companion.
He would have given anything for an
M. but the only one on board was by
the wood box In the galley below. lie
caught up the boat hook that was I'm It's
rack by the bulwark and ran TO tho
hatch.
He put the point OF the hook under
the heavy cover and began prylng the