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

er rail. "The dOry's gone!' he shout
ed. MY dory's gone! Where's yours?"
Bradley had not stopped to fasten
the dory when he boarded the schoon-
er. and the boat had drifted away.
Hammond, half drunk when he left
| the wharf. had bungled the knot with
which his dory was fastened. and that.
too. was gone.
We'll have to swlm" cried Bradley.
Jump quick! She's going to blow
up"'
Sam sobbed In sheer terror. 81
can't make it," he screamed. "I'm too
weak. I'll drown"
you've got to make 1t. Jump! I'll
keep close behind you"
Hammond caught at shrOud, step
ped upon the bulwark and stood there.
turning white face first toward the
shore and then back at his companion
There was muffled rumble from the
hold. The bulkhead had fallen.
Jump shouted Bradley. 'Jump!"
Sam threw up his arms and leaped
from the stern. Bradley cast one
glance over the poor Diving Belle, ran
to the rail by the foremast and dived
into the water.
At that moment, before his head an.
peared above the surface, there came
dull roar from the schooner's hold.
She rocked like rowboat among
breakers. A flame burst from her
hatches and fo'castle and streamed to
the top OF her foremast. every rope Of
which caught fire. Her entire bow
was great torch that dipped now this
way, now that.
Hammond. swimming for his life.
yelled with fright. Bradley. caught in
the waves made by the rocking of the
Diving Belle. was for moment un-
able to make any headway. Vaguely
he wondered why he had not been
killed. And then the foremast swung
above his head and the noisy hoisting
block in the forerigging snapped from
Its burning tackle, shot out into the
air and fell. striking him on the fore
head.
He remembered almost nothing of
what happened after that-nothing ex-
cept fighting to keep afioat and the in
tensa cold OF the water.
Captain Titcomb on the hill had
Fought and struggled and pleaded to
be allowed to go to his partners aid.
But Captain Taylor said, Better one
than twO," and most of the others
agreed with him. "Squealer" Wixon
was going through the crowd, telling
all who would listen that II he had
not had some fellows at his house "set-
tim up" playing cards the fire would
not have been discovered. AS the
blaze grew brighter and Bradley could
be seen running about the schooner's
deck, Alvin Bearse volunteered to 20
with his skipper and attempt rescue,
but they would not let him try. In
Whispers people We're asking one an
other how long 1t would last.
When Hammond appeared ON deck
there was a great cOmmotion. No one
knew who 1t was But when he stood
upon the rail. with the fire behind him.
dozen shouted his name. Captain
Titcoinb shouted 1t and swore. A mo-
ment later came the explosion.
Fifty men started for the wharf then.
but the captain was far in the lead.
He leapei Into dory and pushed of.
The harbor was almost as light as day.
In the center of the light the two fig-
ures in the water were splashing sill
hOuettes.
And suddenly the captain, rowing
frantically. was aware that another
boat was nearer the schooner than his
own, A small skiff. rowed by bare
beaded girl, had come from behind the
point and was speeding with long, sure
strokes toward the swimmers.
Hammond saw It. "Help!" he shout
sd. waving one arm. Help! I'm
drowning. Save met
The skif was almost upon him. He
reached out to grasp its SIDE But the
rover. though she turned and looked
directly into his face, did not stop.
She kept straight on. past him.
And Captain Titcomb as he seized
Sam Hammond by the coat collar saw
Gus Baker lean from her skin and
drag to its low gunwale the HELPLESS
form Of Bradley Nckerson.
Then. with hiss and wrapped in q
great white 70 e of steam, the Diving
Belle dived to the bottom Of the har
bor.