Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-05-03

= COIL Of stout rope fell on top Of
"a the windlass and rebOunded to
the deck. More than that. one
end Of 1t stretched into the In
tinity Of dripping rock and flying spray
overhead. And 1t had been thrown by
friendly hands. 1t dangled from some
unseen ledge.
Coke and Hozier recovered the use
Of their faculties simultaneously. The
eyes of the two men met. but Coke was
the first to find his voice.
Salvage. by Jove!" he cried. up
you 60. Hozier! I'll sling the girl be-
hind you. She can't manage 1t alone.
an 1t needs some one with brains to
fix things up there for the rest Of US"
And he added hoarsely In Philips ear:
"Sharp's the word. We 'aven't many
minutes"
Iris permitted Coke and sailor to
strip OF a life belt and tie her and
Hozier back to back. II was wonder
full, though hidden from her ken In
that supreme moment. to see how they
devised double sling In order to dis
tribute the strain. When each knot
was securely fastened Coke vociferat-
ed u mighty "Heave away"
But his powerful voice was drowned
by the incessant roar Of the breakers.
Not even the united clamor of every
man present. fifteen all told. including
the drunken chief officer. could make
itself heard above the din. Then Ho-
zier tugged sharply at the rope three
times. and 1t grew taut. Amid jubi-
liant cry from the others he aud Iris
were lifted clear Of the deck. At once
they were carried fully twenty feet
seaward. AS they swung back. not
quite so fur aud now well above the
level Of the windlass from which their
perilous journey had started. a ready
witted sailor seized few coils Of Il
thin rope that lay tucked up In the
angle Of the bulwarks and flung them
across HoZier's arms.
Take whip with you. SIR" he yell
ed, and Philip showed that he under
stood by gripping the rope between his
teeth. II was obvious that the rescu-
ers were working from a point well
overhanging the recess into which the
Andromeda had driven her bows. AMI
there might still be the utmost dill
Guilty In throwing rope accurately
from the rock to the wreck. As n mat
ter OF fact. no less than six previous
attempts had been made. and the sue
cess Of the seventh was due solely 10
a favorable gust OF wind hurting INTO
the cleft Mt the very instant u WAN
needed. The sailors quick thougn'
solved this problem Tor tue iu'ure. ny
tying the small rope to the Heavier one
those who remained below could maui
II back when some sort OF signal code
was established.
Once there was check. They wait
cd anxiously, but there was no sign
given Ly the fraiI rope that they were
=. .,,,I ,u .,,i, Tho, the inward
W u""' =" "H"'"'
movement Son'ihueu-
"Chunk o rock In the way" an
nounced Coke. rIaring round at the
,,-,,,,.,,.. 10 ,r cbaII.ncs contradic.
SUI "' w
tion. No one answered. uese .ne"
were beginning to measure their lives
against the life Of the wedge Of iron
and timber kept in position by the
crumbling frame Of the ship. II was
fast diminishing scale. The figures
painted Oh the Androineda Dows rep
resented minutes rather than feet.
Watts was lying crouched ON deck.
with his arms thrown round the wind.
lass. Looking ever for a fresh incur.
sion of rats. he seemed to be cheered
by the fact that his dreaded assailants
preferred the interior Of the forecastle
to the wave swept deck. He was the
only man there who had no fear Of
death. suddenly he began to Groom
long forgotten sailors chanty:
Now. me lads. sing stave Of the dead
mans mass -,
WE: en ,"a never s;a su sol.s os % aS the skinper..
lass.
Marooned In the Spanish main. oh!
Sing hay
,.,. :, sing 1nun mo- ,on..,
lust one more plug an. swis at the jug.
An up with the skull an bones!"
After a longer and faster haul than
had been noticed previously the rope
stopped second time. Every one ex-
cept Watts was watching the whip
intently.
There she goesw yelled the sailor
IN charge Of the line. he began to
haul In the slack like a madman.
A dark form loomed downward
through the mist. 1t was Hozier. alone,
coming back to them. a frenzied
cheer broke from the lips OF those
overwrought men. They knew what
that meant. soinf"nere nisn "uo's