The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1910-02-09

Bradford turned abruptly and brush
ed toward the tug. followed BY Carroll
and Nina. At the edge Of the pier
was the tugs captain. Marsh. listening
to earnest expostulation By a half
dozen Of the leading men or the town.
among whom were both NeWmark and
Orde.
Gentlemen said he crispIy. I'm
entirely willing to take all personal
risks. The thing is hazardous. and it's
Mr.. Orde's tug. It's for him to say
whether he wants to risk her,
aGood Lord. man. what's the tug IN
case like thisr' cried Orde.
IT thought SO" replied Captain
Marsh. "I'Il take her out if can get
crew. Harvey, step up here
The engineer hoisted his long figure
through the doorway.
Harvey" said Captain Marsh brisk
", were going to try to get line
aboard those vessels. It's dangerous.
VIII you gog
You all goin'. subj" he asked.
"Of course
Il reckon I'll done half to go. too"
said Harvey simply. He swung light
" back to the uneasy craft below him.
Il want 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.
swell, come on. them
Captain Marsh shook the hand which
Orde. STOPPING, offered him.
'Tll try to bring her back all right.
sir" said he
ITO h with the tugT cried Orde
Bring yourself backT
Marsh entered the piIothouse.
"Cast OFF, he cried The ''jangler"
called for full speed ahead.
Brave chaps! Brave chapsr' said
DR.. McMullen to Carroll. But. do you
know, to my mind. the bravest OF them
all are that niger and his fireman
nailed down in the hold where they
can't see nor know what's going on"
The tug had rounded the end OF the
pier. The first Of her thousand enc
mics. sweeping In from the open, had
struck her fair.
''She can stand that, all right" said
one Of the life saving crew. But wait
till she drops down to the vessels"
| The Sprite was now SO distant that
the loom of the great seas swallowed
her from view save when she rose on
| the crest of some mighty billow.
'aThere. she's turned nowr' cried
some one
| Beneath the trail OF black smoke
she had shifted direction. With star
Ting swiftness the Sprite darted out Of
| the horizon into full view. For the
first time the spectators realized the
size and weight of the seas. One mo-
ment the whole Of her deck was visit
he, the next her bow alone showed
and dragged her into the hollow. A
sea rose behind. Nothing of the tug
was to be seen. 1t seemed that no
power could prevent her being over
whelmed. Yet somehow always she
staggered out of the gulf until she was
/ again cast forward like q chip.
| Maybe they amt catchin' p'ticular
h at that wheel to hold her from
yawingw muttered the tug captain.
/ The Sprite rushed at the outer line
of breakers. The combers crested and
| fell with roar. just as in milder
weather the surf breaks on the beach.
A woman in the crowd screamed But
at the edge of destruction the Sprite
came to shHddering stop. Her pow
erful propellers had been set TO the
! reverse. Thus she lowered on The edge
| Of the breakers. awaiting her chance.
| If one of the waves should happen to
crest and break. the water. catching
the tug on her fat stern deck. would
Individually bury her. The situation
was awful in its extreme simplicity.
| Would Captain Marsh see his npportu-
nifty before the law Of chances would
bring along the wave that would over
whelm him?
Two or three OF the townsmen walk
ed up and down. One woman prayed
aloud in short hvstericaI sentences.
20 God. save them. o Lord. o
Lord.'
Orde stood On top Of a half buried
log. his entire being concentrated on.
the maneuver being executed Only
Newmark apparently remained as calm
as ever
Suddenly, without warning. occurred
one of those inexplicabIe iuIls that in
terpose often amid the widest up
roars. Between two waves the Sprite
darted forward directly for the near
est Of the wrecks.
Shell collider' some one shrieked.
But the tug sWerved and turned on
long diagonal across the end OF the
bar.
Marsh had chosen his moment with
exactitude. He had taken advantage
OF the brief lulI Of jumbled seas after
the three largest waves" had swept
by. Yet in shallow water and with
the strong inshore set. even that IulI
was all too short. The Sprite was
staggered by the breakers; her speed
was checked; her stern was dragged