The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-01
CHAPTER vi.
THE REFUGEES.

"a the windlass and rebouuded to
the deck. More than that. one
end of Ii stretched into the In.
finity 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 go. Hozier! I'll sling the girl be-
hind you She can't manage Il 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 &c
strip or life belt aud tie her ard
Hozier back TO back. IL was wonder
ful. 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 q 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. ffteen all told. including e
the drunken chief officer. could make
itself heard above the din. Then Ho-
zier tugged sharply at the rope three
times. and IL grew taut. Amid a jub-
liant cry from the others he aud Iris
were lifted clear of the deck At once
they were carried fully twenty fee,
seaward. AS they swung back. not
quite SO far and now well above the
level of the windlass from which their
perilous journey had started. ready
witted sailor seized few coils OF a
thin rope that lay tucked up In the
angle OF the bulwarks snI 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. 1t was obvious that the rescu-
ers were working from q point we'll
overhanging the recess into which the
Andromeda had driven her bows. and
there might still be the utmost diff
Guilty In throwing q rope accurately
from the rock 10 the wreck. AS mat
ter OF fact. no less than six previous
attempts had been made. and the sue
cess OF the seventh was due solely to
q favorable gust of wind hurtling into
the cleft at the very instant II was
needed. The sailors quick thought
solved this problem for the future. BY
tying the small rope to the heavier one
those who remained below could haul
II back when some sort of signal code
was established.
\ Once there was check. They wait
ed anxiously. but there was no sign
given by the frail rope that they were
to haul In again. Then the upward
movement continued.
Chunk o rock iu the way" an
nounced Coke. glaring round at the
survivors rs IL to challenge contradic-
tion. No one answered These men
were beginning to measure their lives
against the life Of the wedge Of iron
and timber kept In position by the
crumbing frame OF the ship. Ii was
q fast diminishing scale. The figures
painted on the Andromeda's bows rep
resented minutes rather than feet.
Watts was lying crouched on deck.
with his arms thrown round the wind
lass. Looking ever for fresh incur,
sion OF rats, he seemed 10 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 10 Groom u
long forgotten sailors chanty:
Now. me lads. sing a stave OF the dead
man mass.
Ie'll never sail 'ome again. oh,
were twelve old salts an the skipper .
lass.
Maropned In the Spanish main. oh!
Siug hay
sing no
mixer Is D1vy lOnes.
Just one more plug an a swlg at the lug.
An Up with tho skull an bones
After longer and faster haul than
had been noticed previously the rope
stopped n second time. Every one cx-
cept Watts was watching the whip
intently.
There she goa" yelled the sailor