Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1911-07-28


scar
'swhat are they going to DOR asked
Carroll
Haven't you heard?" cried the 9th
er. "This is one OF Orde's tugs, and
she's going to try to get line to them
vessels"
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 of 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,
Good Lord, man. what's the tug in
a case like this,' cried Orde
/ 81 thought So" replied Captain
Marsh "Pn take her out II can get a
crew Harvey, step up here"
The engineer hofsted his long figure
through the doorway
Harvey" said Captain Marsh brisk
ly, were going to try to get line
aboard those vessels. It's dangerous.
VIII you go?" ~-'4--ss.8 sssssSsGs
"You all goin, suhY' he asked.
'Of course"
Il reckon I'll done half to go. too"
said Harvey simply. He swung light
ly back to the uneasy craft below him.
II 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.
well, come on, then"
Captain Marsh shook the hand which
Orde, STOPPING. offered him.
III try TO bring her back all right,
sir" said he
ITO h with the tugr" cried Orde
Bring yourself backw
Marsh entered the pllothouse
Cast OFF, he cried. The 'jangler"
called for full speed ahead.
Brave chaps Brave chaps!' said
DR.. McMuIlen 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.
There, she's turned nowr' cried
come 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 visi-
BILE the next her bow alone showed
high as the back suction caught her
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 wan
again cast forward like a chip.
maybe they amt catchin' p'ticular
h. at that wheel 10 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 a shuddering stop. Her pow |
erful propeIlers had been set to the /
reverse Thus she lowered on the edge I
of the breakers, awaiting her chance. /
II one of the waves should happen to
crest and break. the water. catching
the tug on her fiat stern deck. would
Individually bury her The situation
was awful in its extreme simplicity.
Would Captain Marsh see his oppOrtu-
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 hysterical sentences.
20 God, save theml o Lord. Q
Lordw
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 inexplicaDle lulls that in
terpose often amid the widest up
roars Between two waves the Sprite
darted forward directly for the near
est Of the wrecks.
She'll collider some one shrieked
But the tug swerved and turned on a
long diagonal across the end of the
bar
Marsh had chosen his moment with
sxactitude He had taken advantage
II the brief lull Of jumbled seas after
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