Arizona republican., 1911-04-07
DANIEL TANK, JUNGLE BEAST
By p. c. Macfarlane.
Copyright, 1909. by tne Pearson Pub
 fishing Company.

About twenty more of you young fellows cut loose them life rafts, un- ship 'em, get 'em ready, but don't move 'em out into the passageway till the boats are of. Just get ready and stay by 'em."
 You, Dickie Dugani he called, sighting a well-known leader of the hoodlum element in his own ward. "Got your gang here?"
 Sure ting, some of 'em." piped the Dugan-
 Well, get 'em to work on the life preservers. Go aft and get life pre- server to every one of them younger women that there ain't room for in the boats nor on the rafts- Lively now!" "
 Cert, Capting," answered Dickie, giving a peculiar whistle that brought to him instantly. from all parts of the boat, crowd of scurrying youths. Meantime. Tank himself had hurried | 10 the after bridge.
 "Mollie Morgani Mollie Morganl |" he called. again trumpeting through his hands.
 "Yes, MT. Tank" answered Mollie, | looking up from her work of marshall ing the women and children. She was being assisted by the half-dozen union leaders among the women who were present-Daisy Malone of the Glove Workers, Jennie Dennis of the Binders. and others. With these as lieutenants she had rounded up the crowd of a hundred or more older women and was passing them forward in orderly pro gression to the boats, the oldest women and the mothers with children first
 The four boats went over filled, and without catastrophe. Then the four from the other side, again without ac- cident. The rafts were now being low cred, and, still, as Tank looked, there were hundred and fifty of the younger women huddled there. His eye swept the waters. From many directions help was coming, but his fire depart ment had failed. The flames were gain Ing riotously. The smoke and heat were terrible Soon the people would ,e jumping overheard, and Tank knew what that meant. Half his folks were till unprovided for. Hundreds of .hem would be drowned. Besides dark ness was approaching. and the usual evening fog, dense as night itself. was rolling steadily in from the outer bay. In ten minutes it would be upon them and make the picking up of struggling strugglers in the water a matter of great uncertainty.
 Mollie," he ordered, better get the petticoats of them girls if we got to go In the water. It ain't so o.awful decent, maybe, but a petticoat has drowned many a girl"
 "I was just thinkin' it, Dan,. she called back. "Fll wait five minutes, and if no kind of help gets to us. off they come"
 But in that five minutes a police launch appeared with Sergeant Mo Carty on board. Lying of hundred yards was a small sidewheel river steamer, open front and back like ferry-boat If that fellow would only have nerve enough to come alongside and stay there three minutes, Tank could herd his people into 1t like sheep. But the river captain was afraid to come nearer. The police launch. how ever, after an impatient snort of the whistle, passed behind it close under the stern, and paused there for a mo- ment Suddenly thereafter the river boat began to move forward, deliber- ately and straight ahead. Tank strained his eyes hard and made out the figure of Sergeant McCarty in the pilot house with revolver at the helmsman's ear.
 Good old McCartyI yelled Tank as he came near, "hold her nose against the side of the Btsbee for five minutes and we'll run the last of lem on board"
 Leave that to me, begorra," bawled back McCarty.
 The river boat slowed down and with nice precision planted her open bow with two decks yawning against the side of the BtSoee, and pushed her gently sidewise while holding close. The old people and children had gone in the life boats and on the rafts. What remained were the spryer young women and the bulk of the men. and they poured over the side by scores, leaping, laughing, shrieking; the strong-hearted helping the timid ones, until within an incredibly short time all were of. Last of all went Mollie Morgan and her helpers, then Mears. Halloran and the Pop-eyed Kid, Tank marshaling them before him.
 All right, McCarty," he shouted.
 McCarty dropped his pistol hand. The helmsman signaled to back. Tank, Wilu q leS OEeT lIe blues was Just dDOuI to drop to the deck of the river steamer as the breach between the two began to widen, when a touch upon his shoulder caused him to turn. It was the socio- logical student, Gimball.
 Have you forgotten the man in the pilot house?" he asked.
 Sure as he'll" answered the boss seriously, flinging his leg back over the rail and starting on run for the lad der leading up. A gust of flame and smoke was sweeping down. Tbe entire upper works and both ends of the Bis bee were on fire. Tank groped in the | pilot house. found the limp object on | the floor, the very clothes a-scorch, and | dragged it out to where he stopped for 1 a moment to get better hold. Gim- ball was at his side.
 By golly, Goggle-eye. you're game | kid, ain't you?" exclaimed Tank in ad- miration. dragging the body to the ladder.
 The student flushed.
 He's in an alcoholic stupor, | think" he said. by way of making con- versation.
 Alcoholic stupor, nothin'," declared Tank impatiently. "The damned fools drunk"