Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-19
RAJA

her fgurehead She was coming to her
death, stripped of all that could help her,
with her eyes open. When she struck, heav-
ing herself up like despairing ship taking
last breath, groans from the men on the
beach mingled with the grinding aud thump-
ing and ripping of broken spars and planks.
"Now they got her-the rocks has gripped
her hard!" a man cried. "A powerful big
clipper, she is, an'-Lord! they's mort O
people aboard-women too!'
"Her main an mizzen's standing-we'l
get line to her. all right" Canadian cried.
"On'y wisht she'd swing broadside a bit
that mainmast looks wabbly fer far shot. y
| The breeches buoy-that life defending
weapon of the life savers on the Atlantic sea-
board-was already framed up and in place,
and a dozen brawny hands ready with
the hawser. 1t remained only to shoot the
hauling line out, and Breslin was already I'M
llmberlng the mortar.
| "Ready!" Carnahan said, and, "Ready!"
the answer came back doubtfully. On the
wrecked ship flare from the forecastle
showed the people crowded on deck and
men in the maintop. The gun exploded, the
white lifeline Kissed out of its coils in the box,
wavering in the air like a threshing serpent
and fell short, with the shore end limp and
trailing. A groan and a curse went up.
|
He sprang to the gun, which was close to the
surf, and stood for a moment peering out
into the gale. "By God!" he cried passion
ately, at will go-if have to swim with it,"
The oath staggered the men, coming as it
did from the big, silent life Captain; but
they knew the feelings of the father of the
lost child and the terrible mood that moved
him. But when the shot fared out again
and the line fell short, the burly shouldered
Captain flung himself on the mortar with
cry Of fury, dragged it up bodily in his arms,
and strobe far out into the spume and surf.
"Now fre!" he roared. The waters
and he reeled backward, enveloped in smoke,
with the kick of the gun; but he kept his
place till the limp line dashed his face and the
| fatal groan rose again. Canadians feat,
| which was to become record on the coast,
| had come to naught.
ats no good; she's too far out, he said,
and threw down the gun. "Toss out my
| cork jacket, Bres!"
For a seconds space no man moved.
What was done was enough. What Car
| nahan now proposed to do was useless death.
Those life savers did not overvalue their lives,
| jeopardized in the line of duty; but no man
could cross the waters of Reef Rock and live.
Breslin sat down on the belt box.
"You can't live where the boat can't" he
said doggedly. Next instant he was lifted
and tossed on the sand as Carnahan had
tossed the line gun. He staggered up, as
Carnahan was buck1ing on the cork belt.
EASY does it, Carny," he cried. "Man,
look yonder! There's somethin' comm out
| O the wash"
i'm Breslin's cry the others took it up.
~ "There's fellers in the main shrouds pay
in out line! Sometime comm ashore!"
@They amt crazy enough to think any
| thing Twin car pass them rocks!'
"There's so--'ething goin' on!' Breslin
sprang with Canadian to the surf. "Hold
hard! l see it! It's comm -there!"
Canadian was already in the water. The
surf struck him and he paused, dazed.
When he rose, staggering back, he held a
slim form in his arms, and the life savers saw
the line that trailed from the mans body.
"By the Lord it's Raia!" Breslin led the
| cries of amazement. IL, the Kanaky, an
he's fetched line from the ship!"
"Raja-alive?" Carnahan stood, still
holding the senseless form of the islander and
looking down. on it with eyes that did not
understand. Then, as his face lifted, deep
breath like sob broke from him. Gan the
| boy-my baby?" he said.
The line trailing from the Kanaka's BODY