Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1912-05-29
SHAPES Swallowed In elackness.

plunged In the AFTERNOON SUN euVei'
oped her, damp and impenetrable. and
into the gray, ever receding wall
ahead. with two deck officers and
three lookouts straining sight and
hearing to the utmost, the great racer
was charging with undiminished speed.
At quarter past IL two men crawl
ed In from the darkness at the ends
Of the eighty foot bridge and shouted
to the first officer, who had just taken
the deck. the names of the men who
had relieved them. Backing up to the
pilot house. the officer repeated the
names to quartermaster within. who
entered them in the log book. Then
the men vanished, to their coffee and
swatch below" In q few moments
another dripping shape appeared on
the bridge and reported the crows.
nest relief.
"Rowland. you say?" bawled the Of
ffcer above the bowling of the wind.
us he the man who was lifted aboard
drunk yesterday"
Eyes, SIR
lis he straight nowY'
Eyes. SIR
"All right-that1l do. Enter Rowland
in the crows nest. quartermaster,"
said the officer; then, making funnel
of his hands. he roared out "Crow's
nest, therer'
"Str." came the answer, shrill and
clear on the gale.
keep your eyes open. Keep sharp
lookout"
Every good. SIR
"Been a man-o' wars man. judSe
by his answer. They're no good" NUT
tered the officer. He resumed his po-
sition at the forward side of the bridge.
where the wooden railing afforded
some shelter from the raw wind. and
began the long vigil which would end
| only when the second officer relieved
him four hours later. Conversation
was forbidden among the bridge off,
GERS Of the Titan. and his watch mate.
! the third officer, stood on the other
side Of the large bridge pinnacle, leav.
ing this position only occasionally to
glance in at the compass, which seem
ed to be his sole duty at sea. Shell
tered by one of the deck houses be-
low. the boatswain and the watch
paced back and forth. enjoying the
only two hours respite which steam.
ship rules afforded. for the days work
had ended with the going down of the
other watch. and at O'clock the wash
ing of the tween deck would begin as
an opening task in the next days labor
| By the time one bell had sounded,
with its repetition from the crows
nest, followed by long drawn cry
:Alls well!' from the lookouts, the last
of the 1900 passengers had retired.
leaving the spacious cabins and steer
age In possession of the watchmen,
while sound asleep in his cabin abaft
the chart room was the captain, the
commander who never commanded
unless the ship was in danger for the
pilot had charge, making and leaving
port, and the officers at sea.
Two bells were struck and answered,
then three, and the boatswain and his
men were lighting up for a final smoke
when there rang out overhead star
Ting cry from the crows nest:
Something ahead, sir; can't make It
out"
The first officer sprang to the engine
room telegraph and grasped the lever.
"Sing out what you seer he roared.
Hard a port, sir; ship on the star
board tack, dead aheadv' came the cry.
"Port your wheel hard over" repeat.
ed the first officer to the quartermaster
at the helm, who answered and obey
ed. Nothing as yet could be seen from
the bridge. The powerful steering en-.
CINE In the stern ground the rudder
over, but before three degrees on the
compass card were traversed by the
lubber's point a seeming thickening Of
the darkness and fog ahead resolved
itself into the square sails of deep
laden ship crossing the Titan's bow
not half her length away.
H and DIP growled the first OH.
Ger. STEADY on your course, quarter.
master" he shouted. "Stand from un.
der on. deckv' He turned lever
which closed compartments. pushed a
button marked Captains Room and
crouched down, awaiting the crash.
There was hardly a crash. A slight
jar shook the forward end Of the Titan.
and sliding down her fore topmast
stay and rafting on deck came show
er of small spars,. sails, blocks and
wire rope. Then in the darkness to
starboard and port two darker shapes
shot blythe two halves of the ship
she had cut through-and from one OF
!. these shapes, where still burned a bin.
nacle light, was heard, high above the
. confused murmur of shouts and
shrieks, q sailorly voice:
. May the curse Of God light on you
and your cheese knife, you brass
bound murderers!'
The shapes were swallowed In the
! blacknesS astern, the cries were hush.