Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-16

fog bank into which the snip had
plunged In the afternoon still onvel-
opcd her. damp and impenctrahlc, and
into the gray, ever recedinC 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 II two men crawl
ed in from the darkness ut 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 a quartermaster within, who
entered them In the log book Then
,he men vanished. to their coffee and
watch below" In few moments
another dripping shape appeared on
the bridge and reported the crows
nest relief.
Rowland, you say" bawled the Of
ficer above the bowling of the wind.
rs he the man who was lifted aboard
drunk yesterday"
"Yes, SIR
SIS he straight now"
"Yes. SIR"
Cali right-that'll do. Enter Rowland
in the crows nest, Quartermaster,"
said the officer: then. making funnel
of his hands. he roared out. Grows
nest. there"
sir" came the answer. shrill and
clear on the gale.
Keep your eyes open. Keep n sharp
lookout"
every good. SIR
Been n man-o'-war's man. I Judge
by his answer. They're no good" NUT
tered the officer. He resumed his 10
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 Oh the other
side of the large bridge pinnacle. leav-
ing this position only occasionally to
glance in at the compass which Scent
cd to be his sole duty Mt sen. 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 rs
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
"All's well!' from the lookouts, the last
/ Of the 1000 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 nt sea.
Two bells We're struck and answered
then three, and the boatswain and his
men We're lighting up for final smoke
when there rang out overhead star
fling cry from the crows nest.
Something ahead, sir; can't make II
out"
The first officer sprang to the engine
room telegraph and grasped the lever
Sing out what you see.' he roared.
Hard port. sir: ship on the star
board tack, dead ahead" came the cry
Port your wheel hard over" repeat
ed the first officer to the qunrtermastel
ut 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 ruddel
over. but before three degrees on th'
compass card We're traversed by thi
lubbers point n seeming thickening o.
the darkness and fog ahead resolved
Itself into the square sails or deeI
laden ship crossing the Titans bow
not half her length away
H and d." growled the first OH
Ger. STEADY on your course, quarter
masterr' he shouted. stand from I'm
der on deck He turned leve
which closed compartments, pushed
button marked Captains Room" AM
crouched down. awaiting the crash.
There was hardly n crash. Sigh
jar shook the forward end Of the Titan
and sliding down her fore topmas
stay and rafting on deck came show
er Os small Spars, sails, blocks an,
wire rope. Then In the darkness 4
starbonrd and port two darker shape
shot blythe two halves Of the shll
she had cut through from one o
these shapes, where still burned bin
nacle light, was heard. high above tn
confused murmur of shouts an'
shrieks. sailorly voice:
May the curse Of God light on y0'