The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-08-25

escaping Steam.
IF they were abandoning the Medora
Twas caught like a rat in a trap The
next time coasted to the foot OF the
stairs 1 caught the lower one and
climbed up. / fairly tumbled through
the door and gained the deck.
Captain and crew were in strug-
Cling group around a solitary boat
swinging at the port davits. Far
astern the remaining three boats float
ed bottom upward All around us was
the dark fury of the storm. and straight
ahead doomed the large bulk OF palm
covered island. Between us and safe
harbor there ran a hungry. snarling.
white toothed reef with one narrow
opening.
took in the scene ut gIance-land.
sea, sky and the deck Of the steamer
where two opposing forces met. on
one side the ugly mates and mutinous
black crew and ranged against them
the fiery little captain and the hulking
engineer. Sandy McAlpin.
III the old tubs going down give
US the money" threatened Blake, flour
| lshing an iron bar.
Have your choice-stay here and
sink with the money or take the boat
and cast orr screamed Captain Sayles.
The mutineers hesitated. The wheel
was dashed, and the gale was driving
the Medora straight toward the ugly
reef Perhaps they were thinking that
If the Medora broke on the reef they
would still have n chance ut whatever
treasure they had in view. or 1t had
no mixing.
A large wave came hurting along.
and the second mate sprang into the
boat. Come on, lads" he yelled.
wen come back and get the money
when the sea goes down"
With one accord his mates followed
him into the boat and lowered awag.
The chains swung free again as the
boat rode on the crest of a wave and
disappeared In the tumult OF water.
"Ahar' yelped Captain Sayles, slant
ing a cold blue eye in my direction.
why didn't you go along too2 Don't
you know were sinking?"
"TlI take chance with you," said
grufIy, and knew it was long
chance, because 1 couldn't swim a
stroke
Without further parley Captain
Sayles Ieaped up the ladder to the
wheeIhouse and grasped the wheel
The Medora was headed toward the
opening in the reef. 1t struck me then
that, no matter where the Medora was
wrecked, the mutineers might reach
her unless she sank TO the bottom.
| There her mysterious treasure would
be lost to all.
Sandy came running from below
..All readyr' he sang out. "I'H stand
by with Iine!"
"Raft p roared the captain.
aye; come. lubber,' said Sandy to
me, and went
Another Eve minutes and the NIedoru
shot through the opening in the reef
into water churned into froth by the
gale. Through-snoky spume lifted by
her bow / caught a glimpse of land
edged with a mangrove swamp Just
then Sandy rushed me over the side
on to the teetering raft. AS we broke
away from the steamer l saw the cap
tains weather beaten face at the rail
and lump rose in my throat.
Cant he come with us?" protest
ed angrily.
"Stow that" growled Sandy, bending
to the single oar. THE captain III be
KNOWN what he's ABBOTT"
watched the Medora as we drew
away from nef 11LLle Dy l4LI1e sAe
was settling in the water. The waves
washed her main deck, splnshed the
cabin windows, and then, as IL tired
of playing with its victim, the sea sent
"a heavy swell into the harbor and
pushed the tired little steamer down
under the waves.
The captain leaped wide as the yes
sci swirIed down, a wet line whistled
toward him from Sandy's hand. he
caught it deity, and I helped Sandy
pull the plucly little fellow aboard.
held my pocket flask to his blue lips
and he growled thanks.
When turned my head the Medora
had vanished and the raft to which we
chung was spinning about in the whirl-
pool OF her suction. All at once wind
and waves sent up heaving shoreward
among the mangroves. Abandoning
the raft. we fioundered through the
swamp among the tangled rodes and
circled to the left. where we round a
crescent OF snowy beach washed with
creamInp cOmbcTs. 1t was good to be
upon land once more.
we dung ourselves down on the sand,
and the caplalu pulled from u watey