The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1913-11-04

a good navigator and he handled that
bark under close reefed tops'ls as
well as any man could, but he had
most unreasonable craft In the Phoebe
Clement She never wanted to do
anything that was asked Of her.
The skipper had brought his little
son with him on this voyage. He
was a taut little kid and all of us
were fond of him. The captain had
lost his wife and this little boy was
the apple Of his eye.
1t was just at dusk and things were
desprit with US when / saw a great
green wave rolling down on us from
wizard. / shouts warnin' and
jumps into the fore rigging. The men
in the waist saved themselves by grab
bling whatever'd hold 'em fast, but the
man at the wheel went over the rail
as the bark heeled down the shock of
that mighty wave. The skipper was
clinging to the backstay but when he
saw the man at the wheel go over he
sprang for the spokes. Some how he
missed his hold and In a minute he
was banged against the cabin house
and swept over it into the sea.
Snowman ran to the wheel and we
slid down from the rigging and began
cutting and slashing at the mess Of
tangle of ropes which held the spars
to the vessels side.
where's the skipper" whispered
the mate, to me.
Hes gone overheard" I replied. in
a low voice.
what in Gods name are we goin'
to do?" muttered the mate
why rig a storm sail in the main"
sung out Snowman; ''for Gods sake do
something to try save our lives"
The mate gave the order. "It's no
good" he muttered, "the drift and
the wind are too much for us"
We bent the sail but 1t did no good;
we were steadily going on the shoals.
Snowman had left the wheel and
had taken his place. The mate, scared
to death, was crouching in the lee of
the cabin house and the others were
forrard.
Dark as it was recognized the skip
per.
81 thought you were drowned" l
gasped.
He didn't answer but commenced to
put the wheel to starboard.
"My God, skipper" / cried. you're
putting her ashore. This isn't a fore
and after"
He never said word.
/ noticed that he was steering with
his left hand and that the bark was
answering to the helm for the first
time since she had gotten in the drift.
Snowman came aft.
Who's that at the wheel?" he ask
ed me.
"Cap'n Snow" answered, "and he's
steerin' plumb ashore"
Then he wasn't washed over"
said Snowman.
81 saw him go over the rail-" said
|, staring at the figure at the wheel.
With the helm hard as a starboard
the bark went straight for the break
ers and I held my breath waitin' for
her to strike.
Then the skipper shot the spokes
to sport and the wind lulled. 1t came
again in about three minutes and
dead from nor'west.
The skipper waved his hand to-
wards the masts but said not a word.
| understood him and ran forrard. The
others were sailors. all. and they had
already begun to bend a sail to the
stump of the foremost so as to help
the old hooker out of the pickle.
The sail filled and the vessel slowly
wore away from the westland.
Suddenly the bark lost the wind
and I ran aft. No one stood at the
wheel.
Slipper" I called, and I began to
turn cold.
! grabbed the wheel and brought
the bark to the wind all the time
looking around for the skipper. /
cried out for Snowman and when he
came aft / asked him to take the
wheel and went down into the cabin.
opened the captains stateroom
and there that little kid was sound
asleep Jest as calm as If he had a
been in his crib ashore
Now, boys. you heard me say the
skipper was steerin' with his left
hand and when his body was washed
ashore they found his right arm bro
ken.
who vas 1t at der veel?" asked
Hans.
1T was the shippers spirit come
to save his little boy" replied Jim.
I'm IT