The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-10-09

eH0hS ii'ni 1no
H. nor'east.
~ Capt Snow WAS
a good navigator and he handled that
bark under close reefed topsls 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
we're 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
win ard. | shouts warnin and
jumps into the fore rigging The men
in the waist saved themselves by grab
bling whateverd hold EN- 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 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.
He's gone overheard" l replied, in
low voice
What in Gods name are we goin'
to do?" muttered the mate.
why rig 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 it 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 I recognized the skip
per
81 thought you were drowned"
gasped
He didn't answer but commenced to
put the wheel to starboard.
"My God, skipper" l cried you're
putting her ashore. This isn't 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
I, staring at the figure at the wheel.
With the helm hard as a starboard
the bark went straight for the break
ers and l 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
I 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 filed and the vessel slowly
wore away from the westland.
Suddenly the bark lost the wind
wheel
Slipper" called, and began to
turn cold.
| grabbed the wheel and brought
the bark to the wind all the time
looking around for the skipper l
came aft | asked him to take the
wheel and went down into the cabin.
I opened the captains stateroom
and there that little kid was sound
asleep jest as calm as if he had
been in his crib ashore
Now. boys, you heard me say the
skipper was a steerin with his left
hand and when his body was washed
ashore they found his right arm bro
ken
who vas it at der veel?" asked
Hans.
ut was the shippers spirit come
to save his little boy" replied Jim.