The daily Alaskan., 1913-09-12
A Stowaway
 Deserbar
By ALBERT T. KENYON


 
 The sccoad officer of the ship Alba tross running between New York and Havana one morning walked aft where the captain was standing talk Ing with a passenger. The mate was conducting stowaway who had just been found concealed in the hold The latter was a man about twenty years old and appeared to De healthy and strong. He was partly dressed in the uniform of a United States soldier On hIs foce was bitter rebclious look
 'who are youg asked the captain stcrnly
 "A dcscrter,"
 "You don't seem ashamed Of being one"
 "Nor should T. seeing that | had tyrant for a captain"
 "Wcn. youll have to work your way.'
 The dcscrtcrstowawuy was put down among the coal beavers, where. stripped to the whist. be shOveled coal Into the furnace The ship was on Cape uaucras when her rudder post broke aud Ier, her at the mercy Of wind and waves. Che former blowing directly on shore To put In a new post at sea In rough weather was not to be thought of Some cypedient must be mndn for gaming stccr0gc way temporarily: then the ship must bp taken Into port for repairs. The cnuuIu planned to GN a chain to each side of Che rudder, bring an end of each chain up on Co Jhe dcck. attach both Co a cUpstan and thus steer che ship
 There was a heavy Iron ring on each side of Che ruddcr and the intention was to puss a rope through the ring and secure an attachment for the rhnIn ta Che ring by means of thc rope But how get che rope through the rmgss When the ships keel was on level ,hr rings were lyc feet under water When thc ship plunged down wave Che stern w0s lifted and the rings exposed. The problem was to got fhn ropes through tho rings when
 rrv were thus raised above tGc sur fnrr The only way was for a man to be lowered on to Che ruddcr go down ] with ft and up again, putting the ropes through Che rings when they were 0t 1 thc highest point TO suspend a man for Che purpose would not avail He would likely be dashed against che stern TO do hIs work be must cling l Co tlc ruddcr
 The captain ordered rhe ships crew lined up ou dccE and called for volun fpers f8 do thc work only one man could work at time. The reason for calling for a number was that it was . supposed several would be disabled be fore one succeeded
 l And so It proved. The 6rst man was lost by losing hls grip The second l was hauled up unconscious. The third 1 .brcnmc benumhcd. and che fourth was l killed by being dashed against Che ships stern. That ended the voIuu ] tecrlug, SO far as the crew was con. cerucd. and the work had not been l done
 Then Che stowaway, who had come on dccl, Co see what was going on, stepped forward and offered himself for the next victim The vessel was Approaching the coast and death was staring an on board In the face The offer was accepted as a last hope. The man had on only trousers and woolen shirt. and hIs strength was apparent -.A rope was IooDed under his shoul- ] dars. Che one Co be attached was given ] him. and when the ship was about to . .nmuge he was quickly lowcrcd.' s CrnrIng Co the rings, knowing that he would not have time to do his work before thc stern would go down. he waited Go be submerged and rise again. ' As ho disappeared those leaning over Che stern Co watch him wondered h } when Che ruddcr came up he would bc 2 there. Few expected that he would {, Tt was a good minute before the rise 2. came. hut the stowawgy came with it {. While che ruddcr was exposed Inc rUn che end 0f the rope through one ring.
 Down again hc went was gone an other minute. came up and this time passed the rope through thc other ring l. A third dme be sank and rose, and be 5 fore the stern wont down again he had n che rope loopcd around him. He was pulled up and laid unconscious on Che deck.
 The one rope passed through the two rings enabled the crew to get the chains through and thus secure con- 2 trol of thc rudder not ten minutes be. fore the ship would have been bump inc on the sands. The lives of an be. ing in danger, no one paid any atten. tion to the stowaw0y tlI the rudder ' was pulled by hand to port and the -l ship. making a curve, stood out to h sea. Then the captain hurried to the n side Of the man who had saved him, his crew and his passengers and, Ntt. ! Ing him up, embraced him. The stow away opened his eyes; Che captain called for some liquor and poured it down his throat
 z Pneumonia set ln, but the stowaway r rr4 -,.f rr1I- for 0fFnnfi0n nnd raCOV-