The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-04-10
CHAPTER V.-{continued.)

CHAPTER V--(continued.)
"'Stand by!' roars Nat. It's
gquall, dead astern and comm abilin'!
III take her, Bile You look out for
them tops'ls.
$50 Nat grabs the wheel and Bile
tears for'ard and sends the two fo'mast
hands aloft on the jump. Zach was
skipper, but all he done was race
around and boiler and trip over his
own feet. 1t hit 'em fore they got
even one tops'l clewed down. That
one, the foretops1 't.yas, split to rags.
The main tops1 was set, and when the
squat struck, the rotten old topmast
went by the board 'Kerrash-o!' Course
splinters flew like all possessed, and
enc Of 'em, about a foot long, sailed
past Mats head, where he STOOD heav-
in his whole weight on the wheel, and
lit right on the pinnacle, smashin' 1t
to matches.
We'll, there they was, afioat, but
with their upper riggin' gone and the
compass smashed fiat. "A howlin' moth
Zach was whimperin', fidgetin old
woman, Lafayette and Emulous was
prayin' in the scuppers-and that amt
an exercise they're used to, neither
even Bile was mighty shook up and
worried-he says he was himself. But
Nat Hammond was as cool and re-
9reshin' as the bottom Of my well up
home.
Then Nat suggests gettin' the spare
Ompass and, 10 and behold you! there
want any. Compasses cost money
and moneys made to keep. so Zach
thinks.
so there they was. Wind was fair
or ought to be, but twas BLOWN hard
and so thick you couldn't hardly see
the jib boom. Zach he wanted to an
Choir, then he didn't, then he did, and
30 on. Nobody paid much attention
Go him.
WhatIl we do, Nat?' says Bile
He knew who was the real seaman
aboard.
We'll, If twas me. wouldn't an
of tomorrow, but If it shouldn't, we
might have to lay out here all day
Anyhow. we'd have to wait for a full
tide
I'm afraid we're off the course,
says Bile. else we'd been acrost the
bar by this time
Well Nat tells him, If we are off
the course and too far inshore, we
would have made the bar-the Bay
port bar-if not the Trumet one. And
IL we're off the course and too far out.
we'd ought to have deeper water than
five fathom, hadn't WEI Course I'm
not sure, but What's that, lands
MANI
Three and half, SIR says the fell
der with the lead. That showed they
was edgin' in somewheres. Nat he
shifted, for all the world like dog
catchin' scent, so Bile declares.
Tell you l smell home says Nat,
calm and clipper. and I'd know that
smell IL l met 1t in Jericho Ha.
there she deepens again. That was
the bar and we're over tt
The wind had gone down to a stiff
saiiin' breeze, and the old Debby s.
slapped along afore it. Sometimes
there was twelve foot under her keel
and sometimes eight or nine. Once
twas only seven and half. Zach and
Bile both looked at each other, but
Nat only smiled
oh, you can Taught hollers Zach.
'"Taln't your vessel you're runnin' in
20 danger. You amt paid out your
good money
NAT never answered; !" but he stopped
amilin'.
And all to once the water deep
ened. Hammond swung her I'D into
the wind.
Now you can anchor says he.
And bout time, too, guess says
Bile. I cal'late the Shippers right.
This is Horsefoot and we're right be-
tween the shoals. Yes, sir. and hear
breakers. Lively there!'
They hove over the mudhook and
dropped the sails Nat shook his
head.
Breakers or not, says he, 4 tell
you I've smelt home for the last half
hour. Now, by the jumpin Moses,
can taste IT,
And inside of a couple of shakes
come the rain. 1t poured for a while
and then the fog cleared. Right across
their bows was Trumet, with the town
clock strfkin' ten. Over the fat place
between the hills they could see tha
light on the ocean side. And they was
anchored right in the deep hole inside
She breakwater, as sure as I'm knee
nigh to marlin spike.
Bile Just stared at, Hammond with
his mouth open
Nat. says he, you're a seaman If
1 do say it. l thought / was pretty
good bay pilot, but can't steer a yes
Eel without a compass through a night
ns black as Pharaoh's Egypt. and In a
thick fog besides, and land her SQUARE
on top OF her moorin's. II nv hat