Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-12-22
CHAPTER XIV.
rhe "HardenIna" Process.

The life-saving station was very
still. Nos 8 and had gone out on
the eight-o'clock patrol. The seventh
man was taking his twenty-four hours
of at his home on the shore. The
keeper was working over his report
in the office. The other members OF
the crew we're upstairs asleep, and
Abe and Samuel were bearing each
other company in the messroom.
Abe lay asleep on the carpet-covered
sofa which had been dragged out of
the captains room for him, so that
the old man need not spend the night
in the cold sleeping-loft above. He
was fully dressed except for his
boots; for he was determined to con-
form to the rules of the service, and
sleep with his clothes on ready for
instant duty.
Talk erbout him a-dyin'!" grcwied
Samuel to himself. lounging YEARLY
In chair beside the stove. He's jest
startin' his life. He's a regular boss.
/ didn't think he had it in him"
SamuePs tone was resentful He
was a little jealous of the distinction
which had been made between him
and Abe; and drawing closer to the
fire, he shivered in growing distaste
for the cot assigned to him with the
crew upstairs, where the white frost
lay on the window latches.
What uncomfortable chairs they had
in this stationI Samuel listened to
the mooing of the breakers, to the
wind rafting at the casements-and
wondered If Blossy had missed him.
About this time she must be sitting
in her chintz-covered rocker, combing
out the ringlets of her golden-white
hair in the CHEEKY freight.
Now, that would be sight worth
seeingi Abe opened his mouth and
began to snore. What disgusting, hide
GUS creatures men were, reflected
Samuel. Six months living with an
unusually high-bred woman had insen.
sibly raised his standards.
Why should he spend a. week of his
ever-shortening life with such inferior
beings, just for Abraham's sake-for
Abraham's sake, and to bear out the.
DRY of his own, which he had already
concluded a mistake?
Abe gave a snort, opened his eyes
and muttered sleepily: This is what
! call A No. l spree. Naow, termor
rer-" But mumbling incoherently
he relapsed into slumber, putting his
lips out into a whistling sound.
Samuel reached for a newspaper on
the table, folded it into a missile, and
started to fling it into the innocent
face of the sleeper. But fortunately fol
Abraham, it was Captain Darby's Gus
tom to count ten whenever seized BY
an exasperated impulse. and at the
ninth number he regretfully dropped
the paper
Then he began to count in another
way. Using the forefnger of his right
hand as a marker, he counted under
his breath, lone" on his left thumb
then after frowning interval, two
on his left forefnger, three" on the
middle digit, and so on. giving time
for thought to each number, until hi
had exhausted the fingers of his lef
hand and was ready TO start on thu
right
Count, count, went on Samuel, unit
thrice five was passed. and he bega1
to be confused
Once more Abe awoke, and inquired
If the other were trying to reckon th'
number of new wigwags and signals
which the service had acquired sine,
they had worked for the government
but on being sharply told to She
up!" went to sleep again.
What the protector of the trip wa
really trying to recall was how man,