The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-07-31
Port air pump

drtngtOn, crashing his big fist upon the
table. Nothing but defects. defects.
Can We drive. engines at all. you mis-
cradle merchantmen? What dye want
to slacken down to! What's wrong
this time? YOU 49,.
That second came a tremendous jar
ring and %crunching beneath their feet. .
The great ship was shaken like a thing
Of straw. An appalling nammering
followed. chaotic and deafening. Gray
steam surged through hatchways. ven
~tilators and companions
The senior engineer a rushed from
the bridge. As be raced s%ntdships he
snatched the sacking of the backs OF
some Of the "bIack squad" dumping
ashes overheard. grabbed at a quarter.
masters oilskins and showed them all
upon him.
"Garret IN Epburn an Nr. Jerroil
in port alleyway!' was the answer to
his shout from the arti1cers now In
safety. 1t reached his ear as he step.
ped down into the uproar of smashing.
clashing metal.
With heightened anxiety and fear.
Widdrington stared at the steam still
o%utpouring. The thunderous clanking
Of ponderous machinery %galloping loose
beat frightfully into his ear. With
much more Of it bilge plates would be
started.
1t was then that a blear eyed. cinder
burnt signalman came %hurrying along
Flagship ningin' out Chase signals.
sir!!" was his report.
When TorsheIl again dragged him.
self On the bridge he was a mere un.
shapely mass. held together by swaths
of lint. Widdrington stepped hastily
to him and helped him up the last
rungs of the ladder. The captain look
ed into the scanned and scalded face.
nearly hidden beneath bandages. Said
he heartily: by heavens, we've pluck:
These men owe their lives to you
Ye've pluck. And with this certiti-
cate forthcoming at last for service
done be dismissed the case for hero
ism.
But about this breakdown-what
can you do? Our east wing scouts are
in touch with the enemy. and here am
l not doing five knots. Never a shot
to be fred, and ahead they've got all
the work. Can you do nothing with
these starboard engines?" r..
They are in a pretty bad tx, but
I'll do my best to work them for a
time at least"
The senior engineer staggered to a
deep wallow of the stricken vessel as
q tumultuous swell tilted her casemat,
ed broadside. He would have fallen
headlons if the officers had not sprung
forward and caught him under the
arms. He nloaned. MY knee. My
knee. It's smashed"
Half an hour later he was superin
tending his officers and men. who.
stripped to their trousers. were clear
ing away the wreck Every, order that
issued peremptorily from his blanched
lips went full and fair to the mark and
afforded succinct knowledge and con
6dence to the grimy. sweating workers
Theirs were unbegrudged obedience
and execution. for each now understood
his man. launched shouldered. he was
through physical agOnies: yet. know
ing that he held the lives of 700 men
and that great. glorious ship In his
hand. he maintained his will indomita-
bic. Not a'detail escaped his eye or
| slipped his brain.
~.
Night had long since dropped. The
immense boat lay lurching from side
to side. plunging wildly under the tons
Of green vel that .thudded like batter
ing rams against her bows and fore
castle what time the high walled swell
broke roaring.
MAKE for northwest trade patrol.
Regain nearest port Much regret
breakdown" had been the sorely har.
assed vice admiral's latest message.
Captain Widdrington. . barrel swath.
ed in shawls and many waterproofs.
was with the first and third l~ieutenants
on the afterbridSs. YEARLY b turn
ID from straining his eyes over>ths IN.
distinct SUBMITS OF ysasty Q q and
cleared the brine Of his face and bushy
eyebrows with the nat OF his left hand.
He was cautiously making his way mp
the bridge when suddenly hs stopped
short A quartermastsr shouted. Dye
hear that strr'
A faint boom had rung through the
stormy wind. ominouA Hike TO . dyins
worlds last echo. 10y
The 6rst lodged Z scattered spout OF
sea. III the enemy drive down on -
win you light. sirr'
"Yes, By heavens! A. We'll 80 down
nghtin' - not. II ~ can work ship
it's the very weather Tor %. Nee Tor.
shell / must risk the port engines.
And a. Wipgate carefully made HI
way on deck ..F1rin' east ~sou'ea1e!'
was the lookou9,s hail
He climbed down the thirty odd TEA
q slippery ladder into The .mase Of 10
tscnssHa .~naacDipsry Az y tanei*d -.