The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-09-26

~N~HNf 1AA a A"AA AAt NtA - AhoNhh
! We're being paid a dollar a stroke
but no effeetl
II got so | could hear the engines
thump. thump, and hear the water
turn of from the cutwater with a
continuous. moist. rustling sound.
Then suddenly the whole Humahuma
leaped out of the fog, coming straight
at me. every light burning. coming
full speed, right on top OF me!
stopped ringing and jumped to the
rail, and during two seconds | swore
and roared and pulled my beard. and
then she hit us right amidships. and
the shock sprawled me on the deck on
my back and knocked the wind out
OF me.
The Humahuma had hit the Stalwart
square, and she had cut us half in two.
But she backed out so quickly that be
fore ! could get TO my feet she was
driving both engines astern, and she
was already clear Of US.
Just a moment later she disappeared
in the fog. but / saw. nevertheless.
that her bow was stove in and rup.
tured and that on deck there was a
barndoor Of a woman's figure which
had in its arms a child.
l felt sure from their shapes that the
woman and child would be Mrs. Sid.
dons and 81.
Would the Humahuma sink?
/ was sure she would, from what l
had seen. And then / noticed that my
own ship, the old Stalwart. was sink
ing too. What to do?
| ran to the splintered hole. and |
heard the water whistling as II rushed
in, like wind In the treetops, only in
sharper notes.
What 10 do?
| jumped and rang the alarm call on
the bell. and the ships ahead passed 1t
along. ! rang 1t again and again. and
then a frail skiGf with a half grown
boy In it appeared alongside out of
the fog.
"pn take you OF. uncle" said the
boy.
i told him not to be familiar. that !
wasn't his uncle at all and that as for
going Off with him In his skiff /
couldn't.
I'm sort OF captain" said !, "and i
can't leave. You know yourself a ship
keeper can't go without being relieved;
his job is to stay with his ship. But
I'm much obliged to you, and I'd ap-
p~reciate II more yet If you'd run down
to the Humahuma and pick up some
friends OF mine"
The boy hollered, Jaw, come on, you
nutty old devil; she's sinkin'l'
But I said. mo; I'm staying, though
I'd like well TO see how 81 and his ma
are getting along, and I wish you'd go
down for me and see."
But just then another skin came out
OF the silvery fog, and 1t carried the
long old admiral himself, going I'm a
wherry, with two ~bluejackets h'isting
him along.
"oarsr' he cried. abreast the gang
way, and then he called to me: why
don't you get Off the ship2 She's sink
ing"
I saluted him just as I'd saluted
Thomas at Chickamauga and says:
Cant TIL I'm relieved"
And do you know he seemed to get
real mad. He says:
you're relieved now. Haven't you
got any sense in your head? Get out OF
that into the skiff! Give way, lads!"
"All right, sir" says /. IF she's or.
ders she goes, and I'm much obliged to
you"
And ] jumped into the skin with the
boy, and we followed the admirars
boat through the fog toward where we
could hear mufIled shouts and cries,
The Humahuma sank before we ar
rived. and we were soon In the midst
Of floating buckets, boards and articles
OF clothing. But there were n good
many shore boats already there, and
the survivors were oil picked up so far
as could be seen.
SO we started looking In the various
boats for 81 and his ma, but we couldn't
find them, though we rowed around and
around and around.
Finally the other boats commenced
to go In shore. one by one, but we kept
on rowing until no one was there OK.
cept the pale faced boy and me.
We'd row n few strokes. then stop 60
listen and see IL the heavy, leaden,
foggy silence wouldn't be broken.
Finally the silence was broken. A
faint moaning noise came from out In
the white fog some place.
We pulled for It; then we paused
! and listened, hoping TO hear it again.
When we did hear II again climbed
to the bow. and we pulled and paused
and pulled and paused.
Sometimes II seemed far of, some
times close. But presently | saw q
shadow ON the water.
Way 'nufr' | cried Give me an
oar. I'll paddle"
And so | came TO the shadow, gen.
fly and carefully. and II was 81 and his
ma that had made the shadow. 81 was
all right