Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-07-10

cue them
His words recalled Haynes to his
senses. He looked out. The ship was
travelling at fearful pace toward that
line Of foam. which heayed and shud-
dered as the unclaimed devil beneath
It reared himself and stretched out his
gaping jaws for his victims. Suddenly
a hope, born Of desperation, came to
the Englishman
There is q chancel" he muttered.
There's one chance I'm thousand--
the gyroscope can pull the ship across
the whirlpool without sinking her-if
the rope stands the strain" He rushed
towards the machine. Pull in the
coils and follow me-" he shouted, and
the two raced furiously from pole to
pole, winding In the slack OF the rope.
while the gyroscope hummed and
buzzed busily and the oncoming vessel
leaped racing toward the maelstrom.
At last the rope rose taut out OF the
sea. The slack was folded. They
dared look seward again and saw the
yacht turning slowly upon circular
course that never closed, since at each
completed circle she rode nearer to-
ward central point, blacker than
pitch in the midst of the spume-tSssed
waters. 1t was the heart of the mael-
strom.
Yet the tug of the gyroscope was not
ineffective, for, though the ship
plunged like an unbroken colt, it could
be seen that she still evaded the pit
that yearned for her, and, though she
spun like top upon the dizzy edge Of
1t, the pull of the mechanism counter
acted the force of the maelstrom. And
neither gained, and round and round
that crater of death the vessel raced,
half under water and yet upheld by the
strong centrifugal force Of her swift
J motion.
II she could stay thus until the tide
went down and the devil returned to
} sleep beneath the top Of the waves
But even now the force of each con-
, tending power was equal. and the tide
! was not at the full Two hours must
pass, and long before that time the
gyroscope would fail and the rope
slacken and the maelstrom claim it's
! prey. Or even earlier the cable might
! part asunder.
; have parted long ago, for the rope was
by far the weakest OF the three con-
I tending forces. But since the whirl-
! POOLS power was not direct, but al
: ways exerted laterally, the rope had
play as the ship circled upon her
J course, and hence held, though 1t was
now stretched like taut bridge over
: the waters.
. A desperate hope entered Haynes
, brain
. "Beyers," he shouted, catching at the
J others arm like a maniac, 'if make
fast the rope. twining it tightly among
these poles, do you think you can hold
Z in the slack after / shut of the gyro
! scope7"
I The other did not understand
: Haynes shut of the machine one in
: slant, and the rope shot through his
I. companions hands and cut them to this
bone Beyers dropped 1t with a scream
o Haynes started the gyroscope. picked
l. up the rope, and wound 1t among this
poles, fastening 1t in knots with all the
4 force that he could try to bear. Wher
n he had tied seven or eight he took tn,
q slack in his hands and touched the piI
a of the machine again. The hummini
\ ceased; Haynes, straining against tn,
I rope. held it with an effort, He fas
l. tened seven more knots and triet
# again. This time he held the rop,
a easily. When he let go there was
g straining of the posts, but the rope did
n not run seward.
Now, Beyers." he said, handing tn,
81 A. se Do
h best you can and watch the posts.
+ am going to remove the gyroscope
Il There will come time when the pull
ia Of the maelstrom will uproot thes
q. poles and carry the rope away. Blu
g that should not be for an hour. Fo
n half an hour, at least, we are safe
N Hold the slack firm; fight with ever.
Ia ounce of your strength; fight as thougl
YOU were one OF these living rocks tina
n have fought against the element
In through uncounted ages-for there ar
:. lives more precious than our own a
IN stake"
4. He hurried down to the edge OF tn
sea and. grasping the boat which Bey
}" ers had brought. he dragged it to tn
| small strip OF sand which formed tn
In AuCuoEABS anu AAuuAnB place.. pEOA
70 his own sailing sloop he brought
M hammer and nails and pIanks an
n cords. Then. lifting the gyroscope. h
4. set 1t under the keel. OF the overturne
boat.
!" How does the rope stand?p b
Dc shouted to the man shove.
ID "Holdingl" cried Beyers briefly, an
70, Haynes set to work In ten minutes
ar with planks and nails. he had secure
'e- the gyroscope TO the keel of the boa
ut Beside him the green, dripping rop
skinned the top OF the sea. II ran.
ly snaky. undulating ribbon over the Wi
1t ters to where the Viking reache
% and spun over that pool of death. Sh
az was tilted more dangerously now. bt
lie still centrifugal force upheld her
it, Come here!" called Haynes. AM
when Beyers ran to him, he added, eli
nd up the boat with me and plant her Z
nd that the rope catches the groove in Ii
NJ wheel under her"
te Beyers obeyed, and now the boat Ia
To- once more on the sand, the roT
u.s. stretched under her and climbing Il
rocks behind her Haynes motions
m Beyers back TO his place. He stepps