The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-08-25
A GHOST
PILOT
B, WILLIAM CHANDLER

on the Maine coast There is some
thing more in that bay than handling
boat and that is handling what the
boat is liable to bring up against. The
waters are literally full of rocks.
Tom early fell in with fisherman
named Wilkins-Captain wilkins he
was called, as all men who sail their
own boats in that region are-who
took fancy to the youngster because
they both loved the water Wilkins
usually went out after dark. set his
nets and returned about sunrise the
next morning. Tom was so In love
with the water that he would 60 out
with the captain one or two nights In
the week That's what made the cap
tain love Tom. Both were awed by
the solemn grandeur Of the starry dome
above them. Both loved the mystical
moonlight-so Tom named it-and
when they got caught In a rising wind
and all was black about and above
them, If there was not pleasure In 1t.
there was a pleasure In getting ashore
and in the memory of it
But there was one weather condition
that appalled, Tom. and it was this
that caused him to confine his excur-
sions alone to short sails in fair wealth
er-he dreaded fog.
And why shouldn't he2 Often when
the sun shone brightly on a partly sub
merged rock and the foam of a gigan-
tic wave breaking over 1t he would
exclaim. "Just think of running on to
that of dark night or in a fogr' And
the captain would say. 1--WE been sail
ing In this bay for thirty years in dark
nights, in foggy nights, in all kinds
of nights. and never struck one of
'em YETI
"How do you do it?'
II dunno. Reckon do it as you git
out Of bed in the middle Of the night
and go downstairs for drink of wa
ter or something, without light"
One day when the two were sailing
together Tom said that so long as he
lived he would spend his vacations on
Casco bay and If he grew rich he
would spend the whole of each season
there.
az won't be with you when you're
running your own yacht, Tommy" said
the captain, "but If you ever get in a
bad fix I'll help you out"
What! After you're dead?"
mo one dies. We simply change
conditions; we don't need legs and
boats and such like
When the mackerel became so scarce
that it didn't pay the captain to go
out nights he and Tom would cruise
about among the beautiful islands of
the bay, living aboard the boat They
had butterfish for breakfast. cod or
lobster or clans for dinner and mack
erel for supper. And as for sleeping
when at anchor in a cove. with the
wavelets soothing them to slumber
against the sides Of the boat, they kept
awake only because it was so delight
full. : 4;
We'll, the day came when Tom Sim
gleton was able to keep small yacht
of his own and spend the greater part
of the summer cruising in her. He
took her to Casco bay-he owned
cottage on Bailey's island-and enjoy
ed sailing to his hearts content.
But, though he knew q great deal
more about navigating a boat than
when a youngster, he was not up to
the rocky bottom Of Casco bay. More
over, he didn't have Captain Wilkins to
rely on, for the captains old hulk was
buried in the cemetery on the highest
part of Orr's island, where one can see
the ocean in many different parts. So
Singleton was obliged to sail his own
boat, combining himself to fair weather.
But If the yachtsman could tell about
what the weather would be he couldn't
predict freedom from fog. The coast
of Maine is nearly as bad for fogs as
the banks of Newfoundland They
come suddenly, and sometimes they
stay long while
One bright morning Singleton start
ed with his wife and children and a
few friends from Bailey's island for
Papham beach. They had made the
voyage outward and were returning
past Seguin light when a fog bank
came rolling in from the eastward and
enveloped them. Singleton could steer
only by compass, and what is COM
pass steering on the coast of Maine?
The fog was heavy and promised to
be Of long duration.
Tom heard swish Of waters to port
He knew the sound and steered just
In time to avoid one Of the big sub
merged, rocks Of that part of the bay.
The party passed couple of hours in
terror; then it began to grow dark.
The women and children were most
y in the cabin or on the forward deck
Tom had the tiller. He began to feel
a resistance when he turned it, and.
this continuing. he yielded to the force.
He heard waters surging to port and
starboard, but seemed to pass. by some
unseen seamanship, between or around
all dangers He let go the tiller. and
It moved not by the waves. but appar-
emily by the unseen force.
What was Toms establishment at
last to find himself in the narrow
crooked gut between Orr's and Bal
ley's islands and going through safely!
When he got out into the sound the fog
suddenly vanished and he was enabled
to steer for the dock
No one can convince Tom Singleton
that Spirit hand was not on the tiller
during that. perilous voyage. And he
Captain Wilkins words: