Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-25

something of navigation, and he was a
man of keen observation.
He began to think, even before fhs
boats of the brig were swallowed nm
fin the darkness of the storm and nfeht
that for a vessel leaking the way Inc
brig was supposed TO leak and with
eight feet of water already in her boid
she was not as low In the sea as might
| be expected
Under the circumstances, she could
not long keep her decks above water,
vet II seemed to him as though nov
that she was driving steadily before
the gale. the Nancy Gigg was not verv
far down in the water.
He went to the rail and measured fhs
distance between the rollers as best
| he could.
His companions were pretty silent
but somebody suggested tearing OF
the main hatch and making a raft OF
that.
you'll have the brig filed then IN
no time" Pepper said.
"And what NATTER" was the do
mand. "She's bound to go down anv.
way. Eight feet of water made in half
an hour or so means that there's a hole
III DcI D1S CuOhSh ~ bAlFe al OK Team
through, or else every plank in her
bottom is sprung"
81 dunno" said Pepper Lets try
the pumps"
"An' try an pump the whole bloom
in Atlantic through herr they cried.
and cursed him soundly for fool.
So John Pepper went at IT alone. He
coupled on the pumps, and he worked
the heavy brakes himself. 1t wasn't a
minute before he had a stream the full
size of the pipe squirting across the
deck
John looked at this and stopped
pumping He went down on his hands
and knees and smelled Of the overflow
from the pipe. Then he tasted It.
Then for long time he squatted there
on the pitching deck Of the brig and
thought
By and by he went back to his shiv-
ering comrades in the galley, where
the cook had left a fire.
"Got enough of it, did your said
they. els she settling fast?'
mo, she doesn't settle much" said
Pepper slowly
"Well, let's turn to and knock to-
gether some kind Of a raft" one Of the
men said "The old ships bound to
sink soon anyhow, so we can't be much
worse off"
Perhaps" said Pepper. "and then
again perhaps not. If I'll show you
fellows how this brig can be saved and
brought into port, providing something
worse don't happen to her than has
happened already, will you agree for
me to have half the salvage, you four
to divide the other half between your
They stared at him in amazement
One muttered: "He's of his chump.
It's turned the mans head"
"I'm sane" said Pepper.
"But with eight feet of water In her
hold?' gasped another.
81 don't care If there's eighty feet"
exclaimed John. Answer me-
"Save my life and We can have all
the salvage yeIl ever get out of the
Nancy Gigg" declared one.
Pepper soberly got paper and ink
from the captains cabin, and while
the old brig labored and pitched he
drew up the document, and his four
comrades signed it
Now" he said. placing the paper
In an inner pocket, III tell you that
that dandy second mate of the Nancy
Gigg was a blarsted idiot She amt
leaking enough to hurt"
Get out, man! 1 saw the pump
rod" cried one.
$50 did l." Pepper returned
''It was wet full eight feet"
$50 1t was, but not with water"
The quartet stared at him blankly.
Der continued, 1.-The barrels OF sperm
must ha' got adrift. There's hundreds
# 'em smashed, and the hold is food
ID with oil. That's what comes
trough the pipes, and it's what wet
he sounding rod The old briggs as
ound as dollar yet"
Every man OF the four had 10 see
he pure oil squirting from the pumps
efore he could believe Peppers state
nent- But at the sight they all pluck
d up heart
They were battered a deal by the
lind, for gale followed gale for twen-
y-seven days. Then the Nancy GigG
Tas nearer the Azores again than the
.merican coast.
So under Peppers directions an i'm.
revised gear was rugged. and thus.
teering by pulley haul" they worked
er into Fayal. and Pepper went
shore and told their story to the
merican consul.
Well, the owners fought the case
nd tried to make out that the i've
ere members OF the Nancy Gigs
'ew, and therefore it was their duty
save her If possible. but finally
epper and his friends won. There
'obably hasn't been speculation in
'erm oil made in half a century that.
me out so well for the spectators.
And If you can find John Peppers
Top on South street and drop in some
my day when business is duh he'll
II you all about It.
OS - A Sinaa