The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-10-23

l were being paid dollar stroke
but no effect.
1t got 81 | coGld hear the engines
hump. thump. and hear the water
turn Off from the cutwater with
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 l saw. nevertheless.
that her bow was stove in and rup-
tured and that on deck there was
barndoor of woman's figure which
had in its arms child.
felt sure from their shapes that the
woman and child would be Mrs. Sid
dons and ST.
Would the Humahuma sink?
i was sure she would. from what ]
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 1t rushed
in. like wind in the treetops. only in
sharper notes.
What to do!
| jumped and rang the alarm call on
the bell, and the ships ahead passed 1t
along. l rang ii again and again. and
then a frail skiff with Il half grown
boy in it appeared alongside out of
the fog.
IN take you off. uncler' said the
boy.
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 |. land ]
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
preciate it 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""
But | said. mo; I'm staying. though
I'd like well to see how 81 and his ma
are getting along. and | wish you'd so
down for me and see"
But just then another skiff came out
of the silvery fog. and it carried the
long old admiral himself. going in
wherry. with two bluejackets h'isting
him along
Oars" he cried. abreast the gang
way, and then he called to me: why
don't you get off the ship? She's sink
ing"
! saluted him just us Id saluted
Thomas at Chickamauga and says:
Cant till 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 I. IF she's or.
ders she goes, and I'm much obliged to
you"
And jumped into the skiff with the
boy, and we followed the admiraIs
boat through the fog toward where we
could hear muffied 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 good
many shore boats already there, and
the survivors were all picked up so far
as could be seen.
So we started looking in the various
boats for 81 and his ina. 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
VII INV iiS uulti III oiIe WuS tueft ca
cept the pale faced boy and me.
We'd row few strokes. then stop to
listen and see II the heavy. leaden.
foggy silence wouldn't he broken.
Finally the silence was broken.
faint moaning noise came from out in
the white fog some place.
We pulled for it; then we paused
and listened, hoping to hear II again.
When we did hear IL again | climbed
TO the bow. and we pulled and paused
and pulled and paused.
Sometimes ii seemed far off. some
times close. But presently saw II
shadow on the water
Way nuff." | cried give me an
car. I'll paddle"
And so | came to the shadow. gen
tly and carefully. and it was ri and his
ma that had made the shadow. 81 was
all right
He was wrapped I'm a life preserver.
and he was unframed. except that his
back was wet and that he was hungry
and sleepy But his una lay face down.
ward, dead-drowned in some mysteri-
ous fashion by the very buoyancy OF
the life preserver she wore
l called loudly. and some boats came
ont and helnpd me with Mrs Siddons'