Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-08-18

done he dismissed the case for here
ism.
But about this what
can you do? Our east wing scouts are
In touch with the enemy. and here am
| not doing five knots. Never a shot
to be fired. and ahead they've got all
the work. Can you do nothing with
these starboard enginesT
"They are In pretty bad ix. but
I'll do my best to work them for
time at least"
The senior engineer staggered to q
deep wallow OF the stricken vessel as
a tumultuous swell tilted her casemat.
ed broadside He would have fallen
headlong II the officers had not sprung
forward and caught him under the
arms. He moaned. "My knee! My
knee! It's smashed"
Half an hour later he was superin-
tending his officers and men. who
stripped to their trousers, were clear
Ing away the wreck. Every order that
issued peremptorily from his blanched
lips went full and fair to the mark and
afforded succinct knowledge and con-
fldence to the grimy. sweating workers
Theirs were unbegrudged obedience
and execution, for each now understood
his man. Hunched shouldered. he was
through physical agonies: yet know
ing that he held the lives Of 100 men
and that great. glorious ship In his
hand, he maintained bis will indomlta-
BILE. Not detail escaped his eye or
slipped his brain.
Night had long since dropped. The
immense boat lay lurching from side
to side, plungipg wildly under the tons
Of green sens that thudded like batter
ing rams against her bows and fore
castle what time the high walled swell
broke roaring.
MAKE for northwest trade patrol
Regain nearest port. Much regret
breakdown" had been the sorely har
assed vice ndmiral's latest message.
Captain Widdrington. Il barrel swath
ed in shawls and many waterproofs.
was with the first and third lieutenants
on the afterbridge. YEARLY he turn
ed from straining his eyes over the In.
distinct SUBMITS Of yeasty seas and
cleared the brine Off his face and bushy
eyebrows with the fat Of his left hand
He was cautiously making his way up
the bridge when suddenly he stopped
short. A quartermuster shouted. "Dye
hear that, sir?
A faint boom had rung through the
stormy wind, ominous. like to q dying
worlds last echo.
The first lodged scattered spout OF
sea. IF the enemy drive down on us
will you fight. sirT"
"Yes, by heavens! As we'll go down
fightin' as not. If we can work ship
it's the very weather for us. See Tor
shell. must risk the port engines
And as Wingate carefully made his
way on deck "Firin' east sou'east"
was the lookout's hail.
He climbed down the thirty odd feet
Of slippery ladder into the maze OF mo
tionless machinery. AS he touched the
senior engineer on the elbow he noted
his inbent and quivering lips.
Cant say" was the answer. "Meb-
be we will. But every man Is workin
his best. If it is in my power the star
board mills II rum"
IF we can't steam God help u.s.!
calculated the first.
v.
As the luckless warshlp flung herself
about the iron flooring beneath the
wornout men seesawed hither ana
thither. throwing them of their feet
She evened herself in II broad valley
Of the mountainous sen wastes.
Torshell yelled: Let her 60! Let
her co.
A breaking hill Of wild water was
hurting itself IN the weather quarter
Just rs the chains ratified through the
blocks. Torshel lurched forward ana
then. to the boats violent heeling. top
pled helplessly between the hinder col
umn of the Intermediate engine anu
the banging mass Of cylinder geur.
Lower. Lower! Never mind mel!
came I'm an intense shrek. Their rack
ed and knotted arms pulled desperate
", and the disconnected workings were
lowered clear down to the floor plates.
The manned and bleeding mass OF
flesh that had been Torshell. Il. N. r..
was slipping into the crank pit. but
Jerroll and some others held 1t fast
And It came that as the waning voice
moaned "Give her steam! Give her
steam! Mind the links! the mad peal
ing of the telegraph made his assistant
leap to the starting engine. The two
cut of scouts Of the enemy were open
ing heavy cannonading.
The dull grunting Of guns and the
quickening thud Of his engines the
senior engineer did not hear. Cried
Naylen, on his knees beside him. '"The
best man among us. and we never
knew itr'
The fighting ship went bravely into
action. but the man of the merchant
marine would never again give ear.