The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-06-03

80 yesterday, WINCH was pay u<sy,
gave her So, and | said Take 81 to
| Seattle and see the sights" And she
did 1t.
At least she put On her pink waist
and her green shawl. and she hauled 81
down to the boat by one arm. his feet
dragging all the way.
After that loafed around until even
ing, when l went to the Stalwart and
relieved old man Keller.
After he'd left the ship ! walked
around and inspected things, as l al
T! ways do, and decided, as I've decided
every day for ten years, that the Stall
| wart is still mighty fine ship.
Pretty soon l moved around little
| and when l got aft and was looking
over the rail under the stern light
could see young smelts in the still, oily
water. and they looked like shreds cut
out with knife from silver bar
And, oh, how solemn and still it was!
You could hear a gasoline boat two
miles away humping, missing strokes,
stopping and then humping again, and
their course across the bay.
At first it was clear overhead, and ]
could see the stars and the lights at
the navy yard, and could hear the
sentries hail people in loud. important
voices. And then the lights faded and
blinked out, one by one, and l knew
fog was shutting in on us. And the
sounds seemed sort of muff1ed by the
fog.
| went forward then to the ships
bell under the bridge, and once a min
ute by watch I'd ring rapidly. and
presently Bill Paterson on the Boston
would ring, and afterward we'd hear
Bixby on the Concord.
Well, kept on ringing the bell. At
first there weren't any steamer whis-
ties sounding, but after time l com
menced to hear dull. thrilling ooo-h,
ooh. from far away down the Mar
rows.
knew at once that this was the late
boat from the city. the Humahuma,
and that she was navigating by
echoes, as they always do in fogs on
this sound.
And then got feeling that 81 and
his ma would be on the boat, so l
rang the bell faster and faster. for
didn't want the Humahuma to go COL
liding with the Stalwart and smashing
81 and me up.
But the Humahuma's whistle got
louder and louder until it sounded al
most on top Of us.
was frantcally disturbed, for
wasn't used to having ships come so
close, and l rang the bell as though
1 were being paid dollar a stroke
but no effect!
1t got SO l could hear the engines
thump, thump, and hear the water
turn Off from the cutwater with a
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!
l stopped ringing and jumped to the
rail, and during two seconds l 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 a
barndoor Of a woman's figure which
had in its arms a child.
I felt sure from their shapes that the
woman and child would be Mrs. Sid
dons and 81.
Would the Humahuma sink?
I was sure she would. from what
had seen. And then l noticed that my
ing too. What to do?
I ran to the 'splintered hole, and
heard the water whistling as it rushed
in, like wind in the treetops, only in
sharper notes.
What to do?
l jumped and rang the alarm call on
the bell, and the ships ahead passed it
along. / rang it again and again, and
then frail skiff with a half grown
boy in it appeared alongside out of
the fog.
I'll take you off. unclep said the
boy.
I 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
"Pm sort of captain" said l, 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 NINE"
The boy hollered, Jaw, come on, you
nutty old devil; she's sinkin'w
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 go
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 a
wherry, with two bluejackets h'isting
him olnno