Evening star., 1915-02-14


fro like cat. 1 called to Jerry; but there
screaming in the rigging and blowing crack like
barker seized the Wheel and called one of the Sailors
"Steer!" says I, and put pistol to his head
But it CHANGED this fellow was but landsman, like
myself newly caught by the crmps, and he turned the
wheel about in maze, not knowing what to do. Twas
then that Jerry up, and l bawed to him to give
hand. But he far gone now, owing to the broken
and the rolling of the brig and he leaned down and
groaned shook him by the shoulders, and he cursed me-
"Can you steer?" l asked "Jerry, know you aught
of ship?'
He raised his head weakly. @Dick," says he, @Td
the topsman had me than this. Put me along
Shore" he says.
l went back, for there the wheel to bride, and
the brig rearing like fiery horse and just then
one of the sailors stumbled my way. seized him.
take the wheel, Rogue" said, @and keep her nose
down the estuary!
He did as bade and she righted and began to creep
slowly forward. But, it CHANGED, was at that mo-
ment overcome by the nausea that had overlook
Jerry, and went to the side. AS stood there, mis-
cradle from the pit of my stomach upwards, was
that the brig had gone off into fit again. and was
rearing once more. l turned and the that
had been at the wheel halfway the deck and
had bottle in his hand and walking as it were in
a hornppe l cursed Jerry for his folly in broachng
that keg of Dutch spirits for twas plain to me
that the whole company drunk and there none
to do the work of the ship.
So back crawls to the Wheel righted her more,
and made shift keep her steady, hearing nbald and
finishing the keg. The night lit with stars,
and the wind blew out of that bright heaven with the
force of gale Where in the of Old Noll we
I could not say; but l aware of deeper shadows
that the left the which set down the mount
ing hills of the Somersetshre shore.
The brig staggered like drunkard, and what the
devil should do to hold and keep her afoot all
through the night with that tpsy racket than
could guess Jerry lay in the scuppers, groaning
and then, and now and then cursing.
WELL, the end came soon, and l not sorry.
There pack of black clouds blew through
the sky and blotted out the stars, that l could
not way from tother and so | set the wheel
just as it went and trusted to good luck. Rip me!
trusted to Good Fortune! Well, this Good Fortune
failed me- for it there turn in the channel
that brought out the land Closer and the brig, heeng
under the wind, took mighty plunge twisted the
bit under her teeth, and ran ashore.
She grounded with a long drawn snar as of in
wood, and went her side, throwing from the
wheel into the lee Scuppers And thither too
Jerry atop of me, swearing like a horse "copper" When
had got my feet heard splash and guessed
that fallen in the water. 1t was light enough
to make out the face of the brig, and there
doubt but the disaster had sobered the crew. for they
ran about with shouts and called orders each other
The Good Fortune lay, so far as could discover, in
shallow water fifty yards from the sands with
heavy list and so saw forthwith what needed to
be done for my emprise l cared not for ship
l had set out to rescue the prisoners and, rip mel
was for doing that now
called out to Jerry and told him what was afoot,
and then went into the waist. l pointed to the
Monmouth that their chance about,
and they not loath to take advantage. So that
within ten minutes all wading ashore the
too. AS reached it there shout from the ship,
and heard the masters voice loud and raucous. He
have to his wits through the shock of the
water and now found his brig wrecked.
Though twas late in the night, rather early in the
morning, there of inhabitants about.