The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1915-11-03

/ Mary Nyc tin she went down' She
carried boat for just such an emer-
/ gcncy But he. 0unsdorf. while the
others rowed merriIy of. would be
left in the dark.
In the first moment OF reasoning Il
did not occur to him that the ship
was on fire. Rather he thought that
the smoke was some devilish device
Of the triumvirate TO asphyxiate him.
From the eastern cliffs, which re-
ceived the onslaught OF the open sea,
Tommy and Celestia walked 10 those
lower western cliffs whose feet are
washed by the less strenuous waters
which flow between Gull Island and
the mainland, and here, sheltered
from the wind, they seated them
selves. ostensibly to admire tho view,
but really to admire each other.
The view consisted OF gray water.
a vast expanse OF II, in commotion.
and OF vast expanse OF small gray
sky; and, many miles distant, small
schooner beating slowly up to the is
land.
They must be cooking q bonny
breakfast said Tommy, Judging
from the smoke"
Judging by the smoke said Ce-
lestia. they've got more than one
stove'
by George you are right" said
Tommy. Then. moment later, with
excitement: She's on fire. That's
why the davits are swung cupboard.
They are waiting till the last moment
to lower boat. Thank the Lord
they've got onel suppose they want
tn get into the lee of the island. II
must be pretty rough out there for
skin. They're not making much
Roadway, though. She looks very low
in the water. Probably leaks like
a sieve, and the fire keeps them from
getting to the pumps"
Cant we do anything to help" !
Not unless the launch has come
back from Barteils. She went over
early for newspapers and supplies.
Let's go see."
So they raced off to the landing.
The launch had not yet returned, and
there was neither sight nor sound of
her. A catboat without even q mast
was drawn up on ways, and the only
other craft at the landing was a fiat
bottomed skin, so low in the water
that she could not have lived in the
rough water outside of the harhor
I'VE can't do any good" said Tommy
with great deal of regret in his
voice. Let's hurry back and see the
end of it,
They stopped at the house for field
glasses, of which there were several
pairs in a drawer of the hall table, and
hurried back to the western cliffs.
In his explorations of the night be-
fore Gunsdorf had noted the sacks of
lime raised from the floor of the hold
to keep them from any chance water.
And 1t dawned upon him It was his
own fault that they had got wet,
and generated enough heat to set the
ship on fire.
Captain Nye had kept his courage
up, and held grimly to the task of
trying to make head against the fire
and against the water rising in the
hold.
Through what remained of tho
night, and through all the long, anx-
ious morning. he and his two men, aid
ed by Barclay, Semmes and Sturte-
want, had fought like heroes against
the fire and water.
1t was discouraging to have to cart
into the burning after-hold so much of
the water that they blistered their
hands pumping 1t out CT it. At one
to get the fire under control In that
event they could have kept the vessel
atioat indefinitely.
Captain Nyc had suggested bringing
Gunsdort on deck and putting him
to work, and the effort had been made.
The man was disarmed as he came
up, wet to the knees and choking with
smoke. But at the sight of Barclay
all his hate returned. He would not
work; they couldn't make him.
why the hell should IT, said he,
when took the trouble to bore the
holes that are sinking her and to start
the fire that's burning herr"
All regarded the man with a hor-
ror that was akin to awe. Anger sue
ceeded this.
Is that the TRUTH" asked Captain
Nye?"
Yes"
Captain Nye motioned to his two
men. They seized Gunsdorf, and after
short struggle cast him back into
his prison and battened down the
hatch.
There's no room for him in the
small boat" said Captain Nye; and
there's no more mischief he can do
down below"
1t was only the fatigue of those who
were trying to save her that even
tually settled the fate of the Mary Nye.
Her captain called the party together.
Thanks. all hands," he said.
You've done all men could do. Well
naad what afrougth wa,va 0of Loft 20