The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-02-04
The Past a Blank.


seized the life buoy, climbed the rail
and leaped far out. AS the great, dark,
tossing sea swooped up to meet her
she noted a block of wood bobbing up
and down. She tried to avoid it, but
could not, and struck it head on. De-
spite the blow and the shock of the
chill water she instinctively chung to
tho buoy. The wash from the mighty
lropellers tossed her about, hither
and yon. from one swirl to another,
like q chip of wood. Then everything
grew blank.
Fortunately for her the master Of
the fishing schooner was at the time
standing on his quarterback by the;
wheel, squirting through his glass at
the liner and envying the ease and;
comfort Of those on board her. The
mate, sitting on the steps and smok!
ing his turning-in pipe, saw the mas
ter lean forward suddenly. lower the
glass, then raise 1t again.
Lord a'mighty!"
whats the matter, cap'n?"
Jake, In Gods name, come ERE an;
take q peek through this glass. I'm
dreamin'!"
The mate jumped and took the
glass. Where away, sir?"
"A pint OF tn sta'board bow. See
somethin' white bobbin' up?"
"Yessir! Looks like some one
dropped q bolster r piller over-
board. Gods whiskers!" he
broke OF.
Then I amt really SEEM things"
cried the master. Hi, y lubbers!" he
yelled to the crew; Flower tn dory.
They's q woman in tn water out there.
I seen her leap tn rail. Look alive!
Sharp's tn word! Mate. you go
long"
The crew dropped their tasks and
sprang for the davits, and the star
board dory was lowered In shipshape
style.
It takes q good bit Of seamanship
to haul body out Of the sea, into
q dancing bobtailed dory, when one
moment it is climbing frantically heav-
onward and the next heading for the
bottomless pit. They were very ten
der with her. They laid her out In the
bottom Of the boat, with the life buoy
AZ . pillow, and pulled theoretically
for the schooner. She was alive. be-
cause she breathed; but she did not stir
30 much as an eyelid. It was stiff
bit Of work, too, to land her aboard
without adding to her injuries. The
master ordered the men to put her in
his own bunk, where he nearly stran-
gled her by forcing raw brandy down.
her throat.
well, she's alive. anyhow"
When Florence finally opened her,
eyes the gray Of dawn lay on the sea,
dotted here and there by the schooners
Of the fleet, which seemed to be hang
ing In midair. as at the moment there
was visible to the eye no horizon.
Don't seem t recognize nothin'."
"Mebbe she's got a fever" suggested,
the mate, rubbing his bristly chin.
Fever nothin'! Not after bein' in.
tn water half an hour. Mebbe she hit
one o. them wooden floats we left.
Them dinged liners keep on crowdin'
u.s." growled Barnes. with fisher.
mans hate for the floating hotels;
went by without toot. See err
jes' like tn bankers wife goin' e
church on Sunday? A mile minute; :.
fog or no fog, it's all the same e:
them. They run US down an never
stop. What tn tarnation we goin'
to do? She'll han t stay aboard till!
tn run is over. can't afford t yank
up my mudhook this time o. day."
Guess she can stand three r four
days in our company, smellin' oil
cloths, fish, kerosene. an punk t'bac-,
CO."
''If y don't like tn kind o. t'bacco
I buy buy your own. amt objectin'
none"
The mate stepped over to the bunk
and gingerly ran his hand over the;
girls head. Gods whiskers, cap'n,
they's q bump as big's cork on tn
back o. her head! She's struck one
o. them foatseall right. Where's tn;
arnica?"
Barnes turned to his locker and rum.
mayed about. finally producing an an
cient bottle and some passably clean;
cloth used frequently for bandages.,
Sometimes man grew careless with
his knife or got in the way of pulley.
block. With laundering kindness the
two men bound up the girls head, and,
then went about their duties.
For three days Florence evinced not
the slightest inclination to leave the