The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-09-23


sky had become suddenly overcast.
The pretty tiller maiden was pushing
the helm down with her foot and haul
ing in briskly on the sheet when he
sat up.
What's this we're coming to?" he
asked, thinking less Of the changed
weather conditions than of the charm
ing picture she made in action.
Weather" she said shortly. Look
behind you"
He looked and saw a huge storm
cloud rising out of the northwest and
spreading like great gray dust cur
tain from horizon to zenith.
There's a good bunch Of wind in
that cloud" he said, springing to help
his companion with the Stating main
sail. Hadn't we better lie up under
the island and let it blow over?"
NO." she snapped. We'll have to
reef, and be quick about it. Help mel"
He helped with the reefng, and the
great mainsail had been successfully
reduced TO its smallest area and hoist
ed home again before the trees on the
western shore began to bow and churn
in the precursor blasts of the coming
storm.
ut will hit us in less than a min
ute; how about weathering that
island?" he asked.
We've got to weather it," was the
instant decision; I'VE can't go around"
Then, the catboat still hanging in the
winds eye; Help me get her over"
Hadn't you better let her fall off a
little more and run for it," he sug-
gested, and he had to shout it into the
pink ear nearest to him to make him
self heard above the roaring of the
wind and the crashing plunges Of the
boat.
She shook her head and made an i'm
patient little gesture with her elbow
toward the storm-lashed raceway over
the bows. Griswold winked the spray
out of his eyes and looked. At first
he saw nothing but the wild waste OF
whitecaps, but at the next attempt he
made out the hotel steam launch, half.
way to the entrance of the southern
bay and little to leeward of the ely
ties course The small steamer was
evidently no seaboat, and with more
courage than seamanship, its steers
man was driving straight for the Inn
bay without regard for the direction OF
the wind and the seas.
That's Ole Halverson!" cried the
tiller maiden with scorn in her voice,
He thinks because he happens to
have steam engine he needn't look to
see which way the wind is blowing"
"She's pitching pretty badly" Girls,
void called back. "If he only had
sense enough to ease off a little
:" Suddenly he became aware OF
the finer heroism Of his companion. He
knew now why she had refused to take
shelter under the lee of the island
and why she was holding the catboat
down to the edge of peril to keep the
windward advantage Of the laboring
steamer. "Margery girl, you're a
darling!" he shouted. Take all the
chances you want to and I'm with you
if we go to the bottom!"
She nodded complete intelligence
and took in another inch Of the strain
ing main sheet.
Griswold looked again, this time
over the catboat's counter, and saw 9
big schooner, close reefed, hauling Out
from a little bay on the north shore
The launch's plight had evidently i'm
pressed others with the necessity OF
doing something. The need was suf
ficiently urgent. Once again the Swed
ish man of machinery in charge of the
craft in peril was inching his helm VI
in vain endeavor to hold the course
and the little steamer was rolling al
most funnel under, Griswold forgo
his companion was woman ant
swore rabidly.
Look at the fool!" he yelled. "He'i
trying to come about! If he gets int
the trough"
The thing was done almost as HI
spoke. A wilder squall than any OF thu
preceding ones caught the upper work.
: of the launch and heeled her spitefully
At the critical instant the steersmal
lost his head and spun the wheel, ant
it was all over. With heaving plung
and a muff1ed explosion the launcl
was gone.
Once again Griswold was given t.
see the stuff Margery Grierson wa
made of in the finer warp and woof o
her.
That's for u.s." she said calmly
and then: Help me get another incl
or two on this sheet. We don't wan
to let those people on the Osprey d
all the heroic things"
Together they held the catboat dow
to it's work, sending it ripping througl
the crested waves and fighting sturd
ly for every foot of the precious vino
ward advantage. None the less, it wa
the big schooner, thrashing down tn
wind with every liquare yard of it
reefed canvas drawing, which was frs
at the scene Of disaster. Through tn
rain and spume they could see tn
4 schooner's crew picking up the shiI
wrecked passengers, who were cling
ing to Iifebelts, broken bulkheads an
anything that would float So swift
was the rescue effected that the res
cuer had luffed and filed and was teal
ing on it's way down the lake agai
\ when the close-hauled Clytie came u
] with the first of the floating wrecl
age. The tiller maiden's dark eye
were shining again, but this time thei
t. brightness was of tears.
n "Oh, boy, boy!" she cried, with
n little heartbroken catch in her voice
e some of them must have gone dow
n with her! Can you believe that tn
s. Osprey got them all?" And then, wit
d the sweet lips trembling: Il did m
a best. Kenneth: nv very best-and