Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-10-21

1
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.
Whats this we're coming tor" 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 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 Wen have to
reef. and be quick about 1t. Help mel"
He helped with the reefing. 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.
| 1T will hit us in less than q min
| ute: how about weathering that
island?" he asked.
We've got to weather it," was the
instant decision; 1--WE 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 of a
little more and run for it?" he sug-
gested, and he had to shout II into the
pink ear nearest to him 20 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 City,
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 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,
IL 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 a
big schooner, close reefed, hauling out
from little bay on the north shore.
The launchs 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 up
In a vain endeavor to hold the course,
and the little steamer was rolling al
most funnel under. Griswold forgot
his companion was woman and
swore rabidly.
Look at the fool" he yelled. He's
trying to come about! II he gets into
the trough"
The thing was done almost as he
spoke. A wilder squall than any of the
preceding ones caught the upper works
of the launch and heeled her spitefully.
At the critical instant the steersman
lost his head and spun the wheel, and
1t was all over. With heaving plunge
and muffied explosion the launch
was gone.
Once again Griswold was given to
see the stuff Margery Grierson was
made Of in the finer warp and wool Of
her
That's for u.s." she said calmly:
and then: Help me get another inch
or two on this sheet We don't want
to let those people on the Osprey do
all the heroic things"
Together they held the catboat down
to its work, sending it ripping through
the crested waves and fighting sturdi-
ly for every foot of the precious wind
ward advantage. None the less, 1t was
the big schooner, thrashing down the
wind with every square yard of its
reefed canvas drawing. which was first
at the scene of disaster. Through the
rain and spume they could see the
schooner's crew picking up the ship
wrecked passengers, who were cling
ing to lifebelts, broken bulkheads and
anything that would float. So swiftly
| was the rescue effected that the res
cuer had luffed and filed and was tear
ing on its way down the lake again
when the close-hauled Clytie came up
with the first of the floating wreck
age. The tiller maiden's dark eyes
were shining again. but this time their
brightness was of tears.
ooh, boy. boy!" she cried. with q
little heartbroken catch in her voice:
some of them must have gone down